Everyone loves a redemption arc.
New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks became the talk of the NFL media when he locked down star X receiver Nico Collins in the Giants’ win over the Houston Texans. Banks had Collins in a vault in Week 7, spending much of the afternoon in man coverage on Collins and giving up just two catches for 6 yards.
For much of the NFL world, the performance seemed to come out of nowhere, but there have been clues that it has been coming.
Banks was named the NFC Defensive Player
Of the Week for Week 4 following his walk-off Pick 6 against the Arizona Cardinals. But the pieces have all been there for Banks to become a top flight cornerback from the very beginning. But as our friend Mark Schofield is fond of saying, development isn’t always linear, and Banks’ development has been anything but.
The promising prospect and rookie
To start, Banks is a truly elite athlete with one of the best combinations of size and speed of any cornerback in the NFL.
Banks’ 9.99 score ranks second in the RAS database and his ability to physically match up with almost any receiver is the foundation for his game. Even as a raw rookie, Banks ability to generate tight coverage was evident, as noted by our own Nick Falato when recapping the Giants’ 2023 draft class after that season.
Nick wrote at the time:
Banks played 840 defensive snaps for the Giants, recording 56 tackles, two interceptions, six passes defended, and a solid 57.6% reception rate. He did, however, commit 8 penalties, which was 13th-highest of all cornerbacks.
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Banks ranked 23rd best in reception rate of cornerbacks who played at least 50% of their team’s defensive plays.
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Banks has all the necessary athletic traits to thrive in man coverage, and he had a good overall rookie season, by my estimation. He also displayed very good awareness with zone and match principles.
Whoever replaces Martindale as defensive coordinator will approve of having Banks on the roster. With the retention of Jerome Henderson, I expect Banks to continue his development as a number one corner in the league.
GRADE: B+
The Giants hoped that Dennard Wilson would replace Martindale in 2024, but Wilson opted to replace Shane Bowen as the Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator instead. That led to Brian Daboll hiring Bowen to be the Giants’ defensive coordinator, bringing a fairly significant shift in defensive philosophy.
The Bowen years and decline
Banks went into the 2024 season as the Giants’ CB1 and was asked to follow top receivers around the field, but he struggled in that role and didn’t take the anticipated steps forward. He didn’t record a single interception in the 14 games he played and didn’t appear comfortable in the zone coverages Bowen called for much of that year.
That isn’t to say that Banks didn’t develop or take steps forward in 2024. He finished with 12 passes defensed in 2024, one more than in 2023 despite playing one fewer game. He also finished 11th in the NFL in forced incompletions and 12th in incompletion rate, per PFF.
It was obvious in 2023 and 2024 that Banks’ elite athleticism allowed him to excel in forcing tight window throws, and he was able to put himself in position to disrupt those passes. However, his technique still hadn’t caught up with his athletic traits and his play at the catch point was inconsistent at best.
Making matters worse, Brian Daboll fired defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, who was Banks’ biggest supporter and the loudest voice holding him to account for lapses in effort.
The combination of upside and and frustrating factors made 2025 a “Make Or Break” year for Banks. The pieces were all there for Banks to take a step forward, however the circumstances had changed such that he might not be able to do so.
The Giants ultimately chose to go with Cor’Dale Flott as the starting cornerback opposite Paulson Adebo. That said, Banks wasn’t benched completely and Bowen called a curious timeshare that had Banks on the outside in some situations. And once again, Banks was sticky in coverage. When he landed on the injury report midseason he was averaging the second-least amount of separation among corners playing significant snaps (trailing only Sauce Gardner) and had the seventh-lowest target rate among qualifying corners (both via NextGenStats).
However, Banks’ play at the catch point continued to lag behind and he was allowing a 70% catch rate and his play continued the disappointing trajectory we saw start in 2024.
Personally, I put the blame on the Giants’ coaching staff and Bowen in particular. I noted after Bowen was fired that the decline in most of the Giants’ defensive personnel last year suggested that coaching was the root cause for the lack of development for many players on that side of the ball.
Rebound and redemption
It was widely expected that Banks would be one of the players on his way out after John Harbaugh was hired to replace Daboll. There was, however, a glimmer of hope that Dennard Wilson’s “Baltimore Style” defense could give him an opportunity. And Harbaugh did indeed give Banks a clean slate in the spring. Banks made the most of that, taking to Wilson’s aggressive scheme as well as the coaching he was getting from cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch and defensive pass game coordinator Donald D’Alesio.
