Grading 1st-round draft choices of the Eagles rivals in the NFC East

The Giants traded up one spot in the NFL Draft to land a cornerback and found a pretty good one.

The 2022-2023 NFL season was a tough one for the New York Giants secondary. If the lack of experience wasn’t an issue, they suffered from injuries and a lack of healthy bodies.

The G-Men benefited from a ball-control offense and occasional timely runs by Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. Thanks to a blitz-happy defense, they were able to create timely stops en route to a postseason berth and playoff win.

Their defense finished as a middle-of-the-pack unit last year, allowing an average of 214 yards through the air per game. The secondary didn’t collect very many interceptions last year. They only finished with six. That tied them for last place in the NFL with the lowly Las Vegas Raiders. New York is hoping they have patched a nice-sized hole with the selection of Maryland’s Deonte Banks.

Here’s a physical defensive back that can help raise their level of production in the secondary. He’s an ideal fit for Wink Martindale’s style of defense. The former Terp is known for owning a more aggressive style of play. He also isn’t afraid to stick his head in on a few tackles.

During his four seasons at the NCAA level, Deonte racked up 83 total stops, two interceptions, 13 pass deflections, and 0.5 sacks in his four years at the collegiate level. He only played two games in 2021 as a season-ending shoulder injury halted his swan song. Injuries are a concern here. The biggest knock on him is he has only started ten games during the past two seasons, but if he’s past all of that, he has the tools to be a star. Big Blue may have found a baller.

Grade: A