BBI Review of the New York Giants 2024 NFL Draft

 Posted by
Apr 282024
 
Andru Phillips, Kentucky Wildcats (December 29, 2023)

Andru Phillips – © USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants entered the 2024 offseason with a multitude of question marks and needs in the franchise’s attempt to close the enormous talent gap that exists between it and the top teams in the NFC. As of April 28, 2024, the day after the 2024 NFL Draft, this is where the team stands:

  • Players acquired by trade: 1
  • Players signed in free agency: 14
  • Players drafted: 6

These totals do not include the nine re-signed free agents, the two “street” free agents signed in January, and approximately nine undrafted rookie free agents the team is expected to sign in coming days. The Giants are also likely sign a veteran free agent or two in the coming weeks to address positions not adequately addressed in the draft.

As I predicted in the closing summary of my New York Giants 2024 NFL Draft Needs article, no one is happy after this draft. The needs were too great. The picks were too few. Some knew that going into the draft. Others are only realizing that reality just now. Some continue to lash out, unable or unwilling to accept the situation.

So let’s do a quick and dirty overview of what has been accomplished in the last two months.

In March, these were the team’s top needs (red highlighting the most critical areas):

  • “Franchise” quarterback
  • Offensive line mess
  • Defense-altering edge rusher
  • Offense-altering #1 wide receiver
  • Running back
  • Tight end
  • Starting defensive tackle
  • Outside cornerback
  • Nickel cornerback
  • Safety

Via the 21 players acquired to date, the franchise has “subtracted” from that list the following:

  • Offensive line: Signed five veteran free agents, including three to multi-year contracts.
  • Edge rusher: Acquired Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Burns by trade.
  • #1 wide receiver: Drafted Malik Nabers with the 6th overall pick.
  • Running back: signed Devin Singletary in free agency and drafted Tyrone Tracy.
  • Tight end: signed blocking tight ends Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz in free agency and drafting Theo Johnson.
  • Defensive tackle: signed Jordan Phillips as a stop-gap.
  • Nickel corner: drafted Andru Phillips.
  • Safety: signed stop-gap Jalen Mills and drafted Tyler Nubin.

That leaves the following areas unaddressed or at least continuing to have significant question marks:

  • Quarterback
  • Remaining offensive line issues
  • Starting defensive tackle
  • Outside cornerback

So in summary, much was done. But significant issues remain. Let’s review by position:

Quarterback: This is the biggest point of controversy. The topic will remain the #1 cause for concern among the fan base for at least the next 12 months. All the team has done this offseason is replace Tyrod Taylor with Drew Lock. They did heavily scout the 2024 quarterback class, but did not address the position in the draft. It appears a serious attempt and offer was made to trade up to the #3 overall selection in order to draft Drake Maye. New England rejected the Giants’ offer, which also reportedly included the team’s 2025 #1 pick. With the three top quarterbacks out of reach, the Giants passed on J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix, and Bo Nix at #6 and watched all three get drafted in the next six picks. Did the Giants make a mistake by not drafting one of these three at #6? That remains to be seen. Only five other quarterbacks were drafted (two in the 5th round, two in the 6th round, and one in the 7th round).

Again, given that three of the quarterbacks were out of reach (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye) and five other quarterbacks went late in the draft, the only real question here is should the Giants have passed on Malik Nabers and drafted McCarthy, Penix, or Nix? Some would argue the Giants should have traded down and picked one of these three, but keep in mind they were selected at #8, #10, and #12. Needless to say, the careers of these three will be closely monitored by Giants fans. It will be a bad look for the New York Giants if they flourish. On the other hand, the team will be vindicated if they are only middle-of-the-road quarterbacks or worse.

There are those who believe the Giants never really had any intention of replacing Daniel Jones. That their interest in this quarterback class was a publicity stunt or a tactic to cause Marvin Harrison, Jr. or Malik Nabers to fall into their lap. Perhaps their intent was to encourage another team to offer the Giants an enticing deal? We’ll never know. But right or wrong, it does appear that the Giants made the determination that there were only three quarterbacks in this draft class who were worthy of leading this team forward. Williams and Daniels were clearly out of reach; the Patriots ultimately rejected the Giants on Maye.

Where does that leaves us? Daniel Jones and/or Drew Lock will start for the Giants in 2024. The team will then have to re-evaluate the position in January 2025. That’s the reality of the situation. If Jones continues to struggle or gets hurt again, the situation could turn ugly. I hope he proves us wrong.

Wide Receiver: The only wide receiver in franchise history that has been drafted higher than Malik Nabers was Kyle Rote in 1951. The hope is the Giants have now drafted their version of Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson. Or Odell Beckham, Jr. without the annoying drama. Nabers should instantly transform the entire offense and elevate the play of everyone around him, including the quarterback. Opposing defensive coordinators will have to game plan specifically for him. The good news is that Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka are creative enough to use Nabers at a variety of spots, including X, Z, and from the slot. He can turn any short pass into a long touchdown. Jalin Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson will face less attention and should thrive as well. Overnight, the Giants’ wide receiver room went from a weakness to a strength. Adding Nabers was a franchise-altering selection.

Running Back: There has been much national media attention on the loss of Saquon Barkley, without the recognition that Barkley really only had two good seasons with the Giants. Much of that had to do with surrounding talent and injuries, but that was the reality of the situation. The team also tended to use him exclusively at the position with the other backs being afterthoughts. That now has changed as the team appears set to use a real running back-by-committee approach. Devin Singletary (whose yards per carry average is actually higher than Saquon’s) is part of that equation. So now is 5th-round draft selection Tyrone Tracy, an elusive back who is tough to tackle and makes big plays as a runner and receiver. Also factoring into the competition is last year’s 5th rounder, Eric Gray, who barely touched the ball as a rookie. Gary Brightwell is a bigger back who has flashed at times and is good special teams player. Long-shot rookie Dante Miller offers speed, moves, and return ability.

Tight End: Most are assuming that disappointing tease and injury-prone Darren Waller will retire. Schoen should have kept the 3rd round draft pick. The Giants made an obvious effort to improve their blocking at the position with the free agent acquisitions of Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz, two under-the-radar signings who could have a bigger-than-realized impact. If he develops, Theo Johnson (4th round selection) offers a huge 6’6” target in the passing game, particularly in the red zone. He can also threaten seams vertically. Daniel Bellinger, who will likely start, needs to rebound from a disappointing sophomore season. It will be interesting to see what new Tight Ends Coach Tim Kelly (Tennessee’s former offensive coordinator) has on the position too.

Offensive Line: The most tiresome and annoying complaint by fans is that the Giants don’t care about fixing the offensive line. You would be hard-pressed to find a team who has dedicated more free agent and draft resources in the last decade on the offensive line than the Giants. It’s the results that have sucked, not the effort. The current regime drafted offensive linemen with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th round picks in their first two drafts. Five offensive linemen were signed this offseason. At some point, these players need to be developed and coached up into an effective, cohesive unit. No team can afford to keep spending their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks on one position.

Evan Neal, John Michael Schmitz, Josh Ezeudu, and Markus McKethan have all been hurt (three seriously) and all have struggled. It’s up to Brian Daboll and new offensive line coaches Carmen Bricillo and James Ferentz to get them to play better. Add the veteran additions of Jon Runyan, Jr., Jermaine Eluemunor, Matt Nelson, Aaron Stinnie, and Austin Schlottmann – all of whom have started in this league, including at center, guard, and tackle. In an ideal world, with more draft capital, the Giants would have preferred to have drafted another guard/tackle prospect to compete. They still may add a body in free agency and they have already signed undrafted rookie free agents. The bodies are there. It’s up to the team to make it work.