“We make these tapes called ‘get better tapes’”, Lynch said. “We tried to just show him his consistency was his deal. He wasn’t consistent getting lined up fast, wasn’t consistent with his feet. So, he’s improved his consistency, now his play has improved, now his confidence is up, and he can keep this rolling into the season.”
“Right now we’ve built the trust, and he’s being consistent in his technique. That’s all we really needed from him to prove that he can do. Now he’s showing up day in and day out, he’s being a pro, he’s putting in extra work, so he’s motivated to do the right things, and I think he’s headed in the right direction.”
Banks split time with Greg Newsome opposite Paulson Adebo in the spring and impressed. That translated to more opportunities early in training camp, and Banks made the most of every rep. He clawed his way up the depth chart until he was listed as a “co-starter”, and finally jumped Adebo as the Giants’ starting cornerback opposite Newsome.
Fans, and even members of the media who watched Banks throughout training camp, expressed skepticism that he could be an effective starter. It was widely expected that the Cowboys would try to pick on Banks, which would lead to more failures at the catch point. Instead, Banks started and played well until he stepped on a first down marker and left the game with a calf injury.
Banks would miss the next two games, but his return in the Cardinals game showed that his play in Week 1 wasn’t a fluke.
So, what’s changed?
Realizing his potential
It’s pretty clear that Wilson’s scheme and defensive philosophy fit Banks much better than Bowen’s did. Even when the Giants’ defense is playing zone coverage, Wilson is employing man-match rules and calling MEG (Man Everywhere he Goes) for Banks.
Much of Wilson’s defense is built on using “step coverage” (ie, cornerbacks being just a step away from receivers) to force tight window throws. That’s been the strength of Banks’ game since his rookie year, and just being allowed to be an athlete has raised his comfort level considerably.
That said, the biggest change in Banks has been his consistency. As Lynch said in the offseason, the coaching staff and Banks have put a significant amount of work into playing with more consistency, and consistently doing the little things well. Practicing with a greater attention to detail has led to him being able to do those things in high leverage situations without having to think or second-guess, which in turn has led to more confidence.
There’s a clear difference in how fast and decisively Banks is playing.
Here Banks is in zone coverage at the top of the screen against Terry McLaurin. He is clearly unsure of himself, and appears lost on the field as he flails to get into position as the ball goes to McLaurin. Fortunately, Banks is bailed out by a poor throw, but this was a cringe-worthy rep.
Compare that to Banks this past week in tight man coverage against Nico Collins.
Banks is matched up on Collins in tight man coverage on the bottom of the screen. He doesn’t jam Collins, but immediately gets in his hip pocket. He’s playing fast and loose, doing a great job of locating the ball and using his size and athleticism to play around the receiver without drawing a pass interference flag.
Even though Collins is one of the best X receivers in the NFL, Banks’ athletic traits allow him to stay in airtight coverage and he’s confident enough in his technique that he doesn’t feel the need to interfere with the route at all. This is an excellent rep from Banks, and representative of how he played throughout the game.
Final thoughts
Banks’ renaissance has been remarkable.
Just a few months ago he was widely seen as a bust and a player whom the Giants might be able to salvage some value from as a kick returner. Even two months ago, fans and reporters alike were viewing him securing a starting job as a sign of desperation and a reason to be alarmed about the defense.
Yet at every opportunity he has played well and improved in each game. Banks has rewarded the Giants’ patience and taken full advantage of the opportunity afforded him.
It’s still too soon to say that Banks has arrived as a shut-down corner. He’s playing extremely well and rose to the occasion against a tough combination in C.J. Stroud and Collins. We don’t know what the future holds, but Banks play since returning from his calf injury has laid a solid foundation to build upon going forward. He, and the Giants, now have concrete proof that not only can Banks make good on his athletic potential, but that his hard work will pay off.
We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves and the Giants’ defense will have plenty of tough tests in the second half of the season. But it’s also exciting to see what Banks can do and how he can keep improving as the Giants come out of their bye week. That, in and of itself, is impressive considering the conversation around him just three months ago.
