Anthony Rivardo
The last few years have not gone as planned for New York Giants 2023 first-round draft pick Deonte Banks. After a couple of down years, Banks has turned into an apparent afterthought on the depth chart.
After the front office made the easy financial choice to decline his $12.63 million fifth-year option for 2027, the Maryland product looks buried on a depth chart that features Paulson Adebo, Greg Newsome II, and rookie Colton Hood.
Yet, writing off the 24th overall pick from 2023 as a total bust might be a premature mistake. With the hiring of new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, the Giants are pivoting to a specialized coverage philosophy that aligns perfectly with Banks’s physical toolkit—offering the embattled young cornerback one final lifeline to salvage his career in Big Blue.
Can the Giants Still Get Something Out of Deonte Banks?
To understand why Banks plummeted down the depth chart, you only have to look at his 2025 metrics. Under the previous regime’s reliance on off-man coverages, Banks routinely looked lost in space, finishing the year with a brutal 55.4 PFF defensive grade and ranking 110th among qualified NFL cornerbacks.
Opposing quarterbacks posted an inflated passer rating when targeting him, largely because he was asked to play with cushion rather than challenge players at the line. Former DC Shane Bowen did not utilize press coverage much. That will change, however, with Wilson on the headset.
The Dennard Wilson “Press-Everything” Blueprint
However, Dennard Wilson’s arrival completely changes the schematic geometry of this secondary. Wilson, a renowned defensive back guru, brings an aggressive approach centered on simulated pressure, disguised coverages, and safety-backed zones.
Crucially, Wilson’s signature mandate is clear: “From Day 1, it’s you press everything, period,” he said at his intro press conference with the Titans in 2024.
Last season, Wilson’s secondary operated in heavy zone shells on 75% of snaps, allowing corners to jam receivers at the line to disrupt timing while maintaining over-the-top safety help. This structural safety net allows physical corners to play with ultimate aggression underneath without fearing the fatal deep ball.
Unlocking Banks’s True Physical Profile
This press-zone scheme is the exact environment where Banks can resurrect his value. Standing 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds with elite athletic testing, Banks was drafted specifically to be a bumping, suffocating boundary presence who uses heavy hands to eliminate quick hitches and slants.
By taking him out of off-man scenarios and letting him play close to the line, Wilson can eliminate the mental hesitation that plagued Banks’s sophomore slump and prevent him from being in situations where he needs to turn his head around at the last second to make a play on the ball.
With John Harbaugh demanding a violent, suffocating defensive brand, a rejuvenated Banks executing aggressive jams could fight his way back into a prominent role within the Giants’ heavy defensive rotation.
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