Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks met extensively with the New York Giants throughout the pre-draft process so when he received the call on Thursday night, it didn’t come as a surprise.
“I already knew if I made it to 25, it was going to be the Giants. I already knew,” Banks told reporters.
But the Giants didn’t even bother risking that. Their sights were set on Banks so they sent a pair of picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars to move up a single spot, ensuring that they landed their guy.
“It means so much to me. I couldn’t even tell you how much it means to me,” Banks said of the Giants moving up for him. “That’s how much it means to me. I can’t even express how good this feels.”
Through the process, Banks met with general manager Joe Schoen, head coach Brian Daboll, defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, and defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson. By the time the draft rolled around, he was intimately familiar with shot-callers throughout the organization.
“When I came out here, it felt like it was my home. I felt like that. Everybody was cool. It just felt like my home. It felt like family,” Banks said.
During those many meetings, Banks became familiar with Martindale’s defense. Both the Giants and the young corner believed it was a fit.
“I’m very familiar, actually. They talked to me when I was down there for the meeting, so I kind of got a feel for that, and I like it. I love it, actually,” Banks said.
Things could not be off to a better start.
