Jabrill Peppers and Darnay Holmes Eye Big Goals in 2020
After struggling to find their way in 2019, the Giants defensive secondary plans to take its game to the next level.
To be sure of that, two of the defenders expected to play a significant role in the defense’s resurgence, veteran safety Jabrill Peppers and rookie cornerback Darnay Holmes, have been hard at work this off-season, training in the hot New Jersey sun under the watchful eye of Brian Walker.
Walker is the former Paramus Catholic defensive backs coach who coached Peppers in high school and who now, in addition to being part of the DB Academy, is currently the head track coach at Teaneck (NJ) High School.
“The goal is to prepare Jabrill and Darnay for camp so that when they get into the facility, it’s second nature to them,” Walker told Giants Country via a phone interview. “They will already be used to being outside and breaking and just getting that momentum going there."
Walker said the fourth-year safety whom the Giants acquired in a trade last off-season from the Browns in exchange for receiver Odell Beckham Jr is fully recovered from his season-ending back injury and is looking better than ever.
“This is the best he has ever looked,” said Walker, whose connection with Peppers is Don Brown, his coach at Northeastern and Peppers’ defensive coordinator at Michigan.
Walker has been working with Peppers weekly for the last two months, with Holmes having recently joined the workouts. The training program's goal is to ensure that both young defensive backs can hit the ground running once training camp opens.
“We’ve been doing a lot of defensive back work such as movement and hip mobility drills to make it feel like training camp,” Walker said. “It’s almost like how boxers and MMA prepare for their fights. When they spar, it’s got to have the same intensity as a real match.”
While Peppers is projected to start at strong safety this season, Walker has left nothing to chance. He has been cross-training Peppers to do some cornerback drills just in case new Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is looking to expand Peppers’ role.
Among the areas of emphasis include drills designed to give Peppers a better feel for defending the movements and double movements of receivers.
“From all my studying and playing experience, I think he (Peppers) could be a top corner in the league if he was moved there,” Walker said.
“(Patriots defensive back) Stephen Gilmore wasn’t so much that guy until he got into the Patriots system. Great defensive backs need a great system to succeed. I think they’ll do very well with this new coaching staff.”
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Thus far, Peppers, the 25th overall pick in the 2017 draft who hails from East Orange, New Jersey, has appeared in 40 career games played (all starts), with 213 total tackles, but only three interceptions and 13 passes defensed.
“When he first came into the league, they didn’t really know what to do with him because of how versatile and athletic he is,” Walker said. “Now he fits in more with the hybrids and has flourished.”
And he’s not done flourishing. Walker said that Peppers has his eye firmly on winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, which means he’s going to be looking to increase his interception and passes defensed totals.
Walker has been trying to help his fellow alumnus from Don Bosco Prep accomplish that.
“I hired a receiver’s coach who has Jabrill doing a lot of ball drills,” Walker said. “Defensive backs are judged on interceptions and turnovers. The great Deion Sanders says 99% of defensive backs are scared to get beat, and the other 1% make plays, and that’s what makes them great. We are trying to be that 1%.”
As he enters his second season with the Giants, Peppers has also begun to show himself being more at ease with being a leader, which is why he invited Holmes to join him in the training sessions with Walker.
“The beauty of it is that he’ll train with the younger guys I have and set the tempo as a leader and mentor,” Walker said. “He’s done a heck of a job preparing himself on and off the field in the sense that he’s become a vocal leader. I’ve been impressed.”
And as Peppers has impressed Walker thus far with his dedication to fine-tuning his craft, so too has Holmes.
“He doesn’t have much of an ego, and his goal is to win rookie of the year. He’s focused on football,” Walker said.
“There’s no outside noise. He’s from the Los Angeles area, so it’s not his first time being around the big city. Him and Jabrill are locked in and set the tempo for the whole practice and workout.”
Holmes, listed at 5’10 and 195 pounds, hasn’t had much experience in college playing the slot, but with that spot being wide open, the rookie has been trying to get a jumpstart in his preparation.
“We’ve been working on a lot of slot situations with Darnay, and he’s looked good,” Walker said. “He’s a versatile guy. “He has great hips and reacts well to double moves. He’s a guy who I see playing on the inside and outside. He reminds me a lot of (Chargers Pro Bowl corner) Chris Harris, who also has that versatility.
“With Darnay, he reacts so well, is very quick, and strong. He’ll come down and hit. I’m looking at that Giants defense, and I think they can go with five defensive backs on the field a lot. Holmes was a steal, in my opinion. Everybody is fast, but it’s the humbleness, the mental, and his great energy, which helps him simplify football.”
Additional reporting by Patricia Traina.
