What Kind of Impact Will Deonte Banks Make as a Rookie?

Deonte Banks has all the tools to become a premier cornerback for the Giants as they begin to reshape their defensive backfield.

Deonte Banks, Cornerback

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 205 pounds
2022 Stats*: GP 12 / GS: 12. 38 tackles (25 solo), eight pass breakups, one interception, 0.5 sacks.
*College stats at Maryland

Cornerback Deonte Banks was the third defensive back taken off the board once the New York Giants selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Giants originally had the 25th selection, but a swap (plus the No. 160 and 240 picks) with the Jaguars assured their chances of getting the 22-year-old one spot earlier.

Banks played for four years at Maryland and started nearly every game when he was healthy. The Giants rookie may continue his starting streak as the top cornerback spots on the depth chart are up for grabs.

Best Case Scenario

Banks has all the tools needed to become an immediate lockdown threat to any wide receiver in the NFL. His long, athletic frame and his ability to stick with the receiver in man or zone could even ride him to a realistic Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign. Banks also excels at keeping the receiver by the sideline and rarely allows inside leverage, something many cornerbacks struggle with at every level.

The Giants cornerback position is one of the few in the NFL that doesn’t have a clear top player. Based on his unique attributes and frame, it probably wouldn’t hurt to have No. 36, his designated number, playing a majority of defensive snaps on Sundays.

The New York Jets struggled in 2021 with their secondary, but drafting Sauce Gardner in 2022, who is very similar to Banks in size and attributes, made all the difference. The Giants are hoping Banks makes a similar impact.

Worst Case Scenario

Assuming Banks earns the starting job, he will likely face the best receiver on the opposing team. Based on the Giants' schedule, the rookie will potentially go head-to-head with several Pro Bowl wide receivers, including Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, DaVante Adams, and more. He’d also likely face A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, and Terry McLaurin twice since they are division foes.

A rookie playing his first 17 career games against players like this could put a lot of pressure on him to defend the best of the best. A couple of poor games could ruin the 22-year-old’s confidence for the future, so that might be something to watch moving forward.

What to Expect

Barring anything unusual, Banks should be one of the starting cornerbacks by Kickoff weekend. His talent and attributes should put him on the road to success.

However, his tough wide receiver schedule will be the basis of how he plays this season. If he shuts them down, he could be considered one of the best cornerbacks in the league, possibly earning him some hardware and accolades. 

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