Defensive Line: Dexter Lawrence remains arguably the best defensive tackle in the game. The Giants have an established veterans in Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Jordan Phillips, and two youngsters yet to prove themselves in D.J. Davidson and Jordon Riley. Ideally, the Giants would have liked to have added a pass-rushing, 3-technique defensive tackle in the draft. With only six picks, and a run on defensive tackles before the Giants selected in the 2nd round, that did not happen. The Giants can get by with what they have, but this is a position that will likely be addressed in the 2025 offseason.

Edge: Many fans continue to underrate or underappreciate the significance of the acquisition of the 26-year old Brian Burns. He’s a proven difference-maker as an outside pass rusher and equates to another 1st-round pick from this draft. He will team with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari to give the Giants one of the better edge groups in the league. Since Ojulari has been injury prone and is on the last year of his rookie deal, the team ideally would have liked to have added another edge player. That too, will have to be addressed in 2025. Jack-of-all-trades Isaiah Simmons was re-signed too and could be utilized in wide-9 fronts.

Linebacker: If new Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen follows form from his days in Tennessee, nickel and dime packages will be more prevalent than a base defense with two traditional inside linebackers on the field. In other words, the Giants are probably in really good shape here as long as Bobby Okereke remains healthy. The team did add instinctive overachiever and special teams stud Darius Muasau in the 6th round. Micah McFadden could also be pressed by holdover youngsters Darrian Beavers and Dyontae Johnson.

Cornerback: One of the team’s issues has been finding a nickel corner who can not only handle the ever-growing threat of dynamic slot receivers in the NFL, but also defend the run when the team is in nickel and dime packages. Darnay Holmes and Cor’Dale Flott have flashed but also disappointed at times at this position. Enter 3rd-round selection Andru Phillips, a sticky, physical, and aggressive coverman with inside-outside flexibility. He was a favorite of many draft pundits because of play and demeanor. Like Deontae Banks, Phillips has a good shot to start as a rookie either at nickel corner and/or outside corner. Flott and Holmes are also still in the picture and should not be discounted. So is 2021 3rd rounder Aaron Robinson who also offers inside-outside flexility.

If Phillips plays inside, the question is who will be the outside corner opposite of Banks? The ideal answer would be 2022 6th rounder Tre Hawkins, who combines excellent size and athleticism. A small school prospect, he won the starting job as a rookie, but was quickly benched. Nick McCloud was re-signed and the Giants have indicated that Flott will be given a shot outside as well. He has the height and cover skills, but is rail thin and must improve his tackling and physicality. Keep in mind Aaron Robinson won the starting job in 2022 before tearing his ACL. Long story short is this position may work itself out. Or the team may have to address in the 2025 offseason.

Safety: The issue here was not only the departure of Xavier McKinney in free agency, but the defensive shift from Wink Martindale’s single-high safety, man-to-man schemes to Shane Bowen’s two-deep, split-safety schemes that are so prevalent in the NFL. While the safety position is important in both schemes, the emphasis on specific traits is much different. That’s why the selection of Tyler Nubin in the 2nd round should shock no one. Nubin was employed in this style of defense in college and offers the physical and mental skillset needed to make Bowen’s defense work. My guess is he was one of the few targets of the team in the 2nd round. Nubin has a chance to start from day one. He will become a coach and fan favorite.

What remains to be seen is who nails down the other safety spot. Jason Pinnock is the leading contender but could be pressed by Dane Belton, Jalen Mills, and Gervarrius Owens.

Special Teams: The Giants have quietly added a ton of special teams players to the roster. It’s not likely all of these guys will make the team, but they all have strong special teams reputations/skills. This includes Tyler Nubin, Darius Muasau, Isaiah McKenzie, Jack Stoll, Miles Boykin, and Matthew Adams. The Giants also re-signed Gunner Olszewski, Nick McCloud, Darnay Holmes, Carter Coughlin, and Isaiah Simmons.

Summary: While everyone is down because of the needs that remain on this team, the Giants did accomplish a lot this offseason. A shell-shocked fan base understandably remains doubtful, but the receiving corps, pass rush, and offensive line should be vastly better in 2025. Important transitions are taking place at running back, tight end, and in the secondary.

What’s are the problems? It’s quarterback. It’s what is driving most of the fan angst right now. The other issues (pass-rushing defensive tackle, maybe another corner, more quality on the offensive line) can be easily addressed next offseason. But it is the quarterback position that has everyone worked up. Does the team even agree with the fans that it is a problem? The trade attempt for Drake Maye suggests so, but others will point to passing on McCarthy, Penix, and Nix as an indication that John Mara is living in a fantasy world or the team needs to be unrealistically in “full bloom love” with its next franchise quarterback before dropping Daniel Jones.

My take is this: I’ve said since November 2023, there is a huge risk to tripling down on Daniel Jones for this regime. The quarterback position is too important and things can spin out of control pretty quickly with poor play or another injury. On the flip side, it is not impossible for Jones to surpass his career-best 2022 season given his vastly improved surrounding cast. Does that mean he is the answer? No. But if he can stay healthy (a big if) and isn’t mentally shot (a big if), there is no comparison with the weapons he has now compared to the first five years of his career. As always, much depends on the offensive line too. It’s not also impossible for Drew Lock to seize the position if the Giants allow an actual open competition. That remains to be seen.

Should the Giants have passed on Nabers and taken McCarthy, Penix, or Nix? I don’t know. I would not have felt comfortable with that scenario either. While quarterback is clearly more important than wide receiver, Nabers was more of a “sure thing” in terms of his ability to transform the entire offense. I can appreciate and understand both arguments. McCarthy is in a great position in Minnesota to succeed. His supporting cast there is much stronger than he would have had here with a Naber-less Giants team. It will be fascinating to watch how he does. Penix is stuck behind Kirk Cousins in Atlanta. Nix was drafted by the coach/system everyone felt was perfect for him. We will have to see how they all do.

The course the Giants ultimately chose to take does make sense as much as the other argument. There is no correct path to build a team. Had the Giants whiffed on the quarterback and not drafted Nabers, that would have been a real disaster. But barring a miraculous turnaround by Jones or Lock, the Giants #1 priority next offseason is quarterback. No excuses.

New York Giants Draft Tyler Nubin and Andru Phillips

 Posted by
Apr 262024
 
Tyler Nubin, Minnesota Golden Gophers (August 31, 2023)

Tyler Nubin – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS DRAFT TYLER NUBIN AND X…
On the second day of the 2024 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected:

  • 2nd Round: S Tyler Nubin, 6’1”, 205lbs, 4.62, University of Minnesota
  • 3rd Round: CB Andru Phillips, 5’11”, 190lbs, 4.48, University of Kentucky

Sy’56’s Scouting Report on S Tyler Nubin: Fifth year senior. Three-year starter. All-Big. Ten three straight years, first team in 2023 in addition to second team All-American honors. Nubin is one of the most experienced defensive backs in the class and one that contributed on special teams all five seasons. He led the Gophers on special teams tackles in both 2020 and 2023, a taste of his usage and impact along multiple mediums on a roster. At safety, Nubin improved his tackling year after year. He is both physical and technically sound, smart and aggressive. The ideal combination of traits as the final line of defense will be there for the team that brings him in. While his movement traits are good enough, there are issues with him playing a deep coverage role that needs to reach the sideline against vertical speed. His downhill bias has put him in bad spots and that fluidity to turn and catch up is not there. While some of those issues can be hidden with his excellent and consistent instincts and intelligence, he will not be the guy that can carry a secondary. Instead, he will be the reliable underneath and intermediate defender that can direct traffic and make plays on the ball when the opportunities are there. His 13 career interceptions set a program record and are top five all time in Big Ten history among safeties.

