2023 NFL Draft: Could Deonte Banks Be an Option for the Jaguars at No. 24?

After a standout performance at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, could Maryland's Deonte Banks be a dark horse for pick No. 24?

The 2023 NFL Draft season is upon us.

Among the 32 teams building their rosters to compete for the next Lombardi Trophy is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold nine picks in this season’s draft -- including the No. 24 overall pick.

As we march closer and closer to April’s draft, we will look at individual draft prospects and how they would potentially fit with the Jaguars. Instead of looking at any negatives, we are going to look at what the players do well and if they could match what the Jaguars need at the specific role or position.

Next up: Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks.

Overview

A Maryland native, Banks was rated by 247Sports as a three-star prospect. He was ranked the No. 12 recruit in his state, the No. 77 corner, and the No. 859 player overall in the 2019 recruiting class. Banks was ultimately not heavily recruited out of high school, drawing six offers. He committed to Maryland over Buffalo, Elon, Delaware State, Monmouth, and Kent State. 

Banks immediately saw playing time at Maryland, playing in 11 games and starting eight as a true freshman, recording 28 tackles, two pass breakups, and an interception in the process. Banks returned as a starter in 2020, starting three games in the COVID-19-shortened season. 

Banks started the first two games of his junior season before a shoulder injury in Week 2 knocked him out for the season. This led to him returning as a senior in 2022, starting nine games in 12 weeks and recording 38 tackles, eight pass breakups, an interception, and a sack.

What Deonte Banks Does Well

It isn't surprising at all to see Banks run a 4.35 40-yard dash when you consider the type of athleticism he shows on tape. He is a pure speed demon on the field, running vertical routes with ease and rarely ever giving up separation over the top, even to top-notch receivers such as Marvin Harrison Jr. While some prospects don't play to their timed speed, Banks does in a big way. 

As an athlete, Banks is more than just long speed. His explosiveness from the combine shows up on the field, with Banks showing the ability to get vertical and deflect passes from all angles, even with average arm length. He has the same explosive athleticism moving forward, too, flying downhill against the run and screens and proving to be a terror to block on the perimeter. 

It is when taking on blocks on the perimeter that some of Banks' short area quickness shows up. While he has the physicality and strength to take on blocks head-on, he also has the quickness and flexibility to work around blocks to make tackles. As a tackler, he shows good technique, a willingness to be physical, and a good understanding of pursuit angles. 

Banks' best trait may be his ability to play the ball in the air, however, even with a low total of forced incompletions in college. He is able to stick to the hip of receivers on extended plays and make plays on the ball, both downfield and when breaking downhill toward the sideline. His instincts and ability to fight through the ball show up time and time again. 

How Deonte Banks Would Fit With the Jaguars

Banks played mostly as an outside corner at Maryland, but there are reasons to believe with his athleticism that he could be exactly the kind of cornerback the Jaguars need in 2023. The best value the Jaguars could get, both in the short- and long-term, is to find a corner who could start in the slot in 2023 before eventually moving outside to start opposite Tyson Campbell. Darious Williams is locked into a starting role entering 2023, but anything beyond then is a toss-up.

Banks, in theory, could be just that kind of cornerback. He spent almost his entire 2022 season on the outside (just over 10 snaps in the slot), but he showed the type of short-area quickness, agility, and overall flexibility to potentially play inside against quicker receivers. He moves well laterally for a tall cornerback, similar to Chiefs' cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.

Ultimately, Banks would go a long way toward adding versatility and athleticism to the Jaguars' secondary. While Trent Baalke has emphasized length among front seven prospects, he has taken a more serious bias toward speed in defensive backs, something Banks provides in droves. And considering his years at Maryland, Banks could be a player who could even slot outside for the Jaguars in 2023 if injuries pop up. A year after a lack of depth and true fits in the slot hurt the Jaguars' entire secondary, Banks and his fit could cover up a lot.

Verdict

While Banks may not have the production (two career interceptions, 11 pass deflections) that screams "first-round pick", he does have the traits and tape to suggest he wouldn't be a reach at No. 24 -- at least not in this class. Banks is a high-ceiling cornerback prospect who has shown the ability to play man, zone, defend the run, and could even have inside/outside versatility in the right defense. 

Ultimately, Banks should be in consideration at No. 24. An elite athlete at a premium position with good tape? That is a solid pick any way you cut it. 

For all of our 2023 NFL Draft profiles, click below.

• CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
• CB/S Brian Branch, Alabama
• TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
• CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
• S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
• TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
• DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
• CB Clark Phillips, Utah
• CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
• OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida