Want to know who Deonte Banks is and what might make him a great first-round draft pick for the Giants?
Ask those who know him best.
Of course, they’re going to be biased — his parents and his college football coach.
But if you cross-reference their respective takes, you come away with this: The kid has a chance to be special, because he’s always believed he was going to be special.
The Giants on Friday afternoon introduced Banks, the 24th overall pick in Thursday’s first round, a former Maryland cornerback they would love to become an immediate starter opposite veteran Adoree’ Jackson.
Banks, perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the large press-conference setting, sitting alone at a table in the facility auditorium before reporters and cameras, didn’t exactly captivate the press conference.
This wasn’t Aaron Rodgers crushing his Jets introductory session earlier in the week. Then again, Banks is a 22-year-old rookie, nearly half Rodgers’ age and with a fraction of his wisdom.
But make no mistake: Banks, in between his short answers to questions, left you with little doubt about his confidence.
“I feel like once I put my mind to anything,’’ he said, “I can do it.’’
Now, introducing Banks’ mother, Laura, who sat in the front row of the Giants auditorium for her son’s press conference wondering if this was all real, later calling the whirlwind experience for the family from Baltimore “surreal.’’
“If he says he’s going to do something, he’s going to do it,’’ Laura Banks told The Post. “He just backs up what he says. He has that drive. He’s so determined. He tries to be the best at everything he does. He’s confident.’’
Banks’ father, Jamal, saw that confidence at an early age. He knew his son was destined for something like what’s just happened to him, drafted 24th overall into the NFL.
“We knew it since he was small,’’ Jamal Banks told The Post. “Absolutely. Never had a doubt.’’
No, his son didn’t have a doubt.
Nor does Banks’ Maryland college coach, Mike Locksley.
“One thousand percent I’m sure that he will compete in the NFL,’’ Locksley told The Post over the phone Friday. “With the confidence he has in himself, there’s no doubt that he’ll be able to hold his own. That is his biggest strength — his confidence in his ability.
“Confidence won’t be an issue. Skill set won’t be an issue. I think the Giants fans will be really happy with that pick.’’
In the months leading up to the draft, Locksley has had a regular dialogue with Brian Daboll, and the message he’s delivered to the Giants head coach has been consistent.
“I talked to coach Daboll about this throughout the draft process and we’ve talked about his skill set — size, speed, strength, ball skills — which are all elite, but Tae’s biggest strength is his ability to forget what happened the play before,’’ Locksley said. “If you’ve played that position, ever been out on the island, you’re going to get beat. The key is how you respond when you get beat, and Tae has this innate ability to put a play behind him really quickly — if it’s good or bad, it really doesn’t matter.
“Even when he gets beat, in his mind it’s not because the player is a better player than him. That’s a hell of a trait to have when you’re out on that island, because he’s going to face some big-time receivers in the National Football League and he’s going to get beat. The key is the mental makeup of being able to get right back up in the face of some of the top receivers in the world and not be afraid to fail or compete.”
Banks doesn’t come across as a young man who’s afraid of much.
“I try to be aggressive and I try to use my superpower, which is my physicality,’’ Banks said. “I feel like you’ve got to have a little edge to you, playing defense. That’s my personality.’’
Locksley’s a serious believer in that superpower and personality.
“Tae’s going to be a great teammate and a great locker room guy,’’ Locksley said. “Throughout his time here, I never, ever once had him in my office for anything other than encouragement for doing a great job, because he excelled in the classroom, he was a great teammate, he showed tremendous leadership ability and played a major role in the resurgence of what Maryland football has become.’’
The Giants took massive steps in changing their culture in the last year under the leadership of Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
If you listen to the things those closest to Banks say about him and soak it all in, it sounds like he will be as good a fit with their culture as he will be in defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s attacking defense.
