Baltimore native and former Maryland Terrapin receives high praise from Giants coach
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If anything came out of their first preseason game, the New York Giants found out quickly the draft picks they were counting on are ready for prime time.
Cornerback Deonte Banks, center John-Michael Schmitz — their top two picks — and cornerback Tre Hawkins all showed flashes in the Detroit Lions' 21-16 win over New York on Friday night.
Banks was drafted by the New York Giants back in April during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Banks played high school football at Edgewood High School in Harford County. He went on to play at the University of Maryland.
Giants coach Brian Daboll said Saturday the game in Detroit contained the usual good and bad typically seen in an opening preseason game. He liked the way his team competed, adding the mistakes have to be cleaned up.
"I thought a lot of our young guys in our two corners, our center, I thought they showed well in the game for us play with confidence, did their job," Daboll said after watching film of the game.
"So it was good to see those three young guys out there playing. They played a fairly high level."
The Giants are hoping Banks, the 24th pick in the draft, is ready to take on a starting role opposite veteran Adoree Jackson. He has shown he can handle the job in training camp and he held his own against the backups the Lions had starting.
"I actually thought I would have had a little bit more build-up or like (be) more nervous," said the 22-year-old who played at Maryland. "But I felt real good. So, like, I belong here. I do belong here. But it just felt, I don't know, like I did it already before."
Banks played 37 snaps, the same as Hawkins, and had one tackle. Hawkins finished with five tackles.
Hawkins, a sixth-round pick out of Old Dominion, has played so well, he might allow the Giants to move Jackson into the slot position in situations where they employ five defensive backs.
Schmitz started at center with Ben Bredeson playing right guard. Bredeson is Schmitz's main competition for the starting role at center. Schmitz got 35 snaps, the fourth most of any player on offense for New York.
Daboll felt the second-round pick from Minnesota communicated and played well.
"Now we've got to build out from that," Daboll said.
Third-round pick Jalin Hyatt, who has been the star of training camp, catching a long pass seemingly every practice, had 18 snaps. He had one catch for minus-4 yards on his only target.
Daboll was not ready to discuss who would play on Friday when the Giants have their preseason home opener against Carolina. Most of their starters did not face the Lions.
Daboll said he has never considered sitting starting quarterback Daniel Jones for the entire preseason.
Daboll shot down the suggestion he was upset at special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey after the Lions scored on a long punt return in the third quarter. Television cameras showed him glaring at his coordinator after the score.
"I'm a competitive guy, we're all competitive, we're in a competitive environment," Daboll said. "I hold everybody, not just T-Mac, myself, and everybody else, to a high standard. Love T-Mac."
NOTES: Daboll had no update on WR Collin Johnson (knee) and CB Cor'Dale Flott (abdomen), who were hurt in the game. He also did not know if OT Evan Neal, RB Gary Brightwell, OL Devery Hamilton and DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches would practice Monday. The players are off Sunday.
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