*Nubin is a guy you will like on tape 90% of the time but then you occasionally see something that worries you. He has the look, he has the footwork, and the dude made plays every year. 1 interception in 2020, 3 in 2021, 4 in 2022, 5 in 2023. All these boxes get checked left and right but the athletic profile for a guy who needs to play with a lot of range is questionable. He is a borderline first rounder for me but the elite special teams performance over his career could easily break the tie between him and someone else. High floor, limited ceiling.

Sy’56’s Scouting Report on CB Andru Phillips: One-year starter. Also part of the heavy rotation in the Kentucky defensive backfield in 2022 which hosted two eventual pro outside corners. Phillips moved from the slot to outside, although he played all over the defensive backfield all three years, in 2023. Former high school track standout that starred in triple jumps where he finished number one in the nation. That burst stands out on film. Although slightly undersized, Phillips already has a lot of pro traits in his arsenal. He is smooth as butter in his backpedal and his ability to stick is foot in the ground and explode downhill created a lot of impressive tape. The inside-out versatility in addition to impressive tape in both zone and man coverage will make him attractive to any team looking to upgrade the cornerback room. There are off-field concerns from an arrest in 2021 that need to be answered. He also failed to grab a single interception over his career. Phillips does not react as quickly in man coverage and there are too many missed tackles. The good and bad with him creates a wide margin within his projection, but this guy has starting corner written all over him.

*Phillips is a guy that picked up a lot of steam over the season. His movement traits and fluidity are so pro-caliber. When he makes plays on the ball, there are a few elite, hard-to-find components that immediately jump off the screen. That is how I first found him. I was watching Florida offense tape and this kid kept jumping off the screen. The physical limitations did impede some of his playmaking potential. He may have to be a slot only but man I love how he turns and runs. The character concerns need to be a part of his process, no question.

Media Q&A with General Manager Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll (Video):

BRIAN DABOLL: So just before we start, Korey Cunningham, our thoughts and prayers are with his family. You know, not much to add to it. Just unfortunate circumstances that happened, and it’s tough. Tough on the coaches. Tough on the players. And we’re just praying for everybody involved.

Q. Can you talk about the safety in the second round, there was a big run on cornerbacks.

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, there was.

Q. I’m sure you noticed that.

JOE SCHOEN: There was but we were very, very fortunate to get (Tyler) Nubin there, a guy that we spent a lot of time with. He had an injury. We went out to his pro day when he was healthy to see him out there. Obviously losing (Xavier McKinney) in the off-season, to get Nubin at that value, a guy with high character, leadership, smart, tough, dependable, and then the 13 career interceptions. Just a good football player. Culture changer at the University of Minnesota and he’s going to bring that type of mentality here, and I think that will come out tomorrow when you guys meet with him and spend some time with him. Just a really special kid that’s a good football player.

Q. A bunch of teams traded up to get corners?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, there were.

Q. Was that ever a consideration for you?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, there were enough players there that we liked, and where we are, again, we have needs throughout the draft. And we were able to get a corner in round three that works out about as well in (Dru) Phillips.

Q. The top safety pick, the first safety, what separated him from some of the other guys?

JOE SCHOEN: I would say that he takes the ball away. 13 career interceptions. He’s a ball hawk. To me, the leadership, the character, the smarts, safety, the ability to communicate out there. To get guys to lined up I think is very important, and this kid is elite at those types of things.

Q. You mentioned the 13 interceptions a couple of times. Phillips had zero interceptions which stands out on the other end.

JOE SCHOEN: Right.

Q. Why is that not a concern, and what does he do well to make up for it?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, it is and some of these guys that are 5-11, 200, run 4-4 would be playing receivers if they had really good ball skills unfortunately. But no, I mean, he’s sticky. He’s in terms of coverage, he’s around the football a lot. And watching him down in the Senior Bowl on one-on-ones, he has a lot of traits and those are things we are going to work on. He’s in position, but he just has to finish a little bit better. But I really like the athlete, like the kid, look forward to him getting here. Told Wan’Dale, he’s got to be ready for practice because Dru said he was going to be locking him up. That will be good competition there.

Q. Do you view him as a slot corner?

JOE SCHOEN: He can play both. He’s got the versatility to play inside, and outside. But we have options because Flott can play inside, and outside as well. If he goes inside, Flott can go outside or vice-versa. The versatility is also attractive for all these guys with the new defense.

Q. Sounds like you’ll begin with him in the slot.

JOE SCHOEN: Most likely. I’ve leave that up to Dabs and his staff. We have options with him being able to play both and with Flott being able to do both.

Q. Playing sort of the opposite with Flott, do you plan to start him on the outside?

BRIAN DABOLL: We just drafted this young man. So, we’ll figure all that stuff out when we get into practice. We’ll be able to play both those guys at different spots and see how it all unfolds.

Q. Coming into the Draft, cornerback, and safety would have been looked at as your bigger needs. Taking these guys, does that preclude you from still adding in free agency after the Draft?

JOE SCHOEN: No. We still can. I think continuing to add depth throughout the roster is important, and again, there was — when we picked in the second, there was, gosh, there were probably five or six players that we liked, and you know, a guy goes — you can’t take them all, unfortunately.

I wish we could, but we were able to get a good football player, and that’s the most important thing, and we’re excited about Nubin.

Q. Four years ago, this franchise, not you, drafted Xavier in the second round. Is this almost getting a younger, cheaper version of him or just the position value kind of thing?

JOE SCHOEN: Younger and cheaper, yes. This young man has not played a snap in the league yet, so he’ll come here. He’ll compete. We still have some guys in the safety room that we like and he’ll have to come and earn his spot but we like the young man. He’s a good football player, and again, he’s got a lot of dominant traits in his play.

Q. Was there any consideration to quarterback in round two or three?

JOE SCHOEN: We took the best player at both spots. The way it fell, the two guys we took were the best guys at that time.

Q. Nubin said that he played most of the year, or six games with a meniscus. You mentioned last night how you liked the toughness of Nabers with the shoulder. I don’t want to say that’s a trend but that kind of toughness for you what did that mean for both of you guys?

BRIAN DABOLL: I’d say the college scouts, Joe, and his staff, have done a really good job of identifying these traits that we covet. Toughness being probably near the top. And all three of the players that we’ve acquired so far, really fit that mold in terms of, I’d say mentally tough and physically tough. I think that’s important. Defensively, tough tacklers. You know, Dru, he’ll bring the wood now. And Malik’s mentality, how he is, and then you guys talked to Tyler. Both Tyler and Dru, were pretty emotional when we called them. They care about the game. They have the right mindset, and it’s a credit to our college scouts, Joe, and his staff, for really identifying some of those traits and we’re happy to have both of them.

Q. There was a burglary arrest in Phillips’ background that got dismissed. I think the teammates even filed a lawsuit after. What did you learn about that in your research?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, there’s nothing there for him. You guys can read up on it but he was cleared and yeah, there was a lawsuit eventually after that. So yeah, we’re good with all that.

Q. Do you think the knee during the season may have slowed down and changed how Nubin played maybe if he was a hundred percent healthy?

JOE SCHOEN: I’m sure it was bothering him at some point during the season but again that’s the way the kid’s wired. You had the question about the injury, and again, it’s a long season, 17 games and training camp. These guys are all playing through nicks and dings and whatever it may be. So it’s a testament to the kid’s character and toughness to play through that stuff because it’s going to happen here. It wasn’t a light injury. He was in some pain. So just the fact that he wanted to be out there his last year at Minnesota and not let his teammates down, I think that’s a testament to who the kid is.

