​The best-case scenario for the New York Giants at cornerback would have Colton Hood, a rookie second-round pick, earning a starting role opposite Paulson Adebo. In the spring, Greg Newsome II and Deonte Banks took nearly all of the first-team reps at that position. Both performed well, but each comes with clear blemishes that give fans pause.
Newsome, 26, was a first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2021. His first three seasons were solid, but the last two have raised concerns. He struggled in 2024, posting a passer rating against of 112.5 in his first three seasons the rating against had been as low as 87.0 for his rookie year, yet in 2024 it soared. He surrendered four touchdowns that season after yielding only five over his initial three years in the league. In 2025, his slide continued, and the Browns traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars just five games into the season. Across the season, his passer rating allowed against reached 100.7 between the two teams. Pro Football Network’s Impact Score illustrates Newsome’s regression: 2021 — 49th, 2022 — 60th, 2023 — 21st, 2024 — 111th, 2025 — 98th. The question remains whether Newsome can rebound to his early-career form.
Banks, familiar to Giants fans, is a known quantity who the team drafted 29th overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, moving up one spot to secure him. After a promising rookie season, a defensive-coordinator switch—from Wink Martindale to Shane Bowen—produced disastrous on-field results for Banks. His Pro Football Network rankings rose steeply from 2023 to 2024, then remained high in 2025: 2023 — 28th, 2024 — 115th, 2025 — 110th. Banks’ struggles in recent seasons contributed to questions about his commitment and consistency, with public criticism from then-defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson in 2024, a public benching, and then marginalization in 2025. He showed promise in spring practice under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, but projecting him as a full-time, starting cornerback remains unattractive to many observers.
Enter Hood. The Giants selected the 6-foot, 195-pound corner from Tennessee with the 37th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. From the outset, the organization signaled that Hood would contend for a starting role opposite Adebo. Throughout the spring, Hood worked predominantly with the second-team defense. That, however, does not equate to a lack of exposure to top-level competition; the Giants mixed lineups, letting the first- and second-teams face each other periodically while Hood still found opportunities to line up against the first-team offense, including quarterback Jaxson Dart at times. Hood performed well overall in the spring, yet there were lapses that highlighted his inexperience. One notable moment came when Odell Beckham Jr. used veteran savvy to gain separation and burn Hood for a long touchdown reception, revealing a vulnerability that comes with youth and limited pro exposure.
The Giants did not wall off their optimism about Hood’s potential because of such moments. They believed Hood possessed the kind of upside that could push a late first-round projection, a value they were eager to cultivate. Defensive backs coach Addison Lynch praised Hood for his spring performance, describing his work as “great.” The assessment suggested Hood could develop into a starting-caliber option in time, even if he still needed seasoning at the professional level.
Ultimately, Hood’s spring arc offers cautious optimism for the Giants. He embodies the developmental profile teams chase in a cornerback who could eventually fill a starting role opposite Adebo. The path forward hinges on Hood’s continued growth, his ability to learn on the fly, and how quickly he can translate spring success into regular-season consistency. If Hood can refine his technique, improve his recognition and reaction time, and limit the lapses with top receivers, he could become a valuable long-term solution at cornerback. Until then, the Giants will monitor Newsome and Banks closely and rely on Hood as a potential breakout contributor who could eventually seize the job opposite Adebo.