New York Giants Draft Needs: Safety in Numbers?

The Giants don't really need depth at safety, but if adding to special teams is an objective, then spending a late Day 3 pick on the position might be worth it.

Somewhere along the line, the safety position evolved into a much more critical position than it was a generation or two ago.

That’s because whereas the old school style safeties were either a beast in coverage or a force with which to be reckoned in the box, today’s safeties tend to be a mix of part coverage ace, part run defender, and depending on the size of the player in question, part linebacker.

Maybe that’s why the Giants spent significant resources to beef up their safety group, a group that includes Jabrill Peppers (acquired via trade), Logan Ryan (free agent0, Xavier McKinney (draft pick), and Julian Love (draft pick).

While that group gives the Giants perhaps the strongest position unit on the team, there’s another value to adding to it: special teams. That’s why it wouldn’t be stunning if the Giants take a flier on a safety with one of their two sixth-round picks or, even better, spend a priority free-agent contract on one such player to lend an air of physicality to the mix.

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• Never Too Many Receivers
• A Tight End Now or a Later?
• More Offensive Line Help on the Way?
• What About the Defensive Hog Mollies?
• Can Giants Afford Not to Live on the Edge?
• Would Giants Paint Themselves into a Corner?

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Here are three potential Day 3 defensive backs who might be a fit.

S Talanoa Hufanga, 6’1, 215 pounds, USC. Widely regarded as a run-first defender, Hufanga possesses good range in coverage and takes smart angles to the ball despite lacking top-end speed. 

DB Trill Williams, 6’2, 198 pounds, Syracuse. Williams is a versatile player who can play corner, safety, and some nickel. He has excellent closing speed and is physical enough for the position but needs to improve his footwork, which often slows him down on the initial break.

DB Kary Vincent, 5’11, 175 pounds, LSU.  Vincent has very good speed—some scouting reports say his speed is among the best out of the safety class. Best suited for safety and some nickel work.

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