The New York Giants beat the Washington Commanders for the second time in Week 11, and the result appeared to be especially personal for first-round cornerback Deonte Banks.
“Stop playing man,” the rookie voiced to his followers on Instagram live after the win. “Coulda came and got me at 16 and they didn’t! Now I’m 2-0 against you bum a** boys. F*** the Commanders.”
#Giants rookie CB Deonte Banks on IG live: “Coulda came and got me at 16 and they didn’t. Now I’m 2-0 against you bum a** boys. F*** the Commanders.”
Banks grew up in Maryland and Washington opted to take Emmanuel Forbes over him.
“They think they slick,” Banks went on. “They finna see me two times a year until the end of my career. Two times a year. Should have came and got me.”
Born and raised in Maryland, Banks would have been a hometown fit with the Commanders — who drafted Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes instead of him at No. 16 overall. The Giants then drafted the Maryland CB at No. 24 with Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez going to the New England Patriots at No. 17.
Outside of Seattle Seahawks selection Devon Witherspoon (No. 5), those were the only three defensive backs taken in round one of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Banks finished his viral rant by asking if “17 played today,” referring to Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin. The Washington star only caught five passes for 43 yards in Week 11.
Giants’ Deonte Banks Is Building Reputation as Shutdown Cornerback, But Needs to Be More Consistent
Banks has had his ups and downs as a rookie, but he does seem to display that shutdown CB potential when he’s at his best.
The first rounder had a nice day in Week 11, for example, but that has not always been the case. In recent outings versus the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets and Commanders (first matchup), Pro Football Focus charged Banks with yardage totals of 87, 110, 100 and 96 in coverage.
He has also been penalized eight times this season.
Having said that, Banks allowed zero catches versus the Buffalo Bills and Cowboys (Week 1), as well as fewer than 50 yards receiving from Week 2 through 5. The rookie will need to work on consistency and limiting big plays as time goes on.
Ironically, Forbes has had a very similar rookie year according to PFF. He got absolutely torched by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4 and has struggled in moments, but he’s also put together a few really solid performances holding pass-catchers to under 50 yards.
Washington has fluctuated in their usage of Forbes compared to Banks though, with just four games where he has logged 40 or more snaps. Banks has played 40 or more snaps in nine out of 10 games in 2023.
Giants CB Deonte Banks Labels Week 11 vs. Commanders a ‘Great Team Win’
During an Instagram post — rather than a live stream — Banks called the Week 11 victory over the Commanders a “great team win!”
“Let’s keep it going,” he added with the hashtags “#VictoryMonday” and “#GoBigBlue.”
Banks also posted after the Raiders loss, voicing: “made a few mistakes but im still a star. #gottakeepgoing.”
Like most cornerbacks, Banks has a lot of confidence. That’s practically become a prerequisite of the position at the NFL level, and the Maryland product has it in spades.
Whether he can harness that mentality and turn it into an All-Pro track record is another conversation, but the rookie has the rest of the season to work on that and grow. Down the stretch, Banks’ development will be one of the top stories to watch for the Giants and their fans.
The first rounder was playing with a chip on his shoulder in Washington, but will he be able to do that week after week? That’s what separates good cornerbacks from the elite.
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Giants Rookie Calls Out Commanders in Expletive-Filled Rant