Q. You have a new defensive coordinator, how much is what his vision for what he wants to manifest in these two players?

BRIAN DABOLL: I’d say that Shane (Bowen) has done a really good job along with the defensive staff of identifying the players that fit what we want to do, communicating with Joe and his staff, and like I’ve said, they have done a great job of putting people out there that we think can help us on both sides of the ball.

Q. From a scouting perspective, was there anything different you were kind of looking for for secondary players in these guys with Shane and the new defense?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, I would say that –

Q. Obviously less man.

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, probably less man, not as much press. But still the versatility piece I think came up multiple times, whether it was if we would not have gotten a corner in the third, well, okay, Dane Belton has versatility, J-Pinn (Jason Pinnock), Tyler, like how can those guys play, (Isaiah) Simmons. The versatility and the chess pieces, I think Shane is going to do a good job moving those guys around. The versatility piece came up multiple times in our meetings.

Q. The Panthers traded up right in front of you in the second round for a running back. Do you think they thought you were thinking running back there?

JOE SCHOEN: I’m not sure. I’m really tight with Dan. Dan Morgan is one of my best friends in the world. We didn’t talk much about that. They called us, as well, so it was like, hey, would you maybe want to move back? I don’t know if he just got antsy. In some of those situations, it’s not always just us. Maybe other teams are trying to trade up with the team from us. So you don’t know, when you find somebody you like and you want to go get them and they are within range, you try to pull the trigger. I’m not sure if he thought we might do that or not.

Q. Were you contemplating running back at all today, and is it something you would like to fill at least at some point in this draft?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, again, just the amount of needs on the roster, we were looking across the board. Again, we were taking the best player available the first three days and that will shift. Maybe if there’s a safety, we like in the fourth round, maybe you look a different direction or if it’s — maybe receiver, so you kind of adjust your board as you — based on who you’ve picked before. So yeah, we won’t rule that out.

Q. Didn’t ask this last night, but did picking neighbors impact Darius’s stats? He’s in an unsettled spot. Does that make him more apt to be traded?

JOE SCHOEN: No, again, we’ve already paid a roster bonus. He had one that kicked in the fifth day of the league year, and you look at the P5, where that is, and you want to look at the production from last year to this year and you take all those things into account. Us drafting Malik Neighbors doesn’t affect where we are on that.

Q. What do you like about your defense now after the moves you’ve made?

JOE SCHOEN: I know the players that are under contract for more than one year. So again, Dexter is under contract. His contract status. Burns is for five years. Kayvon for three. Okereke for another three, Tae Banks for four, and just got Nubin for four years. You’ve got a young core group of players that will be able to be together for — and again, I know people want instant gratification, but it takes time to build this, and then over time, you have guys that are able to create continuity because they play together year over year. It was something we experienced in Buffalo. By the time we left, some of those guys had been playing together for four years in the same exact scheme, same defense, and playing together. I think that’s important from communication and just being on the same page when you’re playing as 1/11 and everybody knowing their job. I’m excited about the young core that we have together and the guys that are under contract for multiple years and even guys that may only have a year left that potentially we can extend down the road. But I do think we have pieces in place that I like that are going to be together for a couple of years here.

Q. Have you had any further clarification on Darren, whether he’s coming back or —

JOE SCHOEN: No, nothing’s changed there. We’re still giving him space and when he’s ready to make a decision, we’ll have those conversations.

Media Q&A with Tyler Nubin:

Q. Tyler, congratulations…

TYLER NUBIN: What’s going on, man. Thank you, thank you so much.

Q. Just curious, how much interaction did you have with the Giants in this process and what was your reaction when they called you to let you know you were their pick?

TYLER NUBIN: I had great interactions with them. They came out and saw me. I did a workout for them. Got on the board, had a great conversation with their coaches. A great conversation with them at the Combine, too, as well, going over film. It was a great atmosphere being around them, and being around Coach Daboll, as well. It was great, honestly. I was so happy when they called me and when that call came in because we already had a connection.

Q. What kind of player are you and what are you bringing to the Giants, do you think?

TYLER NUBIN: I’m an everything player. I feel like I’m a guy that can do it all on the field. I like to call myself a Swiss Army knife. I can move around everywhere. I can blitz. I am come down and hit the box, I can play over the top. Anywhere on the field I’m comfortable.

Q. Who from the team was there for your work out?

TYLER NUBIN: The safeties coach (Michael Treier) and I think their assistant GM (Brandon Brown).

Q. What about your ability to track the ball and intercept it? Seems to be something you did quite well in college.

TYLER NUBIN: It comes from my preparation, for real. I feel like that’s really what it is – how I approach the game, the things I do throughout the week to set myself up for success on the weekend, on Saturdays, now Sundays, to make the game easy.

Q. When you met with the Giants, you know, they are coming in with a new defensive system and with a new defensive coordinator, did you get to do any work with them as far as what you’ll be asked to do, what they expect their safeties to do?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah. We did a little bit of work on just understanding the basics of their defense and what they ask their safeties to do. Not specifically what they want me to do. Just being able to teach me a couple things.

Q. How emotional of a moment was that when your phone rang and it was the Giants?

TYLER NUBIN: Oh, man, I’ve been crying the last 35 minutes (laughs). No, for real.

Q. What were you doing tonight? What were the plans and how were you approaching tonight?

TYLER NUBIN: I had a bunch of my family and friends, we had a little venue that we rented just with couches and tables to watch the Draft. I was surrounded by all of my close family and friends. So when that came in, it was awesome, man, to be around them.

Q. For you personally, why did it hit so hard? What about it made it so special to you?

TYLER NUBIN: Honestly, not even thinking about the work that I put in. The work everybody around me put in, my parents have been working so hard for me all my life, being able to set me up in a good situation. You know, teach me the right things. All of my family and friends around me, on top of the work that I put in, there’s just so many people and so many sacrifices that were made over a long period of time leading up to this moment, it just all came out. Honestly that’s what it was.

Q. I read a story about you in The Star Tribune that when, I believe, you were in Illinois, living in Illinois and you kind of met with a coach to say that you were going to put in the work to get to be, frankly, in the position you’re in now. Do I have some of that right or all of that right?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah, yeah, that was my high school coach.

Q. Okay…

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah.

Q. Have you heard from (center) John Michael Schmitz yet?

TYLER NUBIN: I have not. My phone is blowing up. I’ve got to call him, actually.

Q. Are you good friends with him or do you know him pretty well since you guys were teammates?

TYLER NUBIN: Oh, yeah, me and John Michael are super close. I was actually hoping I’d get a chance to play with him and (inside linebacker) Carter (Coughlin).

Q. I read that you had a knee surgery after the season. Just what was the problem with your knee and how much did that affect you in the pre-Draft process?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah, so I played like six games on a torn meniscus last year. Got it scoped at the end of the season. I kind of accelerated my recovery process to get myself ready for the Combine because I really wanted to compete at the Combine and pro day. So, that kind of bit me in the butt a little bit. It affected me, but honestly, I wouldn’t do anything differently than I did because I really just wanted to compete.

Q. I saw some clips of you. You looked like you are a center fielder out there. Is that how you read the play?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah, I’m real comfortable running under the ball and going to get it. That’s my game for real.

Q. I think you were the first safety taken. Does that mean something to you, and were you aware of that? Like did you compare yourself to the other guys throughout the process?

TYLER NUBIN: Honestly, I’m just thankful for this opportunity. I was going to cry my eyes out no matter where I was picked, if I was picked here or picked 199, I’m just thankful to be in this position. I can’t wait to get to work for the Giants.

Q. What are you most excited about for this opportunity?

TYLER NUBIN: Playing football, honestly, and getting back to playing football. Doing the thing I love most and doing it well and helping the Giants win.

