John Harbaugh Reportedly Hires Giants' New Defensive Backs Coach

Harbaugh's staff continues to take shape.

John Harbaugh's New York Giants coaching staff is taking shape. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh has reportedly landed another of his former Baltimore assistants for his new staff in New York.

Donald D’Alesio, who was the Ravens' defensive backs coach, is reportedly joining the Giants’ staff in the same role.

D’Alesio is a former college defensive back who played for Youngstown State from 2010 to 2014, then coached the year after as a defensive quality control coach for his alma mater, working his way up the chain to defensive coordinator in 2019, his final season there. 

During the 2016 season, the Penguins set a new school record with 49 sacks, a mark that was also an FCS-best. That defense also included defensive end Avery Moss, whom the Giants would draft in the fifth round of the 2017 draft.

After a one-year assignment at LSU as a defensive analyst, D’Alesio was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs as a defensive assistant in 2021. The following season, he was named the team’s safeties coach, a role he held until 2024. Then in 2025, he joined Harbaugh’s Ravens staff as the defensive backs coach. 

Last season, the Giants defensive backs had an up-and-down showing. Per PFF, reserve safety Dane Belton has the highest coverage grade among the eight defensive backs who played at least 100 coverage snaps, the pending free agent landing with a 68.6 grade.

As a group, the Giants’ defensive backs forced just 20 incompletions all season long, seven of those by slot cornerback Dru Phillips. The group also recorded just three interceptions, while allowing 13 touchdown receptions by opponents. They also had just 17 pass breakups.

Stats aside, it’s hoped that in D’Alesio, the third time just might be a charm when it comes to helping 2023 first-round draft pick Deonte Banks finally reach a level of consistency that has eluded him since he landed with the Giants. 

Per PFF, Banks’s overall grades have declined since his rookie season. In addition, Banks, who the team had hoped would become a solid starter for them for years to come, was unable to beat out Cor’Dale Flott during training camp for the starting role opposite of Paulson Adebo.

The two cornerbacks initially rotated snaps early in the season before Flott was given the assignment full-time and Banks was reduced to a kickoff return specialist.

The Giants are apparently waiting until the staff is complete to announce all the hirings, but various sources have already reported several names of which we've included in the table below. 

Giants New Coaching Staff Tracker

Coach	Role
Tim Kelly	Offensive Role - TBD
Charlie Bullen	Defensive Role - TBD
Willie Taggart	Running Backs
Dennis Johnson	Defensive Line
Chris Horton	Special Teams Coordinator
Dennard Wilson	Defensive Coordinator
Matt Pees	Assistant Linebackers
Adam Schrack	Running Backs Quality Control
Brendan Clark	Defensive Backs Quality Control
Noah Riley	Football Analyst
Megan Rosburg	Assistant to the Head Coach
Donald D’Alesio	Defensive BacksGiants New Coaching Staff Tracker

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