6 Defensive Players to Watch at Senior Bowl Who Could Fill NY Giants Needs

This week, the New York Giants and the entire NFL scouting community have their eyes firmly fixed on the Senior Bowl, which brings together many of the best NFL draft prospects.

There are a few defensive guys the Giants could grab and plug into their defense, hopefully upgrading the overall play.

Linebackers, defensive backs, and interior defensive linemen should be the positions that fans are looking at during this week in Mobile. Here are a few names to keep an eye on.

LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

To go from a quarterback at Virginia to a back-to-back 120-plus tackle linebacker at Texas Tech is a crazy collegiate football arc.

It is here that we understand the intelligence of a linebacker is constantly overlooked, but when it becomes noticeable, it's overwhelming.

The knowledge a quarterback has of a linebacker is extremely interesting and gives him a great advantage in-game because he can recognize offensive sets, read run plays, and identify routes. Rodriguez has sideline-to-sideline range, and he is a major playmaker who is more violent than you might expect from a former quarterback.

That playmaking ability was on display in Day 2 of practices when he collected an interception. Rodriguez is a guy who might fit into the Giants' new defense because of his football IQ.

LB Xavian Sorey, Arkansas

Sorey is one of those under-the-radar prospects, but he has a pedigree that speaks to how far people thought he could go as a football player.

He was a five-star recruit who originally signed with Georgia when they were bringing in a constant stream of elite linebacker talent.

He flashed at Georgia but never broke through with the Bulldogs. He transferred to Arkansas and accumulated 180 tackles in two seasons while showing his rangy athleticism that allows him to chase everything everywhere on a football field.

His elite-level athleticism could make him an interesting pickup for the Giants. At worst, he becomes a special-teams ace; at best, you could end up with one of the better tackling linebackers in the NFL.

LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh

Louis is the definition of “big things come in small packages.” A 6-foot, 224-pound linebacker is not going to make a scout's ears perk up, but when you see Louis flying all around the field, that will do the trick.

He is a prototypical weakside linebacker who is super athletic, able to chase sideline-to-sideline, drop into the deep middle in coverage, and carry tight ends and running backs deep.

He has been all over the place down in Mobile, making evaluators understand that his 182 tackles, 10 sacks, and six interceptions were no fluke but rather a reflection of his natural playmaking ability.

He is a guy who someone might look at as a special teams wizard, but he continues to prove that size is just a number.

DL Lee Hunter, Texas Tech

Hunter is a big, strong anchor of a man at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds. It is extremely difficult to get him off his spot.

He has two-gap ability as an interior defensive lineman who can play nose guard and as a run-stopping 3-technique. He is built to stuff the run.

He uses his long wingspan to fit and shed blockers because they can't get into his body. In Mobile, he has been flashing a motor that points to high activity for short periods, as he is more of a two-down defensive tackle.

He could be just what the doctor ordered as a depth piece for the Giants, especially in short-yardage situations or obvious run downs.

CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State

Johnson has already made a positive impression down in Mobile. He is one of the most intelligent and disciplined cornerbacks in college football, and he has played his best football this season.

He has scheme versatility as a cornerback, operating well in both zone and man coverage. He had a career-high in interceptions with four, and passes defensed with nine.

He also returned two interceptions for touchdowns. His aggression and physicality have been noticeable. He wants to get his hands on receivers, and he is not afraid to stick his nose in the mix and get his uniform dirty.

That is evident from his 116 tackles over the past two seasons. He consistently got his hands on passes throughout this season, and so far in Mobile, he has done the same.

He could be an addition in the secondary that the new regime could use to help improve the pass coverage, especially against deep passes.

CB Malik Muhammad, Texas

The Longhorns' versatile defensive back can line up and play all three cornerback positions. He has skills that could see him line up as a field or boundary cornerback, slot corner, or safety.

He officially measured 5-foot-11, which is a good size for a corner, but he seems to play even bigger. He has fluid hips and can turn in and out of his breaks well. He is a twitchy athlete and has no issues with closing on the receiver when the ball is thrown.

He had a great rep against USC receiver Ja’kobi Lane, where he carried him throughout the entire route, broke on the ball, and played through the receiver's hands to disrupt the completion.

Versatility and playmaking ability on the ball are something the Giants will undoubtedly be looking for in their cornerbacks going forward.

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