Q. Have you ever been to this area?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah, I’ve been to New York. We had a Bowl game out in New York. That was actually my first time staying there a couple years ago. It was awesome. I love the city.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1784045621709504704

Media Q&A with Andru Phillips:

Q. What’s tonight been like for you?

DRU PHILLIPS: It’s been a night. You know, you sit there, you wait for a little bit, you don’t know. But right now, I can’t even explain it, man. This has meant the world to me.

Q. What do you think about coming to New York, playing for the Giants and being in this area and the City?

DRU PHILLIPS: I can’t think of a better organization to go play for. I had one of my Top-30s up there and everyone up there was so cool and it was like, I feel like I fit in right along. I can’t wait to go up there and play ball and fit in with everybody.

Q. What makes you think you fit in, or like on that visit what stood out to you to make you feel that way?

DRU PHILLIPS: It came with the history of the program. I was walking around the facility and it has so much history and then you get to meet the people and the coaches and everyone, we bonded so well and we all have the same goal, which is to go out there and win, genuinely go out there and do anything to win the football game. I met what type of people they are, and they are the same. Just good people and that’s what I kind of lean towards, so I’m happy to be a part of this organization.

Q. What are the practice battles with (wide receiver) Wan’Dale Robinson going to be like?

DRU PHILLIPS: Man, I can’t even describe it. We’ve been talking crap for so long, he even just called me. II can’t wait to go against a great player like him. He’s established himself in a way up there in New York, and being able to compete and just go win and get better each and every day against him. It’s going to be a great competition.

Q. How many years have you played together?

DRU PHILLIPS: We played one year at Kentucky. I was younger, though. He may have had the best of me back then, but I think it’s different for me now.

Q. How comfortable are you playing on the outside? It seems like your best position might be in the slot. How comfortable are you on the outside?

DRU PHILLIPS: Yeah, especially after this past year when I played both, that outside became so comfortable by the last game of the season – I was out there, (inaudible) outside corners, but off my skill set and comfortability, it felt like second nature. It was right there really with the inside. It just takes more reps and stuff, but I’m right there. I can compete with anybody.

Q. How often were you asked about the interception total throughout this whole process and how do you explain, I would imagine, I don’t know if the emotions are frustrating, that you were close. How do you explain not being able to get one?

DRU PHILLIPS: I was asked about it, but in the grand scheme of everything, everybody knows I’m sticky. In coverage, I’m sticky. I’m going to get the ball off dudes. I’m going to do my job in the back end. It was asked, but at the same time, they understand who I am, when I was coming in, I’ve shown (inaudible) going to catch no type of balls in that type of sense. You know, I’m just trying to get the balls off guys, it was a question, but they understand it like I’m doing my job, I’m doing it at a very high level. So, they trust me.

Q. How are your hands?

DRU PHILLIPS: Man, they are really good. They are really good. But at the same time, there’s always work to get better. I’m always going to work to get better at it. I’m on the JUGS machine. I’m going to be up there in New York and just working, I’m going to get the turnovers.

Q. What was your night like tonight? What was the setup and what were you thinking? Did you expect to go tonight? Talk about the emotions of it all…

DRU PHILLIPS: Yeah, so I thought I was going to go tonight. But I have my family and I have my friends over. It’s just how the Draft plays out. You don’t know. I just put my faith into God, and I was talking to my family, and I was hoping to land at a great organization and I’m glad I landed at the Giants. It’s a great fit for me and a great organization, as well.

Q. Do you prefer Dru or Andru?

DRU PHILLIPS: Yeah, you guys can call me Dru. I go by Dru.

Q. How many 30s did you take?

DRU PHILLIPS: I took basically ten 30s. If you want to count one, the Rams, they don’t fly people out, but I did ten 30s (visits).

FRIDAY PRESS CONFERENCE WITH MALIK NABERS…
Wide receiver Malik Nabers, who the Giants drafted in the 1st round on Thursday, held a press conference at the team’s facility on Friday. The transcript and video are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube.

New York Giants First-Round Selection: WR Malik Nabers

 Posted by
Apr 252024
 
Malik Nabers, New York Giants (November 25, 2023)

Malik Nabers – © USA TODAY Sports

With the 6th pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected wide receiver Malik Nabers (LSU).

Sy’56’s Scouting Report on WR Malik Nabers (6’0”, 200lbs, 4.35): Junior entry, three-year starter. All-American and first team All-SEC in 2023. Nabers steadily developed from a high school player who did not play as a senior to one of the most productive receivers in the country. He plays a notably physical brand for the position with level of competitiveness that shows up in several ways. Blended in with his elite top-end burst and above average speed, Nabers has the style of a guy that can evolve into a credible number one threat. His routes need work in specific areas but they are already elite in others, showing the likelihood of his quality projection in that area. The savvy, team-first playmaker is going to be a coach’s favorite and has the upside of a true number one with his top trait being what comes after the catch.

*We have seen glimpses and heard Brian Daboll discuss how much value a playmaker after the catch can be in his system. We’ve also heard how much he values a guy that can line up in different spots. Something like that makes me think he can be the guy that is atop their list in a few weeks. Nabers has elite twitch and toughness. His issues with drops have come from the fact he makes his post-catch move prior to bringing the ball in. That has been somewhat corrected and when it clicks, it looks special. The concept of pairing him with an eventual new, young quarterback makes sense. Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson can create serious excitement in that area and if everything else falls into place, watch out. This would actually take some pressure off the quarterback much like the situation around Brock Purdy in SF. Nabers will be a fun player.

Media Q&A with General Manager Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll (Video):

JOE SCHOEN: We’re excited to get Malik. He’s a guy who’s been on our radar for quite some time, explosive playmaker, can play multiple spots. Can separate and has run-after-the-catch, very good hands, very productive in a difficult conference, so before getting here tomorrow and then getting into the building a couple of weeks from now. Getting him in with the rest of the players in our culture and developing him and competing for his play time. With that we’ll open up for questions.

Q: What made you — obviously you had the choice, Malik over Odunze?

JOE SCHOEN: We had a lot of meetings throughout the season and at the end of the day we just thought Malik’s toughness, separation, speed — not that Rome doesn’t have all those things; Rome is a very good player, too — just when it came down to it, what we were looking for, Malik checked a lot of those boxes — his person, his toughness, competes, his production, the versatility.

Q: Joe, there were quarterbacks on the board. First of all, how aggressive were you trying to trade up to get a quarterback?

JOE SCHOEN: I think I said last week we were going to have conversations in front of us. We actually had conversations behind us. There was an opportunity for us to move out of the pick. So we had conversations. We had different plans in place. And we’re excited to have Malik Nabers here, so we’re real happy with the way it worked out.

Q: There was a lot reporting that you were talking with the Patriots, specifically for the third pick. How serious did those talks get? Was there just a walk-away point where their ask was too high?

JOE SCHOEN: We had a lot of conversations with a lot of teams. I’m not going to get into specifics. We had a really good player at six that was a position that I think was a need that we needed to upgrade. I’m fired up about the kid.

Q: Have you gotten any texts from Daniel Jones about the pick?

JOE SCHOEN: He’s fired up. I texted him Malik’s number. That’s one of the first things I did. And he’s fired up about it. He knew before it was announced on ESPN and NFL Network.

Q: Brian, what does it mean for you to have that sort of, for lack of a better term, a number one type receiver?

BRIAN DABOLL: Look, I’m excited about Malik. He’s a heck of a player. He’s a fun guy to evaluate. Like Joe talked about, he’s got quickness, explosive, good run after the catch. He’s got a great mindset in terms of the competitive style he plays with. Played well in big games. Get him in the program, get him with the receivers and into the offense, and really looking forward to working with him.

