New York Giants 2024 Draft Preview: Best Cornerback Fits

The Giants need to find a potential No. 2 cornerback in this year's draft.

Author:
Andrew Parsaud
Publish date:
Apr 23, 2024

In this story:

New York Giants

Quinyon Mitchell

NFL Draft

Max Melton

Khyree Jackson

The New York Giants head into draft week to find a No. 2 cornerback to pair with last year's first-round pick, Deonte Banks. The Giants previously had a tandem of veteran Adoree Jackson and Banks last season, but the team has declined to bring Jackson back. Banks, meanwhile, had a solid rookie year, totaling 64 tackles, 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, and two tackles for loss.

The Giants were interested in a few veteran cornerbacks early during free agency but could not close the deal. Instead, they ultimately focused on boosting their pass-rushing with Brian Burns, who acquired it via trade.

They were able to add veteran defensive back Jalen Mills, but he's more of a safety these days (though he could play corner in a pinch). Other than that, the Giants haven't brought outside help to the cornerback position (they did re-sign Nick McCloud). The failed attempts at bringing in cornerbacks suggest they intend to address the position and could take one early in the draft.

Do the Giants have someone on the roster already to compete for CB2?

The Giants are undergoing a schematic and philosophical shift on the defensive side of the ball. Much of what the defense wanted to do under Wink Martindale was driven by the secondary, and his schemes required placing a high premium on corners with rare athletic traits. Under Shane Bowen, the Giants’ defense will likely shift to a coverage scheme that's more rooted in zone principles.

That makes cornerback one of the more intriguing question marks on the Giants’ roster. It remains to be seen whether the Giants will pursue a cornerback in the early rounds to pair with Deonte Banks if they'll look for a starter in the middle rounds, or if they're confident in the corners already on the roster, like CorDale Flott, Tre Hawkins, or Darnay Holmes.

Besides Banks and McCloud, the Giants' cornerback depth chart includes Cor'Dale Flott, Aaron Robinson, Tre Hawkins III, Darnay Holmes, Kaleb Hayes, and Stantley Thomas-Olivier. Of that group, there was once hope for Robinson, the team's third-round draft pick in 2021, to develop into a starter.

The problem is that Robinson has barely played in his first three seasons, thanks to injuries. He was a forgotten man last year after spending the entire season on the PUP list as he continued his comeback from a knee injury.

Hawkins got a chance to start last season after an impressive summer training camp, but it was quickly learned that he wasn't quite ready for prime time. Holmes, like McCloud, found a home on special teams after losing his slot cornerback role. Flott, meanwhile, has some promise as a cornerback, but he seems to be a better fit for the slot than the perimeter.

The bottom line is that the Giants have quantity at this position, but whether they have the quality they need to shape into a bookend for Banks seems shaky at best, considering most of the talent they do have is talent with which they are already familiar and which may have already bottomed out.

Prospects

Day 1: Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo)

No player has had as good a draft process as Mitchell. The Toledo corner was a secret among draftniks during the season, but he introduced himself to the world at the 2024 Reese's Senior Bowl and never looked back.

He is good size for the position at 6-foot, 195 pounds, 4.33 speed, and a 38-inch vertical. He also has quick feet, oily hips, and the skills to play in any coverage called for.

Mitchell proved he could match up with big school receivers, and his tape showed a willingness to lay hits and be sticky in coverage. He should be a Day 1 starter in whatever defense he lands.

Mitchell's stock skyrocketed during the Senior Bowl, showcasing his athleticism and controlled aggression. He has good speed, is physical, and has good instincts when reacting to the quarterback. Mitchell had 41 tackles, 18 pass deflections, and one interception last season. He'd be an intriguing option for the Giants if they were to trade back.

Day 2: Max Melton (Rutgers)

Melton is an ascendant cornerback prospect who could go higher than many expect. He lacks the elite size seen from very highly drafted corners in recent years. Likewise, he might be better in zone than man due to plus instincts in off-coverage.

However, he’s athletic, tough, highly competitive, and can play on the outside or follow receivers into the slot. He’s also a player who has consistently improved over his college career. That suggests he’ll continue to work to improve as a pro and may yet have considerable upside still to be tapped.

He's versatile and can play both in the slot or along the outside. Melton shows physicality in the run game and plays aggressively. He has good ball skills and has great anticipation when covering pass catchers. However, he lacks recovery speed when he gets beaten.

Melton had 32 tackles, four tackles for loss, three interceptions, six pass deflections, and one sack last season. He'd be an awesome fit next to Banks on the outside.

Day 3: Khyree Jackson (Oregon)

Jackson had 34 tackles, five tackles for loss, three interceptions, and seven pass deflections last year for the Ducks. He has a high ceiling and could be worth a look for the Giants.

He is another corner with exceptional length, measuring 6-foot-4 with 32 ¾ inch arms at the Combine. He’s also a good athlete for his size, with a 4.5-second 40 and an impressive 11-foot-1 broad jump.

Jackson doesn’t have the hip fluidity to consistently match up with athletic receivers in tight-man coverage. However, his length and burst make him a definite threat in off- or zone coverage.

Jackson’s limited experience—he only started 14 games in college—presents a bit more risk. That could make him more of a project than other players in this class and slide him down draft boards. However, his traits are incredibly intriguing, and he won’t slide too far.