Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, the New York Giants had a few needs to address on their roster. Arguably the biggest was in their secondary, where they needed some help at cornerback.
Not looking to mess around and press their luck, New York made a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to move up from No. 25 to No. 24. They sent fifth and seventh-round picks to the Jacksonville, to make the move and select Maryland cornerback, Deonte Banks.
Banks was the fourth cornerback off the board after Devon Witherspoon, Emmanuel Forbes and Christian Gonzalez. Like all young cornerbacks, Banks has had his ups and downs this season, but he has flashed true No. 1, lockdown potential for the Giants as well.
Banks has been a regular in the Giants’ lineup all season, playing 86 percent of their defensive snaps through Week 14. During the team’s three-game winning streak, he has played 100 percent of the snaps as it is no coincidence they have started playing better with him on the field more.
Just how good has Banks been this season? According to Gridiron Media on X, formerly Twitter, he is allowing only 6.3 yards per target this season. That is a lower number than stars such as Marshon Lattimore, Sauce Gardner and Marlin Humphrey.
Being ahead of players of that caliber in any stat is an impressive achievement, especially for a rookie still learning the ropes of being in the NFL. Banks looks like a keeper for the Giants in the secondary as he has the makeup to be a No. 1 corner in this league.
On the season he has recorded 55 total tackles with two tackles for loss. He has two interceptions and 11 passes defended, showcasing some playmaking skills as well. The future is bright for the former Terrapin as he looks to be a building block for the team on the defensive side of the ball.
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