Transcript: CB Deonte Banks

First Round Selection CB Deonte Banks

April 27, 2023

Q. Can you describe what your interactions were like with the Giants leading up to the Draft, when you met with them and what those meetings were like?

DEONTE BANKS: I met with them a bunch of times. They took me out to dinner when I went out for a visit. I met with all the coaches when I was there and I also met with the db coach (Jerome Henderson) a week after that, he came to me, and we went out to eat. We also met in the meeting room.

Q. What's your confidence level that you can come in and not only be a Week 1 starter, but do something special, maybe like Sauce Gardner did last year?

DEONTE BANKS: It's really high. I'm just ready to get to work.

Q. What did you think of the Giants coaching staff, the new guys you'll be working with when you had those dinners?

DEONTE BANKS: I like them. They cool. They have a unique kind of character. I loved them. It was a great meeting.

Q. How did they pitch you on your fit for the Giants?

DEONTE BANKS: 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.

Q. When you're watching all the wide receivers go before you, did you think the Giants were going to be the team, baud they had had some interest in wide receivers, too. Did you think it was a good chance it was going to be the Giants?

DEONTE BANKS: I already knew if I made it to 25, it was going to be the Giants. I already knew.

Q. How likely did you think you were going to go before 25 entering today?

DEONTE BANKS: I wasn't high on it, but I had a chance to.

Q. How would you describe your game and who are some of the guys that you modelled your game after through the years?

DEONTE BANKS: I like Jalen Ramsey and Marshon Lattimore. I love how they play.

Q. And how would you describe your game and what you bring to the table?

DEONTE BANKS: It's going to be fun. It's going to be real fun.

Q. Where are you now and who is with you?

DEONTE BANKS: I'm in Baltimore. I'm in a suite with my family.

Q. How familiar are you with Wink Martindale's defense?

DEONTE BANKS: I'm very familiar, actually. They talk 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.

Q. Being from Baltimore, did you watch a lot of the Ravens when Wink was the DC down there?

DEONTE BANKS: Yes, I did.

Q. Did you ever meet Wink while you were at Maryland?

DEONTE BANKS: No, sir.

Q. What do you think of the cornerback room now with Adoree' (Jackson) and what you can do?

DEONTE BANKS: It's going to be tough. It's going to be tough but we're going to compete.

Q. Do you think your battles last year when you went up against Ohio State against (Marvin) Harrison (Jr.), it seemed like that opened some eyes for people with you coming back from your injury?

DEONTE BANKS: I think it opened a lot. I played really well against it.

Q. What does today mean for you to get drafted, or tonight, I should say?

DEONTE BANKS: I couldn't even tell you. Like, I don't know, it means so much to me. I couldn't even tell you how much it means to me. That's how much it means to me. I can't even express how good this feels.

Q. The Giants general manager mentioned that you had that year with injuries, so you weren't necessarily high on the radar at that point.

DEONTE BANKS: Right.

Q. How much do you feel like this year, you had a lot to prove to the NFL and to prove to these teams that, you know, you were that top prospect?

DEONTE BANKS: I played against Ohio State. It was a good game to watch from a scouting perspective, and it was a real good year for me personally. I played well and I just got hurt. The injury, it shouldn’t be any problem, you know what I'm saying.