Deonte Banks opens up about not wasting his Giants chance: ‘Not even supposed to be here’

Giants cornerback Deonte Banks goes man-to-man with Post columnist Steve Serby to cover some training camp Q&A.

Q: Who do you think right now is the best cornerback in football?

A: I really haven’t showed it yet, but it’ll be Tae Banks this year. But so far, I really like Pat Surtain a lot … technique, footwork … I like him.

Q: How about Sauce Gardner?

A: I like Sauce too. I like Sauce a lot.

Q: You plan on being talked about in the same conversation as Sauce and Surtain?

A: I don’t really like compare myself to other people like that too much. But like, I’m gonna be one of the best corners in this league.

Q: One of the best or ***** the ***** best?

A: The best, one of the best, whatever you want to call it, ’cause everybody got different rankings.

Q: Do you see greatness in your future?

A: Yes. Hundred percent (laugh) … I ain’t gonna lie.

Q: Have you always been that way?

A: Yeah. When I was young, some people tell me like I was ahead of my time, for real.

Q: As far as what?

A: As being young, like being focused on going to the NFL.

Q: Where do you think that drive comes from?

A: I think it comes from my parents. I always see them working hard. They always told me, “You can do whatever you want, as long as you put your mind to it.” And I put my mind to going to the NFL since I was so young. I just never stopped thinking about it. It was always on my mind.

Q: Describe yourself off the field.

A: Confident, silly, goofy, funny, real like animated, energetic. … That’s just a few of ’em.

Q: Give me an example of goofy.

A: I like to laugh a lot, that’s just what I do.

Q: You like comedians?

A: Oh, I like Kevin Hart (laugh).

Q: If you weren’t a football player, would you ever want to be a comedian?

A: No. I’m not a standup guy.

Q: I’ve heard teammates describe you as silly, or you as goofy. Why?

A: I’m just like a real energetic person. I like to laugh, like I like to be real cool. … I don’t really see a point in being serious, like angry, you feel me? There’s no point in being uptight.

Q: Were you ever angry as a kid?

A: Nah. I’ve always been like this (smile). I’ve been like this my whole life.

Q: On the field, though, you cannot be goofy and silly.

A: Oh, nah, nah, nah. But you can be out there having fun. It’s a difference.

Q: So how would you describe your mentality on the field?

A: The person in front of me just can’t mess with me, for real. You’re gonna have to show me that you’re better than me, or show me how good you are.

Q: Are you good at talking trash?

A: I don’t really think talking trash is like a good or bad thing. It’s just like you just know how to talk.

Q: Whose the most talkative guy?

A: The one that talked the most was DK [Metcalf].

Q: Does that get your juices flowing?

A: It don’t really get me going ’cause like that’s a part of the game, that’s a part of me. So it’s like that don’t really get me going, that’s who I am.

Q: The first seven weeks of the season, here are the guys you’ll be going up against: Justin Jefferson, Terry McLaurin, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, DK Metcalf, Ja’Marr Chase and A.J. Brown. What do you think about that lineup?

A: Four of them I already played: DK, CeeDee, A.J., Terry McLaurin.

Q: That’s a beast of a lineup.

A: Yeah, I guess you could say that. It’s not really nothing for me, I’m just going in there to play football and do what I do.

Q: You love that challenge?

A: Yeah.

Q: Once you switched in high school from receiver, who were your favorite cornerbacks?

A: I used to love Patrick Peterson. And then when he first came out, I really like punt returns, it’s one of the most exciting plays in football.

Q: You were a punt returner?

A: Yeah, in high school. The one I took to the crib got called back.

Q: Ever tell Coach Daboll to hey …

A: I’ve been telling him, “Put me in kickoff.”

Q: You were a punt returner or kickoff returner?

A: I did both.

Q: Which one did you like better?

A: I like kickoff return better, just ’cause like you got blockers in front of you (laugh).

Q: Have you watched “Hard Knocks”?

A: I watched two episodes.

Q: What did you think of it?

A: It’s cool. I like it. It is like just to show what the front office people think like.

Q: Now that Giants coach Brian Daboll is so skinny, can he run under a 7-flat 40?

A: I think he can. That’s my dog, I think he can do it!

Q: What do you like about playing in New York?

A: I just love the city. I love it here, I love the people here. I love it here.

Q: Any favorite things to do in the city?

A: Shopping. I do go to a lot of restaurants, too.

Q: Give me a favorite restaurant.

A: I really like Brooklyn Chop House a lot … Hunt and Fish Club, I love that.

Q: Could you imagine what it would be like being a star in New York?

A: Yes. I plan on being that this year.

Q: What do you think that would be like?

A: I mean, I think about it, but I don’t really think about it too much but I know it’s gonna come soon.

Q: What kind of impact can Malik Nabers make as a rookie?

A: A big one. Big one.

Q: What is he like off the field?

A: He’s real competitive. … We’re both competitive, I ain’t gonna lie (laugh). I got like a mini-hoop in my house.

Q: How high up is the mini-hoop?

A: Probably like 5, 6 feet.

Q: So you play one-on-one with a soft basketball.

A: Just jump shots.

Q: Who’s got a better jump shot?

A: He beat me the other day. … I’m still sick about it, I ain’t gonna lie (laugh).

Q: Describe Wan’Dale Robinson.

