Cor’Dale Flott Among Most Underrated Players on Giants Roster
Cor’Dale Flott, Cornerback
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 175 pounds
2022 Stats: GP: 11 / GS: 6. 26 tackles (15 solo), two passes defended, one forced fumble.
The New York Giants selected cornerback Cor’Dale Flott with the 81st overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and signed him to a four-year rookie contract worth $5,241,841. During his three seasons with the LSU Tigers, Flott illustrated how strong of a cover cornerback he can be.
After putting his talent on full display as a freshman, where he finished with a 31.6 reception percentage allowed on 19 targets, Flott struggled as a sophomore. In 282 pass coverage snaps, Flott allowed 71.1 percent of his 45 targets to be completed for 656 yards and six touchdowns, resulting in a 153 passer-rating-against.
Flott bounced back as a junior in 2021, allowing 51.1 percent of the pass targets against him to be completed for 249 yards and two touchdowns to go with his sole interception.
With the Giants, Flott received his first reps as a rookie against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, where he conceded his first and only touchdown of the season. During the Giants’ Week 3 matchup, Flott sustained a calf injury that sidelined him until Week 11.
In Weeks 12-14, Flott showed his rust, allowing all six of his targets in the 56 coverage snaps he received for 88 yards. But in the Giants' final game of the regular season, he played in a season-high 42 coverage snaps, allowing just three receptions (42.9 percent) for 29 yards and no touchdowns.
Although this was just one game, Flott highlighted the kind of production he’s capable of and will use what he learned as a rookie to springboard his success in 2023.
Best Case Scenario
Much like the wide receiver unit for the Giants, the cornerback position comes with plenty of talent, making it quite competitive. That said, Flott took several big steps in the right direction.
The best-case scenario for Flott is becoming a regular starter for the Giants, especially with his versatility to play in the slot and the box. Flott started in six of the 11 games he played, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the youngster gets a few starts this season since he's projected to be the first off the bench should projected starters Adoree Jackson and Deonte Banks be unavailable.
Worst Case Scenario
After the Giants drafted rookie corner Deonte Banks with the 24th overall pick in the first round, the window for Flott to make it as a starter this year became much smaller. With Adoree’ Jackson and Banks projected as CB1 and CB2, Flott might have to wait a year before becoming a starter.
The Giants have a handful of underrated corners that could give Flott a run for his money as far as getting snaps in the sub-packages. Aaron Robinson, who was sidelined most of the season due to a knee injury, was the starter alongside Jackson to start the 2022 campaign. The Giants also have Nick McCloud and newcomer Amani Oruwariye set to compete for playing time ahead of Flott.
Aside from the competitiveness in this position, the worst-case scenario is Flott’s ability to stay healthy. After dealing with a nagging calf injury that sidelined him for seven games, a lot is resting on this season for Flott, and the wiggle room for error has only gotten smaller.
What To Expect 2023
Despite all the adversity, Flott still managed to put together a solid rookie performance. From the Giants' perspective, the only way to know if he can sustain that kind of play is by giving him more snaps and more responsibilities. And should he succeed with his new role, Flott has the upside to be a regular starter for this Giants cornerback unit.
Though becoming an everyday starter is a long shot, Flott can become a crucial asset for this Giants' cornerback position. And though it might not happen right away, Flott should get a fair share of snaps in sub-packages, where his versatility will be on full display.
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