Giants CB Andru Phillips Embraces the Nickelback Role on Defense

Officially minted as a New York Giant, cornerback Andru Phillips offered his two cents -- or perhaps five, in this case -- on his metropolitan fit.

Whereas fellow secondary selection Tyler Nubin earned his draft card through box score-based endeavors (13 interceptions in five years at Minnesota), the Kentucky-grown Phillips did not earn a takeaway in four seasons in Lexington. Instead, Phillips established himself as one of the SEC's hardest hitters, and it was enough for the Giants to call upon his services in the third round of last month's draft.

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For the undersized Phillips, whose 5-11, 190-lb. frame perhaps dropped him to the latter portions of the draft's second day, physicality was the perfect way to leave a lasting impression on future professional opponents and suitors despite a relative crackdown on big hits in the modern game.

"I take a lot of pride in it. It's probably one of the top things about who I am," Phillips said about his physicality. "I know I’m (not) the 6-4 corner, but you’ve got to make up for it in some ways."

One way is to be a fearless, physical whirlwind on defense who plays with a degree of calculated control.

"It was one thing I never shied away from in my whole life, " Phillips said of his physicality. "As a little kid, I was just a daredevil. I just want to go do whatever.

"It just comes from who I am as a person," Phillips said, his fearlessness. "I don't want to shy away from anything, not anybody or any circumstance. It’s kind of just second nature."

Such stunts include a semi-successful attempt at parkour, as a video of Phillips jumping over a parked car during his days as a Wildcat went viral. But as the Giants work through rookie minicamp activities in East Rutherford, they've ended Phillips' stuntman dreams.

Instead, the Giants view Phillips' value in the nickel package as his physicality is poised to be a complement to a secondary unit that retains most of the names that united to put up 18 interceptions, tied for second-most in the league last season.

Standing as the supposed "extra" defensive back could be viewed as a sour way for a third-round pick to start his career, but Phillips eschewed such notions in his first public comments in blue.

Phillips at Kentucky | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY

"I remember when I was growing up, people thought nickel was almost a bad thing, kind of just throwing a guy in there, especially with how the game is going now and how there is so much passing in the league and also in college," Phillips explained.

"When I went to Kentucky, I always wanted to play nickel. I didn't get an opportunity until my junior year. Once I got the opportunity, I embodied it. I felt like it was who I was. That's what I did best, so I went all in on it. It carried over here, so I'm playing nickel now."

With yearly matchups against big-play threats such as Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, and Jayden Daniels looming on the horizon, the Giants will need all the help they can get to leap back into respectability. Eager to establish a lasting niche, Phillips seems more than happy to spare a coin.

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