The New York Giants signed Jevon Holland to a three-year, $45.3-million contract with $30.3-million guaranteed during free agency. This signing came one year after GM Joe Schoen allowed Xavier McKinney to sign with the Green Bay Packers at a comparable, but slightly more expensive, price.
Holland, and 2024 second-round pick Tyler Nubin, are both ball-hawks with takeaway ability. New York’s defense intercepted just five passes last season, ranking them 31st in the NFL. Schoen and the Giants upgraded their secondary to rectify the situation, but a third safety and depth are still issues at the position. Assisting Marquand Manuel and Mike Adams with more assets in the secondary to help Shane Bowen run his system would be smart if there’s value on the board.
Additions: Jevon Holland
Losses: Jason Pinnock
Roster: Starters — Jevon Holland, Tyler Nubin Reserves — Dane Belton, Anthony Johnson Jr., Raheem Layne
Draft need: A quality third safety for three safety sets and BIG sub-packages; depth.
Day 2 options
Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
We would be hearing much more about Winston Jr. if it weren’t for a partially torn ACL that he suffered in early September; he then required season-ending surgery on the injury in October of 2024. Nevertheless, Winston Jr. is an ideal safety with range and elite run defending skill. He key and diagnoses offensive concepts quickly and plays a disciplined brand of football. Winston Jr. will be a value in the draft when/if he returns to form and is fully healthy.
Andrew Mukuba, Texas
Mukuba spent four years at Clemson playing respectable football before he broke out at free safety. He recorded six passes defended and five interceptions with the Longhorns, as well as a low 43.5% catch rate. He was all over the field, harassing receivers and locating the catch point from depth — or with range — with ease.
He ran a 4.45 40-yard dash with a 1.57-10-yard-split at 5’11, 186-pounds; yes, he’s undersized for a safety, but he has true playmaking ability and is no liability as a run defender. He had 23 STOPs from the safety position last season. New York expressed some interest in Mukuba and brought him in for a Top-30 visit earlier this month. If the Giants draft Mukuba, it would be difficult to keep him on the sidelines.
Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Watts was aligned all across Al Golden’s nickel defense, including as a linebacker and a deep safety. Watts came away with six interceptions and four passes defended in 2024 and seven interceptions and three passes defended in 2023 — he is a takeaway machine! A highly intelligent safety, Watts understands where to be and how to get there, and often reads plays before they manifest. Watts recorded 23 STOPs around the line of scrimmage with 67 solo tackles in 2024. He’s another good football player who will be a difference maker at the next level.
Day 3 options
Jaylen Reed, Penn State
Jaylen Reed played a bigger role in Penn State’s defense after Kevin Winston Jr.’s partially torn ACL. Reed is a phenomenal run defender who plays an excellent style of football from depth. He possesses range, fluidity, and man coverage ability with 4.49 40-yard-dash speed and a quick 1.55 10-yard-split. The Giants brought Reed in for a Top-30 visit and he would make an excellent third option behind Nubin and Holland.
Sebastian Castro, Iowa
Sebastian Castro is a versatile nickel/sub-package – high football IQ – competitor with excellent feet and run defending ability. Teams all across the NFL are searching for smart and tough overhang defenders who can fit the run, while also possessing the necessary spatial awareness and man coverage skills to play various coverages – Castro checks these boxes to some degree.
Castro is an older prospect at 25. Although he can play man coverage, his lack of high end athletic traits cap his upside in that department. He is an excellent tackler when he’s not in full pursuit; he loses control too frequently into the tackle point and flies around with reckless abandon when he’s near maximum momentum. Castro can be a quality overhang in a zone heavy defense; he can carve out a valuable role while possessing desirable physicality as a run defender in sub-packages.
Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin
He started two seasons for the Badgers in Mike Tressel’s nickel scheme and led Wisconsin in tackles — he was the glue to their defense. Wohler is an excellent tackler with high processing that offers explosiveness when darting forward to defend the run or while playing routes underneath. Wohler recorded 120 tackles in 2023 — the most by a Wisconsin defensie back since 1991. He’s not as fluid or explosive when moving backward, nor does he possess elite athletic traits, but Wohler is physical, tough, smart, and would offer the floor of being an elite special teams asset.
