Could New York Giants’ Deonte Banks be NFL’s best rookie CB in 2023?

The New York Giants looked to shore up the cornerback position this offseason and in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, traded up to select Maryland’s Deonte Banks.

The addition of Banks was music to the ears of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who raved about the 22-year-old.

“I think it’s important to have a cornerback like that in anybody’s defense,” Martindale said in June.

“He’s very instinctive. What’s Ted Lasso say? He lives life like a goldfish. He’s got a short memory when things don’t go right. He’s tough-minded, he’s physical, he can tackle and on top of that, he can run. So, we’re excited about it. . . I was obviously really excited that we got him. It was like winning a scratch-off ticket.”

Just how good can Banks be as a rookie? There will, of course, be some growing pains but Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports believes Banks will be highly productive and among the best first-year cornerbacks in the NFL.

Banks was the most eye-opening, rocket of an athlete in a loaded cornerback class in the 2023 draft. He ran 4.35 in the 40-yard dash with a 42-inch vertical and a broad jump in the 98th percentile at the position. The Giants moved up one spot to ensure they’d land Banks, because he’s an ideal scheme fit for Wink Martindale’s aggressive, blitz-happy, man-coverage heavy defense. On 60 targets in his coverage area at Maryland in 2022, Banks surrendered just 26 grabs. That crazy-low reception rate of 43.3% probably jumped off the page at the Giants scouting department and coaching staff. There were some coverage blips on Banks’ film, which is why he’s a little lower on this list. But I have plenty of faith Martindale will deploy him correctly as a rookie in one of the most unique schemes in football.

Trapasso ranked Banks third overall behind Joey Porter Jr. of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots. Others who made the list include Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss and Emmanuel Forbes of the Washington Commanders.