Giants Player Profile | Darnay Holmes, CB
2019 Season Rewind
Darnay Holmes' final season at UCLA was an opportunity to dedicate his full attention to football, a practice that he will now employ as a professional.
Holmes completed his degree in African American studies last June, becoming a rare college football player to graduate after only two years.
It was a plan that Holmes set in motion from the moment he began his college studies and is one that has allowed him to come into the NFL as a holder of a college degree.
On the football field, Holmes was the consensus best corner on the Bruins roster and named to the Paul Hornung watchlist along with 43 other candidates heading into 2019.
As a corner and return man, Holmes' versatility was one of his defining traits in his first two seasons, but his role on special teams would be dramatically scaled back in 2019.
Holmes only returned one kickoff after returning from a preseason ankle injury that sidelined him for the first two games.
It was the first time Holmes ever missed time with an injury in his college career, so the coaching staff limited his role on special teams to ensure that he could healthily contribute to defense.
When Holmes returned from the injury, he returned to help anchor UCLA's defense as the No. 1 corner.
The two games Holmes missed ultimately resulted in a decline in overall production from his previous two seasons. However, he was still able to translate his typical performance over the ten games he did play.
Holmes racked up 34 total tackles and two interceptions, which was the fewest he'd had in a single season at UCLA but was also still solid production at the college level.
Also, in 2019, Holmes's first season was without a defensive touchdown after tallying three in his first two seasons.
Looking Ahead
As one of three defensive back selections in the Giants' 2019 draft class, Holmes is another young player in a deep, yet unproven secondary that has ten members under the age of 25.
Holmes probably won't be vying for a spot as the No. 1 corner as a rookie, as veteran free-agent signing James Bradberry is projected for that role.
However, second-year corner DeAndre Baker's current legal battle has left the corner spot opposite Bradberry up in the air.
If Baker does not return to the Giants, then Holmes might very well find himself in a competition for that spot alongside other young, unproven corners Sam Beal and Corey Ballentine.
While Beal and Ballentine have a slight advantage over Holmes due to their respective NFL experience, Holmes arguably has the edge in terms of athleticism and versatility.
Holmes is a playmaker who tallied eight career interceptions in three seasons at UCLA and returned three for touchdowns.
At 5'10", Holmes plays much larger than his frame and plays with impressive strength, particularly off the line of scrimmage.
Leading up to the draft, many analysts had Holmes projected to be one of the best nickel corner prospects in this year's class, even though he didn't play much in college.
His tackling efficiency, recovery speed, and footwork at the line of scrimmage are among his best traits. If Holmes can apply those physical gifts while also achieving technical improvement, then he can be a starter, whether in the nickel or on the perimeter.
Holmes will also likely compete for a spot as a return man job and kick off return and punt return. His straight-line speed and tackling will also ensure that he is a core special teamer on punt and kickoff.
Holmes' exceptional intelligence, work ethic, and overall high character make him a potential candidate for captainship later in his career and off-the-field ambassadorship for the organization.
