Each year, there comes a handful of prospects who are ‘my guys.’ These are players that get undervalued by the draft community but without good reason. One of them this year is Deonte Banks out of Maryland. Banks has a sturdy build and comes with surprising athletic traits. While he is still a work in progress, his skill set is perfect for many NFL teams. He also shows enough day-one skills to start in a suitable scheme. Because of his athletic traits, off-coverage teams can still use him making him a legit candidate to go first round.
Two all-22 games and two other games were evaluated, and clips from his film are broken down here. All relevant traits were graded based on his film. His scouting report also factored in stats and analytics, such as PFF grades. Use promo code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Please gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.
| Profile |
|---|
| 3rd CB / 1st RD | 6’2 / 205 | Class – RS-JR | College – Maryland |
| Pro Comparison |
|---|
| Caleb Farley |
| Scheme |
|---|
| Any |
Coverage Stats
2022:
TGT – 60
REC – 26
YDS – 258
TD – 4
INT – 1
PDF – 8
Clip Analysis
In this clip above, Banks shows off his fluidity and ball skills. This is one of his best career plays. He first does an excellent job of covering the whip-it route, then flips his hips and runs stride for stride with the receiver. To top it off, he remained composed in phase.
Here, he’s in off-coverage playing a deep quarter zone as they are in cover six. He quickly recognizes the vertical route and begins to squeeze it. He displays good technique, as he has a smooth backpedal, stays behind the receiver the whole way, and closes in on the route in phase.
In this one, he is in press-man and shows off his long speed and ball skills. He opens his hips and runs stride for stride with the receiver before making a great play on the ball.
Grades
Traits/ Skills (see bottom of the page for scale)
Each trait/attribute is graded 1-7.
| Traits | Immediate | Potential |
| SPD | 6 | 6 |
| ACC | 6 | 6 |
| AGI | 6 | 6 |
| STR | 6 | 6.2 |
| MAN | 4.3 | 6 |
| SZC | 4 | 5.2 |
| DZC | 4.3 | 6 |
| BSK | 4.3 | 5.4 |
| PRS | 4.5 | 6.4 |
| IQ | 3.5 | 5.4 |
| RUN | 4 | 5.4 |
| TAC | 5 | 6.6 |
| CB Key |
|---|
| SPD – Speed ACC – Acceleration AGI – Agility STR – Strength MAN – Man Coverage SZC – Shallow Zone Coverage |
| CB Key Cont. |
|---|
| DZC – Deep Zone Coverage BSK – Ball Skills PRS – Press Coverage IQ – Football IQ RUN – Run Defense TAC – Tackling |
Player Notes
- Deonte Banks is a physical and fluid press-man corner. He enters the league with experience in a balanced scheme and could be molded into a true number-one guy. He currently ranks 16th on the FBI 2023 Big Board.
Pros
- Long and well-built frame with plenty of play strength.
- One of the strongest and most physical guys in press coverage you’ll ever see.
- Very experienced in press with over 350 snaps in 2022.
- Very fluid and agile; shouldn’t be able to move like that at 6’2″, 205 lbs.
- Exceptional mirroring technique.
- Has a smooth ability to man up on match concepts.
- A tremendous ability to ‘squeeze’ routes.
- Played in a very balanced scheme with a lot of cover four.
- Many of the yards he gave up were due to his challenging responsibility.
- If he doesn’t excel on the perimeter, he can move inside.
- Brings a physical presence in run defense and is one of the best-tackling DBs in the class – only one missed tackle in 2022.
- You love to see the demeanor and energy he brings.
Cons
- Lacks quick zone instincts and can get confused in coverage.
- Isn’t a ball hawk to any extent, though he has the tools to get there.
- Poor press technique – poor footwork; his feet lag as he punches.
- Doesn’t always remain calm in phase – tends to panic and get overly aggressive.
- Gives up penalties often, as he is overly grabby – had eight in 2022.
- Lacks run-instincts.
Final Conclusion
Given Banks is projected to go early in round two, whoever gets this guy is acquiring a steal of a pick. His all-22 is indicative of how superb of an athlete he is. It’s rare to see his combination of size, physicality, and athleticism. Betting on him in the late first would be a wise move for many teams.
Combine
40 yd: 4.35
10 yd: 1.49
Shuttle:
3 cone:
Broad: 136
Vertical: 42
Bench:
Arm Length: 31 3/8
Hand Size:
Grading Scale
Pot=Potential: players’ highest upside
Imp=Impact: player’s immediate impact
| Draft Grade Formula | |
| Age: 21-22: | POT=(28%) IMP=(72%) |
| Age: 23-24: | POT=(26%) IMP=(74%) |
| Age:-25+: | POT=(24%) IMP=(76%) |
| Good/ bad character: | POT=(+2%/-2%) IMP=(-2%/+2%) |
| Injury: | POT=(-1%) in increments |
| Scheme Grade Weight: |
|---|
| PRS=28% MAN=28% BAL=28% SLOT=16% |
| Individual trait scale (1-7): |
|---|
| 7 – Rare world-class skill; best in the league and no room for improvement | 6 – Great-elite skill; one of the best at that given trait but still has some room to improve | 5 – Very good; above average and has potential to be elite | 4 – Average; able to suffice but, not ideal long-term | 3 – Below average; able to suffice at college level | 2 – Poor; hinders overall play and is a liability to the team | 1 – Awful; not good enough to play given position at any level above D2 | Note: Consistency plays a large factor. |
| Overall Draft grade scale (15-100): |
|---|
| 84 – Perfect prospect | 81 – Bluechip prospect | 80 – Likely all-pro | 79 – Day one quality starter or superstar potential | 78 – Day one starter w/ all-pro upside | 77 – Day one starter w/ high-end upside | 76 – Boom or bust | 75 – Will become quality starter within 2-3 years | 74 – Boom or bust (high risk) | 73 – Will become starter within 2-3 years |
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