We don’t know just what the New York Giants revamped defense will look like in 2026. It seems likely that they’ll want to improve their defensive secondary, but we don’t know how or what that will look like just yet
One of the hallmarks of a modern defense has been the shifting philosophies in how defensive backs are used. Increasingly, teams are looking to versatile DBs to play multiple roles to combat how modern offenses are weaponizing speed and spacing.
Miami cornerback Keionte Scott was one of the best defenders in college football in that role last year. While Scott struggled as a traditional cornerback at Auburn in 2024, ultimately landing on the bench, he thrived as a hybrid nickel defender for Miami.
Prospect: Keionte Scott
Games Watched: vs. UCF (2025), vs. Florida (2025), vs. Louisville (2025)
Red Flags: Ankle (2024), Foot (2025)
Measurables
Height: 6-foot (unofficial)
Weight: 195 pounds (unofficial)
Strengths
Best traits
- Versatility
- Aggressiveness
- Mental processing
- Zone defense
- Run defense
- Blitzing
Keionte Scott is a versatile, physical, aggressive, and smart defensive back. He has good size at 6-foot, 194 pounds, and wears a wide variety of hats in the Hurricane’s defense.
Scott was primarily a slot and box player, playing slot corner, box safety, and STAR safety/linebacker hybrid. He’s effective dropping into zone coverages and does a great job of recognizing route concepts. Scott has good long speed and is a rangy defender, as well as smoothly picking up and passing off receivers passing through his zone. He also has fantastic mental processing with a great trigger, flying to the ball as he diagnoses the play.
He has great physicality and doesn’t blink at getting his hands dirty in the tackle box. Scott is a willing run defender who’s able to take on bigger blockers, takes great angles to the ball, and does a good job of using his hands to keep himself clean as he navigates the trash. Scott is also a capable blitzer and is very disruptive. He times his rushes well and accelerates hard into the backfield, with 5.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for a loss last year.
Finally, he is also a dangerous punt returner. Scott was the best punt returner in the SEC when he was at Auburn in 2023 and ranked eighth in the nation.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Foot quickness
- Hip fluidity
Scott is listed as a cornerback, however his feet are a bit slow and hips a bit sluggish to be a true cornerback at the NFL level.
Scott is a bit slow in transition from his backpedal to driving downhill on the ball. Likewise, his hips can be a bit stiff to allow him to fluidly stay in phase with receivers through their breaks. That can allow receivers to create separation out of their breaks, particularly when athletic receivers are breaking sharply back to the ball in the underneath area of the field.
His feet and hips also limit his ability to match up with receivers in man coverage, and also create some missed tackles if he has to change course very quickly in close quarters.
Game Tape
(Scott is the Miami DB wearing number 0, with a white band on his right wrist. He blitzes off the defensive left/offensive right on the first play)
Projection
Scott is a versatile, aggressive, and smart defender who can help a defense in a variety of wells. Scott might not fit every defense, as he’s best used as a versatile “defensive weapon” or “nickel defender” than strictly as a cornerback.
Scott’s game is somewhat similar to Tyrann Mathieu or Dru Phillips as a player who can line up in a variety of positions and be disruptive. He’s a great run defender and is a dangerous player coming down hill. He’s also a capable zone coverage defender with five passes defensed and 2 interceptions – both of which were returned for a touchdown.
Teams could vary widely on where he falls on their boards. Teams that are fairly traditional in how they employ their defensive backs could struggle to find a good place for him. However, teams that spend a lot of time in nickel or dime sets, and make use of STAR or pseudo-linebackers to add speed at the second level could view Scott as a high second round pick.
Does he fit the Giants? Possibly, depending on scheme
Final Word: A Day 2 pick
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