The New York Giants’ selection of Malik Nabers could have a transformative impact on the offense, but, it’s one of the franchise’s selections on defense who could prove a diamond in the rough.
Former Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips slid to the third round but could get on the field quickly given the inconsistent play the Giants have gotten out of the secondary in recent seasons.
Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker put together a list of the late-round selections in the 2024 NFL Draft who have the best chance to make an ‘instant impact,’ with Phillips leading the list.
“The Giants needed cornerback help opposite Deonte Banks,” Locker writes for PFF. “And they got it in the form of Phillips. The 70th overall pick saw 57 targets a season ago, the fourth-most in the SEC, but he surrendered only 38 catches. He tied for 10th among all FBS corners with 23 defensive stops.
“Although Giants cornerback Nick McCloud played well last year, earning a 74.8 overall grade and 80.7 coverage grade, he played just 312 snaps. As a result, Phillips could be in for a bigger share of responsibilities right away, largely because of how few bodies can man the outside for the Giants.”
New York Giants CB Andru Phillips Scouting Report
Phillips arrives in the land of opportunity, otherwise known as the Giants’ secondary, following a strong season at Kentucky.
Last season, Phillips with a career-high 47 total tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups.
“Phillips’ tape features a high number of both completions and drops that should have been completions,” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein points out. “But, that could change in a different scheme and with additional experience. He’s still green, with just two years of real game experience, and often played too loose in Kentucky’s zone cover schemes. Phillips lacks the anticipation to contest catches at a high enough rate from zone but does have the athleticism to play more man coverage, with the tools to stay sticky on routes.”
The only roadblock standing between Phillips and immediate playing time is Cordale Flott, who allowed a whopping 95.6 passer rating when quarterbacks targeted him last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Phillips certainly is a player to watch who could make an impact on the Giants’ defense in 2024.
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