Joe Schoen wasn’t about to see the New York Giants miss the chance to select Deonte Banks in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. The general manager traded ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire the 24th pick and used it to select Maryland cornerback Banks, beating a few other suitors in the process, including the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs and their AFC West rivals the Las Vegas Raiders “were among those who had been making calls, and the feeling was that they could be coming for Banks once the wide receivers went off the board from 20-23, and Schoen wasn’t willing to take chance at being wrong,” according to NorthJersey.com’s Art Stapleton.
Schoen’s need to beat the Chiefs to Banks was confirmed by ESPN’s Jordan Raanan during an episode of the Breaking Blue podcast: “There were teams, apparently, moving up or looking to move up, to potentially draft Banks. Namely, the Kansas City Chiefs.”
The Giants actually tried to trade up earlier for Deonte Banks. Eventually, they landed at 24 because the Chiefs were trying to trade up and the thought was that it was for Banks.
That and much more on the Giants draft in this week’s Breaking Big Blue.
Raanan also revealed how the Giants were prepared to trade further than 24 specifically to get Banks, even if it meant ignoring other positions of need: “So the Giants are sitting there, they actually tried to trade up, I heard, to pick 20 with the Seattle Seahawks. Raanan interprets Schoen trying to trade to 20 as a sign “the Giants wanted Banks over the wide receivers.”
Giants Made Right Choice Choosing CB Over WR
The wide receivers in question were Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnston, Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison. All of whom went before the Giants were scheduled to pick.
Wide receiver was an obvious need entering the draft, but it seems Schoen made coverage help a priority over acquiring pass-catchers. It’s a gamble, but on balance, Schoen got it right.
Coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale’s defense needed help at corner at least as much as the offense needed another target in the passing game. Martindale’s unit allowed a 61.4 completion percentage and 21 touchdowns through the air last season.
Injuries at cornerback hardly helped, but Martindale’s propensity for blitzing also left the secondary exposed. Banks looks like the obvious remedy for the problem after consistently being stingy for the Terps, per PFF College.
N.Y. Giants select Maryland CB Deonte Banks 24th overall
🔵 Only allowed 50+ yards in a game ONCE in his career
Aside from Adoree’ Jackson, the Giants didn’t have another cover man with true shutdown skills. It’s something Schoen hadn’t addressed during free agency, as opposed to the work he’d done fixing the receiver corps.
Trading for Pro-Bowl tight end Darren Waller and signing Parris Campbell from the Indianapolis Colts were the notable moves. The new arrivals will supplement returning trio Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard.
Schoen had done his bit to bolster the passing game even before he traded again during the draft to select Jalin Hyatt in the third round. It was a different story at corner, so the Giants had to act early and beat the competition.
Giants Couldn’t Afford to Miss Out
The numbers weren’t good for his secondary, but what Martindale needed most was a more natural scheme fit on the outside. Banks fits the bill after being described by Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll as a “tall, lengthy, press man-to-man corner,” per Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic.
Brian Daboll on Deonte Banks: “He’s a tall, lengthy, press man-to-man corner and happy we have him”
A physical, handsy corner is a must in today’s NFC East, a division headlined by dominant wide receivers. A.J. Brown beats up defenses for the Philadelphia Eagles, while Dallas Cowboys‘ Pro-Bowler CeeDee Lamb has tormented the Giants in recent years. Even the Washington Commanders are loaded at wideout thanks to Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.
Pressure schemes will only do so much to disrupt the dynamic passing games the Giants face close to home. A more important factor will be how well the Giants can hold up in one-on-one coverage matchups.
That factor made trading up to beat the competition for Banks a necessity.
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Giants Beat Super Bowl Champions to Top Draft Pick