2023 NFL Draft Grades: Rating every first-round pick by value
By Kinnu Singh
2023 NFL Draft Grades: Rating every first-round pick by value
24. With the 24th overall pick, the New York Giants select…
Deonte Banks. B+. Positional Ranking: 4. CB. Maryland. player. 31. No. 25 in Top 50
This is a winning pick for the Giants, who drafted the highest-graded remaining cornerback on the board. They did have to trade with the Jaguars in order to land him, and perhaps they didn’t need to, considering the subsequent picks.
That aside, Deonte Banks already has the makings of a top cornerback, although he does struggle to play catch up once he misses a step in coverage. Still, Banks has the fundamentals that others are still trying to develop at this stage, and it’s likely that getting his best game out of him won’t be difficult.
The Giants face the likes of Terry McLaurin, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith and CeeDee Lamb, and Banks will be ready for them.
25. With the 25th overall pick, the Buffalo Bills select…
Positional Ranking: 2. No. 18 in Top 50. TE. Utah. Dalton Kincaid. A-. player. 16
Apt comparisons to Dalton Kincaid would be Hayden Hurst and Travis Kelce. If the Bills did manage to draft their own Kelce, that would make their Chiefs rivalry fiercer and their offense more formidable.
Time will tell how Kincaid will fare, but as of now, this is a smart pick by Buffalo. They can now run two tight end sets with Dawson Knox, giving them even more passing options for Josh Allen.
One knock on the Bills’ score is that they could have drafted Michael Mayer instead, who’s considered to be a better draft value, but Kincaid’s traits may be better suited for what the Bills want in a tight end. As of now, there’s not much of a run game, therefore Mayer’s blocking abilities won’t be sorely missed.