Q: Joe, do you view the quarterback position as a high priority, your next pick is 47, or do you remain comfortable coming out of this draft without one?

JOE SCHOEN: I’m comfortable with where we’re at.

Q: Do you believe you can find like a franchise quarterback at that point in the draft?

JOE SCHOEN: I’m excited about Malik. Whatever, I don’t know what’s going on out there right now, but I know a couple of quarterbacks just went. We’ll look at all positions across the board. I said last week that we have multiple needs across the board and the team, and we’ll continue to try to fill those throughout the draft.

Again, there could still be movement. We could get more picks. We could trade up. We’ve done that in the past. Again, we just got an electric wide receiver that’s 20 years old, will be 21 end of July. My guys said he is the fourth youngest player we had on our entire board among the 450 players we have in certain ranges, but a young player that is electric and we’re really fired up about acquiring him.

Q: Is there a point where he kind of stood out and popped to you throughout the process? Maybe it wasn’t even this year.

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, LSU, the amount of players they had, and our staff was able to see him play live several times. I’ve seen him two years in a row. I happened to be at the first game of the year versus Florida State, two years in a row. He’s been on our radar.

He’s a really good player. And we were at the pro day, we had him in on a 30 visit and went to dinner with him a couple different times. Getting around the kid, he’s a great kid. He’s super competitive. He’s driven. And I’m excited about having him.

Q: How far did you guys — what does this do for Daniel? He’s never really had a top tier receiver?

BRIAN DABOLL: We’ve got to get him in. He was obviously ultra productive at LSU. Made a ton of plays. I would say deep, intermediate, short. Be good to get him in here and get him acclimated to what we do. I know he’s excited about it. We’re excited to have him.

Q: Was he the top receiver on your board?

JOE SCHOEN: He was in the mix with multiple guys. We had a lot of guys that we liked that would fit in with the way we had them stacked. At the time we took him, he was the top receiver on our board.

Q: There was obviously an arrest at some point with him with a gun. The charges eventually dropped. But I’m assuming that wasn’t a problem with you. And how did you guys go about looking into that?

JOE SCHOEN: We’ve got an extensive process in terms of background on these guys. And from watching it, we bring up the film, watched what happened. (Head of security) Jerry Meade does a phenomenal job for us. We have other resources that we reach out to and use, whether it’s boots on the ground on the campus, in the cities, wherever it may be. We’re very comfortable with the players we turn the card in on.

Q: Brian, at the combine, Malik talked about the meeting and just how much fun it was. You guys were joking around and doing this. Take me in the room there. Was it fun? Was he —

BRIAN DABOLL: I enjoyed those meetings. I love his personality. He’s a very, very competitive young man. So it was good to sit down and kind of introduce ourselves and get him to introduce himself to us. He came here — he’s a competitive guy. And I’m looking forward to working with him.

Q: How did you weigh McCarthy there versus Malik?

JOE SCHOEN: Malik was our guy. He was the guy we targeted. And we took him. There were other players on the board and we took him.

Q: How many times did you see him play in person last year?

JOE SCHOEN: Last year one time, saw LSU play.

Q: Joe, can you speak about Malik’s toughness? I know he had the shoulder injury early in the season last year, but I don’t believe he missed any games. Can you just talk about that?

JOE SCHOEN: That’s legit, talking to the trainers and the medical staff, this guy didn’t miss. Whatever it is, he’s going to fight through it. He’s tough, doesn’t miss games, doesn’t miss practice. If he can play, he’s going to play. That’s the way this kid is wired.

You’ll see it, when you guys get around and see the way he practices and the way he plays on game day and see his highlights and you see some of the stuff he can do, whether it’s with the ball in his hand, without the ball in his hand. When guys are wired like that, at his age, that’s ingrained in him by then. That’s who he is. Looking forward to bringing some of that toughness and explosiveness to the roster.

Q: How did you see him develop from when you first saw him?

JOE SCHOEN: He’s been productive. He’s had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He scored more touchdowns this year than he did the year before. But I think Jayden (Daniels) really elevated his game this year but he had scored in the past. But you saw a lot of the traits last year, he’s a young kid.

When you evaluated him last year, you were evaluating a 19-year-old. This year, a 20-year-old kid. You see what some of these receivers are getting right now, APY. And you get a guy at his age where we got him in the draft and you’re going to have cost control for five years. We’re fired up about that.

Q: What stood out when you saw Malik in person?

JOE SCHOEN: I think at that position, the toughness. Some of the competitiveness, some of the best ones I’ve been around, they have that. It’s going to be 20-some receivers taken between today and tomorrow and Saturday. What separates all the guys that are six-foot that are 200 pounds and run a 4.45, there’s a bunch of them out there. To me it always goes back to grit, toughness, tenacity. You can’t coach that. You can’t teach that. I think this kid best illustrates it.

Q: This could be a very different night for Daniel. What did he say when you called him?

JOE SCHOEN: I shot him a text.

Q: When did you realize this was going to be the likely outcome, like at what pick? And did you know at that point or did you think that the Chargers, I know you kind of heard it a little bit, that they were going to take an offensive tackle there?

JOE SCHOEN: But you look at their roster, too, Mike Williams is gone and Keenan Allen is gone.

Q: I’m asking you, how confident were you that they were?

JOE SCHOEN: Again, that was part of the contingency plan. You have six names, and if all six go, you go to bed at night, whoever six was, and you’re happy with it. When there’s other contingency plans, when teams start calling, you can move back or you move up. So we had multiple plans against the whirlwind and Dabs rode it with me, we could do this, you’re over-preparing for everything in all different situations. And we didn’t know what the Chargers were going to do until we heard they took an offensive tackle. We were fired up.

Q: Other than the fact they’re both from LSU, does this guy remind you at all of a young Odell?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I’m not going to compare him to anybody. I think he’s a fantastic player. He’s got a lot of good attributes. Starting with his personality and demeanor, his competitive stamina. He’s got some dog to him. Excited to work with him, he’s his own person. He’s got a lot to learn coming in. I started out my career working with the receivers and there’s a lot to learn, but I know he will, and he’s ready to jump on the opportunity.

Media Q&A with Malik Nabers:

Q: Malik, congratulations. What was your reaction when you got picked by the Giants?

NABERS: Mix of emotions, I had my family there. It was a great opportunity for me to come to New York.

Q: How likely did you consider the Giants as a potential landing spot for you?

NABERS: It was very likely, I knew Dabs he conversed with a lot of my coaches, he really liked my game, he liked my dog mentality, so I’m glad he chose me.

Q: What kind of player are the Giants getting?

NABERS: A great teammate, a great leader, a great person on the field and off the field, and that’s it.

Q: Have you heard from Daniel Jones yet?

NABERS: Not yet, but I’m sure I’ll be hearing from him soon.

Q: What are your thoughts on having him throw the ball to you?

NABERS: I’m ready to get in, work with him, learn what kind of quarterback he is and catch footballs from him.

Q: Malik, Odell Beckham Jr. came from LSU in the first round, had a great career at the Giants. Do you have any relationship with him and what does it mean for you to follow in his footsteps.

NABERS: I don’t have a relationship with him, but I’m just trying to be the best football player I can possibly be for the Giants organization. I’m not coming in trying to replace Odell, I’m just trying lead into my own legacy.

Q: What were your meetings with the Giants like? What was it like getting to know Brian Daboll?

NABERS: It was great meetings. He has a great personality, he makes people laugh that are in the room. He’s going to compete with you for sure, he has high standards for his athletes. So I am hoping he has high standards for me and I live up to those.

Q: You said compete with you. Did you guys get into something during your meetings, or what were you guys competing about?

