Giants Player Profile | Julian Love, Defensive Back
2019 Season Rewind
For the first ten weeks of the 2019 season, Julian Love, the Giants' fourth-round pick whom many analysts described as a draft-day "steal" by the Giants, looked like nothing more than a special teamer, getting just three snaps on defense.
When injuries hit the defensive secondary--Jabrill Peppers suffered what ended up to be a season-ending back injury in Week 13 --Love finally got his opportunity and made the most of it.
He started the remaining games of the season and played almost every defensive snap for the Giants. After not recording a single tackle in the first ten weeks of the season, he recorded 35 total tackles, including 28 tackles and five tackles for loss.
He intercepted one pass and deflected three others. He also forced one fumble. By the end of the season, Love emerged as the most productive young defensive backs on the team, a bright spot and a potential part of a young defensive secondary who was capable of filling multiple roles.
Looking Ahead
Given Love's strong finish to his rookie season, many people thought he might be in line to start alongside Peppers in the base defense this year.
But nothing has ever been easy for the Notre Dame product and former three-star prospect out of La Grange, Illinois. The Giants used their second-round pick to draft University of Alabama safety talent Xavier McKinney.
They then used their fourth-round pick on UCLA defensive back Darnay Holmes, who projects as a slot cornerback. When you add in free agent James Bradberry, that becomes a very crowded defensive secondary room.
However, there are questions regarding where the best fit for Love's talent in this Patrick Graham defense. Some believe that because he was such a good tackler last season that he should be playing in the slot as the nickel. Still, there are questions as to whether he could he hold up for a full season at the pace he was on last season in which, had he played all the games on defense, he might have recorded over 100 tackles.
Others believe that his speed and acceleration is best utilized at free safety. Still, the problem with him at free safety is that it is the position where he has the least amount of experience.
Free safety is a position that a guy has to understand the defense and how their role fits within it, and it does look as though the Giants are going to have McKinney in that role this year.
Then there's Love's original position at corner. The Giants, thanks to the legal issues encountered by DeAndre Baker, which could make him unavailable to the team this year, are likely going to be looking for someone to play opposite Bradberry.
Even though they are not short on options, if they are getting their best 11 men on the field, could that include Love at corner?
McKinney's flexibility will probably make it easier for coaches to figure out how to utilize him and Love together. Still, it could also spell a reduced role with increased responsibilities for Love.
The bottom line is that Love has put himself in the conversation. Unlike others who might have received their opportunities based on their draft position, Love kept grinding while waiting for his turn and seized his chance when he was given a chance.
Despite the numbers in the defensive back meeting room, Love doesn't have to worry about whether he's going to be in it. I think he has a legitimate chance to earn a starting position.
At the least, he will be in the rotation in some capacity, and like last season, he will patiently wait his turn. At some point during the season, the Giants will need Love to log 100% of the defensive snaps like he did three times last season.
