EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The quarterback versus wide receiver debate dominated the pre-NFL draft conversations around the New York Giants so much that the other glaring weaknesses on this roster seemed to go largely ignored.
But not by the Giants. They knew that one pick, even one as high as No. 6, wasn’t going to significantly alter their trajectory by itself. As general manager Joe Schoen said recently, the Giants were “not one player away or two players” away from building a complete team.

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The Giants’ roster had a lot of holes entering the draft, and after wide receiver Malik Nabers closed one of the biggest Thursday night, Schoen got to work Friday night closing some others in the Giants’ depleted secondary.
The Giants selected safety Tyler Nubin out of Minnesota with their second-round pick (No. 47 overall) and then chose Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips with their third-round selection (No. 70).
The two picks were made with the hope they’d become part of a young defensive core that could play together for years to come — similar to the team building Schoen experienced during his stint as assistant GM in Buffalo.
“I know people want instant gratification, but it takes time to build this, and then over time, you have guys who create continuity because they play together year over year,” Schoen said. “I do think we have pieces in place that I like that are going to be together for a couple of years here.”
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Those pieces, of course, include All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns, linebacker Bobby Okereke and two of Schoen’s recent first-round picks in edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and cornerback Deonte Banks. They’ll all play under new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, as he implements his scheme.
When it came to finding the secondary pieces that could thrive under Bowen, versatility was paramount.
“The versatility piece came up multiple times in our meetings,” Schoen said. “The versatility and the chess pieces, I think Shane is going to do a good job moving those guys around.”
“You’re going to get it all” 🥺 pic.twitter.com/egVqpkcLGR
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 27, 2024
Ahead of the draft, Nubin had a private workout with the Giants that safeties coach Mike Treier and assistant GM Brandon Brown attended. Meanwhile, Phillips took a top-30 visit to East Rutherford, saying, “I feel like I fit in right along.”
Both Nubin and Phillips will have an opportunity to play right away due to the lack of solidified depth at their positions. Veteran safety Xavier McKinney departed during free agency for the Green Bay Packers, leaving an open starting spot. Jason Pinnock likely will start at one safety position, leaving Nubin to compete with Dane Belton and Jalen Mills for the other. Nubin, of course, will be expected to win that job sooner rather than later.
“I like to call myself a Swiss Army knife,” Nubin said. “I can move around everywhere. I can blitz. I can come down and hit the box, I can play over the top.”
Nubin was the first safety drafted by any team, meaning the Giants clearly viewed him as the cream of this year’s safety crop. He was a four-year starter at Minnesota, leading the Gophers in interceptions each year.
As for Phillips, the Giants think the cornerback can play both inside and outside, but he will begin in the slot. He’ll likely compete with Cor’Dale Flott for snaps there, though it’s possible they could share the field, with one bumping outside to play opposite Banks. At Kentucky, Phillips played 37.6 percent of his career snaps inside but said he’s comfortable playing outside, too.
“It just takes more reps and stuff, but I’m right there,” Phillips said. “I can compete with anybody.”
Both Nubin and Phillips were emotional during their draft-day calls from the Giants, and told reporters just how thrilled they were to land in New York.
“They care about the game,” coach Brian Daboll said. “They have the right mindset.”
Raw emotions on Draft night
🎥: @UKFootball pic.twitter.com/GI4MFy2BL0
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 27, 2024
The Giants are slated to make three more picks in the draft, with one selection each in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds. They’ll be on the clock quickly when Day 3 starts up. The Carolina Panthers will start things off at No. 101 before the Giants make their first selection of the day at No. 107.
(Photos of Andru Phillips and Tyler Nubin: Joe Robbins and David Berding / Getty Images)