NABERS: He was talking about trying to guard me. He thought he could guard me.

Q: In basketball or trying to guard you on the football field?

NABERS: Football field.

Q: So you think your separation skills will really be put to the test against Brian Daboll in press coverage against you?

NABERS: Say that again.

Q: Never mind. It’s okay. Did you get on the field with Brian Daboll at all and go at it with you or just talk?

NABERS: No, it was just all talk.

Q: What do you think of playing, coming to the New York area?

NABERS: I know it’s a great city. I’m going to bring my family with me, bring God with me, bring the dog mentality that I have there.

Q: What do you think sets you apart from the other receivers in this class?

NABERS: I’m able to play different positions, create separation, open up a great window for the quarterback to throw me the ball. Great teammate. Great leader. All in all a great football player. Dog mentality when I’m out there on the field.

Q: What are you most excited about coming to New York?

NABERS: I’m excited to see the city, excited to be with my teammates and learn the offense, learn my quarterback, and just be in New York. I never been to New York, only been there once. Living there, I’m going to need some help.

Q: Being an SEC guy, do you know Jalin Hyatt at all?

NABERS: I sure do.

Q: What can you tell us about your relationship with him?

NABERS: We have built a relationship along the lines, I asked him a few questions about the organization when I was on the visit. Told me great things. Watched him when he was in college. Tremendous athlete. Amazing speed. Got hands. He was also a Biletnikoff winner, so you know it’s going to be a lot of competition going on in that room. So I’m excited to get to know those guys, hit the field with those guys.

Q: When you were up here with your visit, did you cross paths with the other two receivers, with Harrison and Odunze?

NABERS: Yes, we were all at the meeting together.

Q: What was that like for you? And did you get a, kind of different sense here when you are kind of with other guys you know they’re kind of measuring you up against?

NABERS: It was a great meeting with those guys. We got to know each other more closely. So that was it.

Q: You talk about the competitor you are. Were you a competitor that day?

NABERS: Yeah, I had to be. They were trying to see what guy they wanted to pick. There was competition in that room.

Q: What do you think this offense could be? The explosiveness you have now with the guys like you, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson?

NABERS: I’m not sure. We’re going to learn, they’re going to learn me, they’re going to learn how I play. I’m going to learn my teammates, learn the my offense and we’ll see where it leads.

Q: I know you’re only 20 years old, but how much more do you think there is to grow in your game?

NABERS: There’s a lot more to grow. Especially I’m a young NFL person that’s coming in. I have a lot to learn, a lot to learn how to be a pro, but coming in there finding those older guys that can guide me along the way.

Q: How eager are you to compete against Jayden Daniels, same division?

NABERS: Same division, me and Jayden? The competition with me and him will always be the same. We had a lot of competition going on in college when we were teammates. So the competition level is high between us, for sure.

 

New York Giants 2024 NFL Draft Review and Rookie Free Agent Signings

 Posted by
Apr 252024
 

New York Giants 2024 NFL Draft Review

Round Pick in Round Overall Selection Player Selected Video
1 6 6 WR Malik Nabers (Video)
2 7 39 Traded for OLB Brian Burns
2 15 47 S Tyler Nubin (Video)
3 6 70 CB Andru Phillips (Video)
4 7 107 TE Theo Johnson (Video)
5 31 166 RB Tyrone Tracy, Jr. (Video)
6 7 183 LB Darius Muasau (Video)

2024 Draft Pick Scouting Reports

1st Round – WR Malik Nabers, 6’0”, 200lbs, 4.35, LSU

Sy’56’s Scouting Report: Junior entry, three-year starter. All-American and first team All-SEC in 2023. Nabers steadily developed from a high school player who did not play as a senior to one of the most productive receivers in the country. He plays a notably physical brand for the position with level of competitiveness that shows up in several ways. Blended in with his elite top-end burst and above average speed, Nabers has the style of a guy that can evolve into a credible number one threat. His routes need work in specific areas but they are already elite in others, showing the likelihood of his quality projection in that area. The savvy, team-first playmaker is going to be a coach’s favorite and has the upside of a true number one with his top trait being what comes after the catch.

*We have seen glimpses and heard Brian Daboll discuss how much value a playmaker after the catch can be in his system. We’ve also heard how much he values a guy that can line up in different spots. Something like that makes me think he can be the guy that is atop their list in a few weeks. Nabers has elite twitch and toughness. His issues with drops have come from the fact he makes his post-catch move prior to bringing the ball in. That has been somewhat corrected and when it clicks, it looks special. The concept of pairing him with an eventual new, young quarterback makes sense. Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson can create serious excitement in that area and if everything else falls into place, watch out. This would actually take some pressure off the quarterback much like the situation around Brock Purdy in SF. Nabers will be a fun player.

Joe Schoen’s Take: “He’s a guy who’s been on our radar for quite some time, explosive playmaker, can play multiple spots. Can separate and has run-after-the-catch, very good hands, very productive in a difficult conference… I’m fired up about the kid… He’s a really good player. And we were at the pro day, we had him in on a 30 visit and went to dinner with him a couple different times. Getting around the kid, he’s a great kid. He’s super competitive. He’s driven. And I’m excited about having him… He’s tough, doesn’t miss games, doesn’t miss practice. If he can play, he’s going to play. That’s the way this kid is wired… Looking forward to bringing some of that toughness and explosiveness to the roster… To me it always goes back to grit, toughness, tenacity. You can’t coach that. You can’t teach that. I think this kid best illustrates it.”

Brian Daboll’s Take: “I’m excited about Malik. He’s a heck of a player. He’s a fun guy to evaluate. Like Joe talked about, he’s got quickness, explosive, good run after the catch. He’s got a great mindset in terms of the competitive style he plays with. Played well in big games… He was obviously ultra productive at LSU. Made a ton of plays. I would say deep, intermediate, short… I love his personality. He’s a very, very competitive young man.”

Media Q&A with Malik Nabers: (Full Transcript)

2nd Round – Tyler Nubin, 6’1”, 205lbs, 4.62, University of Minnesota

Sy’56’s Scouting Report: Fifth year senior. Three-year starter. All-Big. Ten three straight years, first team in 2023 in addition to second team All-American honors. Nubin is one of the most experienced defensive backs in the class and one that contributed on special teams all five seasons. He led the Gophers on special teams tackles in both 2020 and 2023, a taste of his usage and impact along multiple mediums on a roster. At safety, Nubin improved his tackling year after year. He is both physical and technically sound, smart and aggressive. The ideal combination of traits as the final line of defense will be there for the team that brings him in. While his movement traits are good enough, there are issues with him playing a deep coverage role that needs to reach the sideline against vertical speed. His downhill bias has put him in bad spots and that fluidity to turn and catch up is not there. While some of those issues can be hidden with his excellent and consistent instincts and intelligence, he will not be the guy that can carry a secondary. Instead, he will be the reliable underneath and intermediate defender that can direct traffic and make plays on the ball when the opportunities are there. His 13 career interceptions set a program record and are top five all time in Big Ten history among safeties.

*Nubin is a guy you will like on tape 90% of the time but then you occasionally see something that worries you. He has the look, he has the footwork, and the dude made plays every year. 1 interception in 2020, 3 in 2021, 4 in 2022, 5 in 2023. All these boxes get checked left and right but the athletic profile for a guy who needs to play with a lot of range is questionable. He is a borderline first rounder for me but the elite special teams performance over his career could easily break the tie between him and someone else. High floor, limited ceiling.

