Giants Cornerbacks Fail to Make PFF’s Top 32 List

The New York Giants believe they have a solid cornerback duo in second-year man Deonte Banks and third-year man Cor’Dale Flott, but Pro Football Focus, in their ranking of the league’s top 32 cornerbacks ahead of the 2024 season, disagrees.

Neither Banks nor Flott made the list compiled by John Kosko, whose top cornerbacks include Sauce Gardner of the Jets, Trent McDuffie of the Chiefs, Charvarius Ward of the 49ers, Patrick Surtain II of the Broncos, and Jaylon Johnson of the Bears.

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The exclusion of Flott is understandable considering he played mostly in the slot last year after seeing the majority of his snaps on the outside as a rookie. The Giants decided to move Flott back to the outside for this year and barring something unexpected happening, he will assume the CB2 role opposite Banks.

Banks, it could be argued, the other hand, never really got a fair shake from PFF, who gave him a 48.6 coverage grade despite having the third-best NFL coverage rating (84.7) among the Giants’ cornerbacks, tying for the team’s cornerback lead (with Adoree’ Jackson) in pass breakups (6), and was tying for the team lead among his position group in interception (two, with Darnay Holmes).

Although he was charged with allowing four touchdowns, compared to his peers who had a minimum of 450 coverage snaps, Banks finished 20th in NFL coverage rating.

The good news is that Banks’ speed, size and athleticism are top notch and are good enough for him to be thought of as a legitimate No. 1 cornerback in this league.

If he can better manage his physicality when it comes to tackling—he injured his shoulder and missed the last two games of the season, come this time next year, Banks will be in the discussion for the top 32 cornerbacks in the league.