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2024 Training Camp

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24 Questions in 24 Days: Breakout candidate (defense)

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Giants.com is counting down to the start of 2024 Giants Training Camp with 24 questions in 24 days.

13) Which defensive player is primed for a breakout season?

Matt Citak: Deonte Banks was asked to do more than most rookie cornerbacks last year. He started 15 games in his first season and spent most of his time covering the opposing team's No. 1 receiver. From A.J. Brown to Terry McLaurin to CeeDee Lamb and several others, Banks was thrown right into the fire against some of the league's best pass-catchers. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound cornerback finished with two interceptions and 11 passes defensed to go with his 64 tackles (53 solo) and two tackles for loss. He also earned a passer rating against of 84.7, according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked 24th out of 74 qualified cornerbacks, while allowing a 57.6 completion rate (53 receptions allowed on 92 targets). He also ranked third among all cornerbacks in fewest receptions over expected allowed at -6.7, according to Next Gen Stats.

Now entering his second season, Banks' development could be the key to the defense's success. With the addition of Brian Burns to go with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence, the Giants could have one of the league's top pass-rushing defensive lines, as the trio combined for 148 total quarterback pressures last season. This talented defensive front should help put Banks in more favorable positions, even against another tough slate of opposing No. 1 receivers. Banks flashed his athleticism at times throughout last season and again this spring, but in case anyone forgot, he scored an impressive 9.99 RAS at last year's NFL Combine (out of a possible 10.00). This ranked as the third-best score out of 2,212 cornerbacks from 1987 to 2023, showing that Banks has the ideal size and speed you want from an outside corner.

The Giants have a young secondary, which includes Cor'Dale Flott, Dru Phillips, Nick McCloud, Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton, and Tyler Nubin, just to name a few. If Banks takes a big step this season, not only would it provide the defensive backfield with a significant boost, but it could also help transform the entire defense.

"It's always a big difference between year one and year two," coach Brian Daboll said about Banks during OTAs. "Obviously he's done it for a whole year in terms of how we do things here, learning some new things of what we're putting in defensively, but he has the right mindset, he's working extremely hard and trying to do as good as he can do…

"The more he plays, the more comfortable he's gotten. He's playing some different things here with our new defense, but he's done a really good job I would say throughout the OTAs as well."

Take a look at rare photos of New York Giants training camps through the years.

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Get excited for the 2024 season with photos from Media Day at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

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