Joe Schoen’s Take: “A guy that we spent a lot of time with. He had an injury. We went out to his pro day when he was healthy to see him out there. Obviously losing (Xavier McKinney) in the off-season, to get Nubin at that value, a guy with high character, leadership, smart, tough, dependable, and then the 13 career interceptions. Just a good football player. Culture changer at the University of Minnesota and he’s going to bring that type of mentality here, and I think that will come out tomorrow when you guys meet with him and spend some time with him. Just a really special kid that’s a good football player… He takes the ball away. 13 career interceptions. He’s a ball hawk. To me, the leadership, the character, the smarts, safety, the ability to communicate out there. To get guys to lined up I think is very important, and this kid is elite at those types of things.”

Media Q&A with Tyler Nubin: (Full Transcript)

3rd Round – CB Andru Phillips, 5’11”, 190lbs, 4.48, University of Kentucky

Sy’56’s Scouting Report: One-year starter. Also part of the heavy rotation in the Kentucky defensive backfield in 2022 which hosted two eventual pro outside corners. Phillips moved from the slot to outside, although he played all over the defensive backfield all three years, in 2023. Former high school track standout that starred in triple jumps where he finished number one in the nation. That burst stands out on film. Although slightly undersized, Phillips already has a lot of pro traits in his arsenal. He is smooth as butter in his backpedal and his ability to stick is foot in the ground and explode downhill created a lot of impressive tape. The inside-out versatility in addition to impressive tape in both zone and man coverage will make him attractive to any team looking to upgrade the cornerback room. There are off-field concerns from an arrest in 2021 that need to be answered. He also failed to grab a single interception over his career. Phillips does not react as quickly in man coverage and there are too many missed tackles. The good and bad with him creates a wide margin within his projection, but this guy has starting corner written all over him.

*Phillips is a guy that picked up a lot of steam over the season. His movement traits and fluidity are so pro-caliber. When he makes plays on the ball, there are a few elite, hard-to-find components that immediately jump off the screen. That is how I first found him. I was watching Florida offense tape and this kid kept jumping off the screen. The physical limitations did impede some of his playmaking potential. He may have to be a slot only but man I love how he turns and runs. The character concerns need to be a part of his process, no question.

Joe Schoen’s Take: “He’s sticky. He’s in terms of coverage, he’s around the football a lot. And watching him down in the Senior Bowl on one-on-ones, he has a lot of traits and those are things we are going to work on. He’s in position (to make interceptions), but he just has to finish a little bit better. But I really like the athlete, like the kid, look forward to him getting here. Told Wan’Dale (Robinson), he’s got to be ready for practice because Dru said he was going to be locking him up. That will be good competition there… He’s got the versatility to play inside, and outside. But we have options because (Cor’Dale) Flott can play inside, and outside as well. If he goes inside, Flott can go outside or vice-versa. The versatility is also attractive for all these guys with the new defense.”

Media Q&A with Andru Phillips: (Full Transcript)

4th Round – TE Theo Johnson, 6’6”, 259lbs, 4.57, Penn State University

Sy’56’s Scouting Report: Three-year starter. All-Big Ten in 2023. Johnson has the prototype body merged with soft hands and quick feet to pose as a potential starting tight end in the league. He has shown flashes of being a matchup nightmare for both linebackers and defensive backs. The catch radius and sheer weight he can play should help with some of the short area movement issues he shows as a route runner and ball carrier to have at least a quality backup outlook. The athletic upside he possesses leaves the door open to a bigger role. He brings a rare blend of size and speed to the table that coaches will want a crack at developing. Johnson needs to clean up some of the fine points of the position to reach his ceiling, but the floor with him is high to feel safe about him providing solid rotational play, at least.

*I’ll say this right now. Johnson has the ceiling to be the top tight end in this class (including Bowers). That fact alone leads me to believe he should be graded a bit higher. But the number is the number. He has several flashes on tape combined with a historic blend of size, explosion, and speed. At this time, however, he is a better athlete than he is a football player. I felt that way after watching tape and when I saw him in person at the Senior Bowl. It looks like he is still learning his body and simply lacks some important coordination and football reaction speed. Worth the gamble because he could change an offense. Maybe a similar trajectory we have seen with Cole Kmet with the Bears.

Joe Schoen’s Take: “Theo was the top player on our board… He was sticking out for us. You always think when you come in the next morning, he’s going to go sooner and may not be there and we’re excited to get Theo.”

Media Q&A with Player: (Full Transcript)

5th Round – RB Tyrone Tracy, Jr., 5’11”, 209lbs, 4.48, Purdue University

Sy’56’s Scouting Report: Sixth-year senior. Four-year starter that spent four seasons at Iowa before his final two at Purdue. Tracy will turn 25 years old as a rookie but in terms of running back age, he is younger than most. He played wide receiver from 2018-2022 before moving into the backfield full time in his final year. In that one season, Tracy finished fourth in the country in yards after contact per attempt in the country among backs with over 100 carries. His career was sputtering, as his best season as a receiver came in 2019. The smooth position move opened a door, one that is searching for pass game weapons out of the backfield. Tracy is not a dynamic or explosive athlete, but he simply knows what to do with the ball in his hands and it shows up as a returner as well. His progression will be an interesting one to follow, one with a high ceiling.

*Tracy is one of the more interesting prospects in the entire draft. He runs like he doesn’t always know what he’s doing but that is part of the intrigue. What happens to him if it does click? He is already productive, and he is already a top-shelf pass catcher the position. He already adds return value. Something about him simply makes sense for a chance on day three because Singletary could easily be elsewhere before the end of 2024, let alone pre-2025. And I view that as the season this team can be ready to compete.

Brian Daboll’s Take: “He’s a former receiver. In terms of yards per carry, he’s been pretty good. He’s an athlete who has played receiver and then played running back and has some good production. We’ll throw him in the mix. Whether that’s in the kickoff return game or whether that’s at running back or the receiving part of it, we’ve got to do a good job of getting him in here and seeing where he’s at and then trying to fit him into the things that he can do well.”

Media Q&A with Player: (Full Transcript)

6th Round – Darius Muasau, 6’0”, 225lbs, 4.7, UCLA

Sy’56’s Scouting Report: Fifth-year senior, four-year starter. Spent three seasons at Hawaii where he was first team All-Mountain West two times. Transferred to UCLA in 2022 where he was All-Pac 12 in both 2023 and 2022. Muasau is a productive run defender who can lead a defense from the middle. He is an experienced shot caller who understands blocking schemes a step or two ahead, which helps him get on the right side of blockers as he attacks downhill. Muasau does not have the size or athletic tool set to factor against the pass, whether it be as a pass rusher or cover man. His usage at the next level will be limited to early down duty and special teams. The toughness, dependability, and football IQ can keep him on a roster as a quality, dependable backup and role player.

*Muasau is a guy who will be drafted late for special teams alone. This is the kind of guy who teams look for toward the back end to beef up their presence on kickoff/punt cover units. As a middle linebacker, Muasau is not athletic enough to check all of the boxes but he is a dependable player between the tackles. His range is limited, but his dependable and consistent interior run defense can provide something for a team that needs help there.

Joe Schoen’s Take: “He’s a good football player. He was actually with Ghoby (Special Teams Coordinator Michael Ghobrial), our special teams coach, they crossed paths at Hawaii. 440 career tackles, hasn’t missed a game, smart, tough, dependable, instinctive. Our special teams coach, he’s coached him, has a vision for him on special teams. He was at the East-West, and I would say — Tyrone Tracy was, too. Having our coaches and Shea at the Senior Bowl with Theo. I think there’s a little bit of competitive advantage in terms of — again, going back to Dabs’ staff and their willingness to sacrifice their time to help us in this process, and I would say all three of those guys that we took today, our coaches had intimate knowledge of those guys from the all-star games.”

Media Q&A with Player: (Full Transcript)

Rookie Free Agent Scouting Reports

To be provided.