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Jun 17, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants safety Tyler Nubin (27) participates in a drill during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. John Jones-Imagn Images

NY Giants Defensive Secondary Earns Dismal Spot in New Preseason Ranking

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Stephen Lebitsch | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 10:00 AM ET

While many in the NFL landscape believe that the New York Giants revamped defense will be something to watch as the franchise aims to compete in the 2025 season, there seems to be a little less confidence brewing in the status of their upgraded defensive secondary.

Understandably so, as the Giants' third level has been a constant issue for the team over the recent years. The group hasn't ranked within the NFL's top 15 units in four of the last five seasons, including a dreadful 28th standing at the end of a miserable 2024 campaign that was marred by youth and injuries.

Having been torched repeatedly in coverage by elite opposing receivers and failing to get a consistent hand on the football, general manager Joe Schoen knew one of his major priorities for the offseason was retooling the secondary. He did so admirably, tapping veterans Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland to headline some of the new pieces on that side of the ball.

According to a new preseason positional ranking by John Kosko of Pro Football Focus, simply adding those two players isn't enough to get the ball rolling for the Giants secondary. They still have some big questions to sort out as the 2025 season draws near, leaving them straddled in the bottom third of the league's order until they prove themselves worthy of a rise.

"The Giants' two highest-graded secondary players in 2024 were rookies: cornerback Andru Phillips and safety Tyler Nubin," Kosko pointed out in his analysis.

"To bolster a secondary that has struggled for several years, the team signed safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo this offseason. If the young players continue to develop and the new additions maintain their strong play, this unit could emerge as a surprise in 2025."

Kosko's qualifications for the Giants secondary are a little vague in his piece. Still, we think there are a few underlying factors that will determine how much new respect the position group will garner from the rest of the league.

The first and foremost is their turnover famine from last season, one where they barely disrupted the opponent's passing plays and took the ball in the other direction. The Giants' secondary poached just five interceptions last season to rank 31st and 28th in total turnovers, including nine weeks after the season opener against Minnesota, during which the team lacked another pick.

With the promise of a strong pass rush up front, the Giants could set their secondary pieces to have increased opportunities to make a play on the football in the air, and they must do more of that. It's challenging to put pressure on the quarterback on every play, meaning some drives have to be thwarted on the back end to limit the impact of the passing game.

More importantly, the Giants have to discern a few notable roles across the secondary before the season begins. At this point, it feels like there are only a couple of givens on the roster: Adebo taking over the No. 1 corner role, Dru Phillips manning the slot, and Jevon Holland commanding the deep safety spot.

Beyond those players, the Giants have yet to see who wins a potential training camp battle between Deonte Banks and Cor'Dale Flott for the second outside corner job. Second-year safety Tyler Nubin is also returning after a promising rookie season that was cut short by injury, one where he was on pace to lead the Giants in stops as an excellent tackler, and the team needs to see how much of an impact he'll have in year two.

As Kosko's analysis suggests, the Giants' secondary might have some new faces that will hopefully improve the group ahead of an important 2025 season. However, how their makeup unfolds in camp next month and looks on the gridiron come September will carry significant weight in determining how high they ascend the NFL rankings.

If anything, they could come together and give a surprising effort that checks off all the aforementioned boxes, and that's a main reason why the Giants went all-in on their defense. The goal is to have Shane Bowen's huddle serve as the catalyst that puts opposing teams on notice and helps the franchise move closer to contention. At the same time, the quarterback situation develops on offense.

Until the secondary hits the field and shows us what they're made of with some extra development and proven leadership, the vibe around the position remains dismal from the outside.