A: He’s real quick. He knows how to get to this spot, get to another spot real quick.

Q: Jalin Hyatt.

A: Speed guy.

Q: What will it be like playing behind Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence?

A: Lovely. Never played behind something like that.

Q: How would you describe Sexy Dexy’s dance?

A: I’m not a big fan of that dance. I mean, when he does it, yes, I love when he does it, but I’m not doing it (laugh). I would never do it!

Q: Describe your new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

A: Real cool guy.

Q: How does the new system affect you?

A: It don’t really affect me.

Q: Bobby Okereke.

A: I got close to Bobby real quick, I guess he saw how hard I work and I saw how hard he worked, so just kind of clicked.

Q: What do you think about playing Saquon Barkley twice a year?

A: It is what it is. He’s an Eagle. He’s just on the schedule.

Q: Eagles coach Nick Sirianni told Giants fans, “We got your best guy.”

A: I really don’t care what a lot of people say, for real. That ain’t really my thing. People can say what they want, they’re gonna say whatever.

Q: What did you think of Xavier McKinney leaving to the Packers?

A: I was hurt by my guy leaving. I was real close with my guy.

Q: Thoughts on rookie safety Tyler Nubin?

A: Willing to learn. We got a little handshake, too (smile).

Q: If you could test your skills against any receiver in NFL history, who would it be?

A: Obviously the best one to ever do it, they say: Jerry Rice.

Q: You could intercept any quarterback in NFL history?

A: Tom Brady. Easy (laugh).

Q: You had two picks last year. Do you have a goal this year?

A: I do but I don’t really like to speak on my goals. I like to keep ’em personal.

Q: What is the biggest obstacle you’ve overcome?

A: I had [left] shoulder surgery in college [Maryland]. I’d never been through something so tough before. I got hurt the second game of the year my junior year, and I missed the rest of the season.

Q: What was that like for you emotionally?

A: It was real dark for me ’cause I’ve never been not around football. I was in a dark spot, for real. But I got through it. … Sometimes you really don’t know how bad you need something, until you lose it.

Q: When did you get the “3” tattoo on your left forearm?

A: It was during OTAs. … My birthday is March 3. I was born in the third month of the year and the third day of the month.

Q: Are you one of the best-dressed guys on the team?

A: I believe so. As far as like from a natural fashion standpoint, I believe so. To me, some of this stuff don’t look good. Truth be told, I don’t like a lot of fits.

Q: How would you describe your fashion style?

A: I mix in a little bit of everything everywhere. But I always stay true to who I am. I ain’t ever going out of my body.

Q; Favorite place to shop?

A: I shop everywhere. But in New York, it’s a place called Patron of the New.

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: Deion [Sanders], [Le]Bron [James] Steph Curry.

Q: Why Deion?

A: He’s the greatest to ever play our position, so … just want to pick his brain a little bit.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “Friday,” all Fridays.

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Ice Cube.

Q: Favorite rappers?

A: Lil Baby and Gunna.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: I love anything like chicken-related … chicken alfredo.

Q: What was losing last year like for you?

A: It was kind of rough on me a little bit. I’m not really a big guy who shows a lot of … I’m gonna show emotion, of course, but I’m always gonna keep a positive attitude towards anything ’cause where I’m from [Baltimore], I’m not even supposed to be here, so I don’t take this s–t for granted at all.

Q: Why aren’t you supposed to be here?

A: ’Cause some people my age don’t even make it to see age 18, 19, 20. A lot of people I played football with have passed away, are in jail, don’t play sports no more. A lot of them are in the streets. So I’m just blessed to be here, so I’m gonna keep doing what I do every day.

Q: Did you lose any close friends?

A: I lost a couple. I actually lost Khyree Jackson, Isaiah Hazel [in a July 6 car crash in Upper Marlboro, Md.]. It was three of ’em [also Anthony Lytton Jr.].

Q: What was your immediate reaction?

A: I was shocked. I had a Fourth of July cookout. They were at my cookout.

Q: Are you proud of yourself?

A: A hundred percent.

Q: Tell me why.

A: I could have been easily distracted. I could have been easily the next person to do this or do that, easily misled, but I was focused.

Q: Who was the biggest influence on you growing up?

A: It’s my parents, but it’s my father [Jamal] for sure. … He kind of held me accountable for a lot of things I was doing. … I come home with a bad report card one time [10th grade]. I was in a hard class, and I could not get through it. … He just was like, “If you’re trying to go to college or go to a D-I school, you can’t be doing this.” It wasn’t even like an angry type of thing, he was just disappointed in me.

Q: What was the class?

A: Trigonometry … (laugh). … Like come on!

Q: What grade did you get?

A: I think I got a D in it. I hardly even bring home a C, so it was like a shock for him, basically.

Q: What was it like for you walking across the stage to receive your college degree in family science?

A: I wanted to do that for my grandmother [Yvonne Banks].

Q: She was at the ceremony?

A: Yes.

Q: A message for Giants fans about Tae Banks?

A: They’re gonna get somebody that’s relentless out there, who’s trying to make plays, who’s trying to win. Not out here trying to lose, that’s one thing I’m not trying to do. You’re gonna get the next competitor, challenger. … I’m gonna be relentless.

Q: A message about this year’s team?

A: We’re gonna go as far as we want to go. It’s on us to do it.