After Dru Phillips, there are lots of questions
The New York Giants need reinforcements at cornerback, specifically on the outside. Adoree’ Jackson was arguably the best outside Giants’ cornerback in 2014, and he was added to the roster on Sept. 1 — not good!
GM Joe Schoen traded up in the 2023 NFL Draft to select Deonte Banks, who regressed significantly in 2024. Schoen’s third-round pick in 2022, Cor’Dale Flott, was uninspiring but not necessarily a liability. The entire room was uplifted by Dru Phillips, the Giants’ third-round pick in 2024. Like many positions on the roster, New York needs competent talent and depth to fortify this position group.
2024 in review
The roster
Deonte Banks, Cor’Dale Flott, Dru Phillips, Adoree’ Jackson, Nick McCloud, Tre Hawkins III, Greg Stroman Jr., Divaad Wilson, Duke Shelley, Art Green
The Giants ranked eighth in passing yards surrendered, allowing just 210 passing yards per game. Of course, that’s very deceptive; the Giants inability to defend the run — or score points on offense — gave their opponents little reason to pass late in games.
Banks’ sophomore season was a massive disappointment. Defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson publicly called into question Banks’ effort after the second-year cornerback had a questionable touchdown surrendered against CeeDee Lamb and the Cowboys in Week 4.
His desire came under further examination in a 28-3 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. Banks was disinterested in contact toward the end of the game. He started the following week against Pittsburgh, but was benched prior to halftime for Greg Stroman Jr.
Banks missed three games with injured ribs after the Giants’ 30-7 loss against the Buccaneers. He returned and started the final three games of the year. Despite the injuries and the mid-game benching, Banks led the position group with 788 defensive snaps. He also tied for the defensive team lead in penalties with six; Kayvon Thibodeaux also had six.
He finished the season with 45 tackles, eight passes defended, zero interceptions, and six touchdowns surrendered. He only missed four tackles on the year (7.7% missed tackle rate), but allowed a reception on 67.1% of targets, which was significantly worse than his 57.6% 2023 rate. The Giants need more from Banks; he’s fallen well short of expectations in his early career.
Flott played 666 snaps for the Giants, and recorded 40 tackles with nine misses (15.5% rate). He allowed a reception on 67.4% of passes, and had four passes defended, a pick, and just one touchdown surrendered. It was Flott’s best professional career, but he’s far from a difference-making player.
Phillips was a bright spot. His 51 tackles led the group, and he was fourth on the team in STOPs with 31; his ability around the line of scrimmage was exceptional. There’s a reason he’s one of the few Giants to draw praise from the broader NFL world.
His statistics do not draw attention. He surrendered catches on 82% of targets for 297 yards with two penalties, one interception, two forced fumbles, and one touchdown capitulated. He missed 11 tackles (13.6% rate). Still, is impact and competence were evident on tape.
Jackson was not re-signed after the 2023 season, but the Giants added him just before the season — desperation? Jackson allowed just 54.5% of catches on his targets with five passes defended and two touchdowns surrendered. He recorded 24 tackles with four misses (13.3% rate) and nine STOPs.
The Nick McCloud situation was another blight on Schoen’s resume. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan detailed the dysfunction of the Giants and what apparently transpired with McCloud. That situation was certainly not received well by the Giants’ locker room, especially with the overall lack of accountability involving Banks’ effort issues.
McCloud did everything he was asked to do except take a pay-cut in the middle of the season. He played just 170 snaps over six games with the Giants, but optics and emotions are often recklessly neglected in contractual negotiations.
Tre Hawkins III recorded one of the Giants’ five interceptions on the season, and he’s the one who broke the long streak after Darius Muasau’s Week 1 pick of Sam Darnold. He only appeared in two games, recording nine tackles before he fractured his spine (lumber) and ended up on Injured Reserve.
Stroman signed with the Giants’ in October and gave them 130 snaps over four games. The 28 year old displayed competence in his brief stint with New York. Art Green played 47 snaps for the Giants with over 200 on special teams. Divaad Wilson and Duke Shelley saw snaps on defense and special teams but it was less than 100 collective plays.
2025 outlook
Jackson is set to become a free agent in March. Will the 29-year-old be re-signed again? Will it take till September…again? Several players listed above were stop-gap street free agents who were depth signings that earned snaps. Banks, Flott, Phillips, and Hawkins III are likely to be on the roster during training camp.
Flott is entering the final year of his contract and has yet to showcase consistent above average ability. Hawkins III has not shown starting qualities yet in his young career; plus, he’s coming off an injury. So we’re looking at Banks and Phillips as the two young cornerbacks to build around.
Unfortunately, Banks was bad in 2024 and he’s teetering the on the line of bust, especially with the questions surrounding his play-character. I am optimistic about Phillips as the Giants nickel. Having a physical overhang that can allow defenses to play nickel against the run is very important and the Giants appear to have that player in Phillips.
The Giants need to get something out of Banks. He showed promise in 2023 under Wink Martindale. The Giants’ coaching staff must tap into what makes Banks tick, while doing everything in their power to ensure he stabilizes his play and effort. Schoen can’t afford another first-round bust, and the Giants need their young cornerbacks to step up. A step in the right direction for the 23-year-old Flott could go a long way as well, even though he’s entering the last year of his contract.
