The bond between a team and its draft picks often runs deep, sparking a natural desire to see them succeed. This is a common sentiment across the NFL landscape, where early draft picks are watched closely.
In the high-stakes world of the NFL Draft, players selected in the top rounds aren’t given preferential treatment, but they do receive a noteworthy level of focus. These athletes are initially given the benefit of the doubt; after all, it’s a bad reflection on all parties when a high draft choice fails to perform at the expected level.
However, this isn’t to say that first-rounders are handed a free pass. While they may receive more opportunities than those picked in later rounds or undrafted players, they must still prove their worth.
This dynamic was vividly on display with the New York Giants during the offseason. They opted for another chance to assess two of their former first-round picks in what felt like a final evaluation. Cornerback Deonte Banks, the 2023 first-rounder selected 24th overall, was on the verge of completing his rookie contract. Meanwhile, offensive lineman Evan Neal, a top 10 pick from 2022, was offered a one-year deal at a veteran minimum salary of $1.2 million after finishing his initial deal.
Once promising prospects, both Banks and Neal found themselves clinging to their professional football dreams with the Giants, despite earlier setbacks. General Manager Joe Schoen’s drafts had initially heralded them as cornerstones, yet the new trajectory of their careers seemed uncertain. New head coach John Harbaugh, influenced by talent assessments made during his tenure with the Ravens, provided them opportunities without promises, allowing them to prove their doubters wrong.
These were low-risk door openings. Come in, prove you are a better player than what you have shown the past few years and perhaps you get to stick around. Failure to do so meant the end of their Giants careers.
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Heading into Friday night’s final preseason game — the annual summer action with the Jets — one of these former first-round picks got it right and the other was expected to be among the players cut as the teams around the league get down to the 53-player limit by Sunday. Banks not only carved out a spot on the roster, but he is in the running for a starting role on defense. Neal faced longer odds and, although he showed progress at his new position — moving from right tackle to right guard — the numbers are not likely to tumble his way, as far as being included in the nine offensive linemen expected to make the final cut.
There is no doubt the front office executives who graded Banks and Neal so highly and decided they were worth first-round picks were pulling for both of them to turn things around. Pulling for them, and giving them an unfair advantage, are entirely separate scenarios, though.
“So, when we really get to training camp, and obviously Harbs has preached meritocracy, right?” assistant general manager Brandon Brown said this past week. “So, what has got you here is not necessarily going to keep you here, and you’ve got to have daily deposits. And it’s really taking to the instruction and then highlighting the execution and knowing which guys have done it and then continuing to raise the floor in the room or earn a spot in the room.
“And just being objective, which guys are going to have the best opportunity to make an impact for us on game day, whether it’s active, whether it’s being on practice squad, and knowing that this is going to be the guy that we’re going to go to battle with at the start of the season.”
Banks earned it as one of the most consistent cornerbacks throughout camp. That turned out to be quite a revelation, given Banks’ past issues with focus and effort. The physical skill set is there but Banks too often was on the scene to make a play and, for one reason or another, did not make it. The new defensive system installed by coordinator Dennard Wilson is more aggressive, in terms of press man coverage, and that suits Banks.
Neal started 13 games at right tackle as a rookie and the best that can be said about his performance was that it was uneven. He started only 14 games, total, the past two seasons, compromised by injuries and poor play. He did not play a single snap in 2025, resigned to healthy scratch status before going on injured reserve with a hamstring issue in mid-November. His great size and strength did not translate to any NFL success.
Neal stayed healthy this summer but mostly worked with the third-team offensive line. For once, the Giants assembled enough depth along the line to feel good about their backups. Veteran Aaron Stinnie outplayed Neal and is expected to claim a backup guard spot. Neal will not. Maybe he is signed to the practice squad. Being a high pick guarantees you a shot and little else.