The New York Giants selected Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin with the No. 47 pick in Friday’s second round of the NFL Draft. The Giants made Nubin the first safety selected in the draft.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Nubin fits a big need for the Giants who lost Xavier McKinney to the Green Bay Packers in free agency. Nubin converted from cornerback to safety at Minnesota and led the Golden Gophers in interceptions in each of the past four years, finishing his career with a school-record 13.
This is the second year in a row Giants GM Joe Schoen has spent a second-round pick on a Golden Gopher. Last year, the Giants drafted Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz at No. 57 overall.
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‘The Beast’ breakdown
Nubin ranked No. 68 on Dane Brugler’s Top 300 big board and was the third-rated safety.
“A four-year starter at Minnesota, Nubin was an interchangeable safety (single high and split zone) in defensive coordinator Joe Rossi’s mixed-coverage scheme.
“Using his athleticism and awareness, Nubin keeps everything in front of him and can drive off the numbers in the deep half to overlap the seam or track and finish from the post. As an alley defender, he is fearless but controlled, and he comes to balance with low pads to finish tackles with authority. Overall, Nubin has conservative tendencies in coverage, but he is a four-down player with a coveted skill set, because of his split-field range, playmaking instincts and toughness versus the run. He is ideally suited for a quarters-based, Cover-2 scheme in the NFL and will be a core special teamer.”
Coaching intel
An NFL defensive backs coach told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, “I think Nubin is the best true middle-field safety in the draft.”
Scott Dochterman grades the pick
Maybe the most underrated player in the draft, Nubin was both a solid coverage safety and a tremendous tackler at Minnesota. He will step in immediately for McKinney and thrive. With 43 starts at Minnesota, Nubin was experienced and highly respected. He finished his career with a school-record 13 interceptions and 24 passes defended, as well as 207 tackles. He’s a Day 1 starter.
Grade: A
Tyler Nubin: 33.0 passer rating allowed in coverage since 2021 🔒 pic.twitter.com/28kx09VBVS
— PFF NY Giants (@PFF_Giants) April 27, 2024
Come back for more analysis of Tyler Nubin later.
(Photo: Matt Krohn / USA Today)
