NFL Draft Profile: New York Giants trade up to select Maryland DB Deonte Banks
Deonte Banks
Maryland Terrapins
#3
Pos: CB
Ht: 6000
Wt: 197
Hand: 0938
Arm: 3138
Wing: 7718
40: 4.35
DOB: 03/03/__
Hometown: Edgewood, MD
High School: Edgewood
Eligibility: 2023
One Liner:
Banks is a well-built, poised corner who allows minimal separation on vertical and comeback routes, but he lacks the speed and suddenness to contend for a first-round selection.
Evaluation:
Maryland played Banks to the boundary and field sides of plays, but he seemed most comfortable operating along the boundary. He’s received starting snaps since his freshman season in 2019. Banks has roughly 1,500 defensive snaps and 315 special teams snaps to his name. He’s a well-built corner with good but not elite arm length. Banks has the mass and play strength to contribute as a run defender. He challenges wide receiver blocks with aggressive hands and fights through them to the ball carrier. Missed tackles weren’t a concern for Banks in 2022, but they could be in the future, considering he doesn’t always square up and drive through ball carriers. He is quick to read and close on short throws and is excellent at attacking the ball at the catch point. Banks is patient when sitting in press coverage before getting in phase. He suffers from some false steps when lined up directly over the receiver, but his patient nature usually allows him to avoid serious missteps. The Maryland native has fluid hips to swivel and adjust his positioning. He squeezes outside releases along the sideline and has little to no trouble staying attached to receivers on vertical routes despite not possessing great speed. Banks remains attached to receivers at the top of comeback and stick routes. He coordinates well with his teammates in zone to pass off routes and displays the patient processing power to handle multiple receivers running through his space. Banks’ lack of elite speed occasionally shows up on tape. He drew eight flags in 2022 and will grab receivers when beaten. The redshirt junior’s backpedal is higher and slower than ideal. His foot speed and suddenness are average at best. Banks is a fluid athlete, but he’s not twitchy or highly explosive. The Maryland product only has two career interceptions and one season with significant ball production. He doesn’t always get his head around to the football and needs to turn more batted passes into interceptions. Banks could be more assertive and physical with his approach and punches in press coverage to stall receivers at the line of scrimmage. He will contribute against the run at the next level but could show more urgency as a run defender. Banks occasionally loses the feel for his man in zone coverage as he keeps his eyes on the quarterback. He doesn’t allow much separation in man coverage. When he does, it’s usually on routes that cross his face and travel over the middle of the field, where receivers can unleash their speed without fear of being trapped against the sideline.
Grade:
2nd Round
Background:
Banks was a three-star recruit from Edgewood High School in Edgewood, Md., in the class of 2019. He was the No. 859 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 885 for On3.com. Banks was an unranked two-star recruit for Rivals. He was an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 79 grade out of 100. Banks also received offers from Buffalo and Kent State. He earned All-Harford County honors for football in high school and competed in track and field. MaxPreps credits Banks with 24 receptions for 534 yards on offense and 41 tackles with five interceptions on defense as a high school sophomore. During his junior season, he started in the first two games and then suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He returned from injury for senior season, playing in twelve games, totaling thirty-eight tackles and one interception. Banks earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention status for his performance in 2022. He declared for the 2023 NFL Draft.
