Dru Phillips: Giants were ‘the only team that cared’ about his vision

Phillips was “kind of blind”, but surgery has changed that

New York Giants cornerback Dru Phillips created havoc in the slot last year. He was one of the league’s most disruptive slot defenders despite being a rookie.

Phillips’ presence was one reason to be excited for the Giants’ secondary in 2025. Phillips was good in 2024, but how good could he be in 2025 with a year of experience in the defense, a full offseason, and having seen the speed of the NFL?

Well, Phillips gave us another question to ask: How good can he be now that he can see?

We learned on Thursday that Phillips underwent LASIK surgery to correct his vision over the offseason.

“I was kind of blind before,” Phillips said. “I hated wearing contacts and it was one of those things that made life a lot easier for me in that sense. I can see a lot better now and the procedure was easy. It’s like 15 minutes, but it was quick. I slept for like two days and I woke up, my eyes were great.”

Phillips had no interceptions in four seasons at Kentucky, and just one interception and one pass defensed as a rookie with the Giants.

“Seeing the ball in the air – that was one of my biggest problems,” Phillips said. “That dates back a long time ago but, especially this camp, I’m tracking the ball a lot better with the ball in the air, I can go attack more, I can just see the ball so it helps me in here and in outside life, like driving and stuff. It makes it a lot easier.”

The question naturally follows… If seeing the ball is important (and it is), how is it that Phillips never had corrective surgery before now?

The answer is that the Giants were the only team to care about his vision.

“That was a talk from before I got drafted here, with the upstairs people,” Phillips said. “It was one of [the] things where they were like, ‘You can’t see?’ They were the only team that cared about it. It’s one of those things I’m glad that they pointed out because I probably still wouldn’t have had it if no one said anything but it helped me out on an everyday basis.”

Eyesight isn’t the only improvement for Phillips this year. He’s significantly more comfortable after his experience last year, both in his responsibilities and in his communication.

“There were times last year I was just playing with my head on fire like I didn’t know – I was just running to the ball,” Phillips said. “Throughout the whole last season, I had my ups and downs, I learned and built off that coming into this year, I feel like I’ve taken a step and I’ve seen a lot more so now when I go in practice, it’s not like I don’t – like I know what’s probably going to come. The scenarios, third-and-short from third-and-long, like I can play ball instead of guessing now.”

“It took time but definitely towards the end of the season I was like, ‘Okay, if they come out in extra tight end’s shot or third-and-long condensed,’ like all that type of stuff,” he added.

Phillips is also crediting the additions of Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo for aiding in his development.

“You bring in a veteran presence in both of them and they’re really impressive in the classroom as well as out here [on the field],” Phillips said. “For guys like me and (safety Tyler Nubin) Nub that are going into year two, we need those types of guys still around us and to help guide us.”

Phillips also mentioned the challenges of playing against a variety of skill sets as the Giants have played each of Wan’Dale Robinson, Malik Nabers, and Jalin Hyatt in the slot this summer.

“That’s really fun for me,” he said, “because you get used to going against Wan’Dale (Robinson) and he’s amazing in the slot in my opinion, but then you get to go against different guys like I’ve had Malik (Nabers) which gives a different look. I’ve had Jalin (Hyatt) just was in the slot today for a rep. You have so many different guys and you can’t play everybody the same, you have to give everybody something different so it’s one of those things that gets me ready for the season and just prepare for the different body types I’ll see.”

Giants fans are expecting big things from Nabers this year, and everyone knows how good he could be. But even so, Phillips doubled down on his praise of Robinson.

“Wan’Dale, through all the slots I played last year, by far, he is the most work in the slot, especially on third down when you know the ball is coming, he sets you up,” Phillips said.

“He’s a baller down there so I love competing and he gets me on – when I go against him, I’m on my best game because I know he’s coming with his. I feel like it’s back and forth, me and him, he’ll talk to me. He’s just like, ‘You’re the guy I want to go against every rep, in the slot.’ We just get good work and it’s just a grind every single day, just getting better.”