In Round 1 of the 2023 NFL draft, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen worked out a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to move up one spot to No. 24 overall.
With that pick, the Giants selected Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks, who actually predicted the move prior to draft day.
“The Giants want me bad,” Banks said during the filming of Life of an Athlete. “I’m not going to lie, they want me bad. I met with them like four times.
“I don’t know if I’m going to make it to No. 25. Knowing them, they might trade up for me. That’s how bad I feel like they want me.”
The full trade broke down as follows:
- Giants receive pick No. 24
- Jacksonville Jaguars receive No. 25, No. 160, and No. 240
Following the draft, during an episode of Giants Life: The Process, fans were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at how things played out in the Giants’ war room. It highlighted Schoen’s phone call with Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke and what led up to the decision to trade.
During the call with Baalke, Schoen would be heard saying, “It’s defense.”
In a recent episode of The Hunt, it highlights why Schoen uttered those words. Baalke essentially forced him to before agreeing to the trade, fearing the Giants might target the top player on their board.
The exchange can be seen at the 9:19 mark.
“Once he said defense, it was a pretty easy decision for us to move back at that point,” Baalke said.
Baalke wasn’t entirely sure who the Giants were going to select but he had it narrowed down to a cornerback or pass rusher, which he relayed to team owner Shad Khan.
While none of this information is particularly groundbreaking, it is one of the first times NFL fans have been able to watch a trade play out from the war room of both involved parties. It also displays the hectic nature of the NFL draft and how quickly things either come together or fall apart.
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