The New York Giants have unfortunately had a number of draft misses over the last three years with general manager Joe Schoen at the helm. Several mid-to-late-round draft picks have already been released. The biggest concern, however, is the lack of immediate success that some of Schoen’s first-round draft picks have had.
This season has highlighted the struggles of two former first-round picks in particular: right tackle Evan Neal and cornerback Deonte Banks. Neal, a top-10 pick in 2022, and Banks, a top-25 pick in 2023, have struggled immensely, causing fans to call their respective futures with the team into question. As the Giants prepare for a pivotal 2025 offseason, could these two former first-round draft picks be on the trade block?
Deonte Banks might need a change of scenery
The idea of trading Banks might initially sound reactionary. After all, he showed promise during his 2023 rookie campaign. This season, though, Banks has been among the worst cornerbacks in the NFL. He has surrendered six touchdowns in coverage this season and a 137.0 passer rating against, both the second-highest of any cornerback.
To make matters worse, Banks’s effort has come into question several times this season with players and coaches publicly speaking up about this concern. Considering his struggles and his lack of effort, Banks might not be a good match long-term for New York. The kid has incredible talent and elite potential. But will he be able to put it all together in the Big Apple were the pressure to perform is the most intense?
There would likely be a few teams interested in Banks as many viewed him as a first-round talent during the 2023 NFL Draft. Analysts have predicted that the Giants will trade Banks away before and those thoughts will likely resurface in the 2025 offseason as the Giants rebuild their roster in response to such a putrid season. The Giants shouldn’t give up on Banks so soon. However, a new regime could be taking over, which could lead to some serious roster overturns.
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Are the Giants ready to give up on Evan Neal?
Perhaps the biggest miss during Schoen’s tenure has been Neal, who he and his front office selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. At the time, the pick seemed like an absolute home run. The Giants had selected one of the class’s top pass rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 5 then circled back around to land arguably the class’s top offensive tackles two picks later. What could go wrong?
Well, so far, Neal has been one of the worst offensive tackles in the NFL nearly every time he has stepped on the football field. And getting Neal on the football field has also been a problem as he missed 14 games due to injuries in the first two seasons of his career. He started this season on the bench as a result of his poor play and poor health.
The Giants have phased Neal out of the lineup for the most part and seem to just view him now as a viable swing tackle or backup. Other teams around the league might still be interested in giving him a chance to be a starter, however, considering the level of excitement that surrounded Neal coming out of college. Or, teams might not be interested in acquiring Neal at all due to his poor and unreliable play through two and a half seasons.
There were some teams, though, per ESPN’s Jeremry Fowler, who called the Giants at the trade deadline with an interest in Neal. The Giants should take calls on Neal in the offseason and see if there is a team out there willing to give up a pick for a player who in New York has obviously lost faith.
