Who Turned Heads at the Senior Bowl on Defense?

The Giants' defense began to regain the form they found in 2020 late in the 2021 season. Dealing with injury-related losses on the team left them with holes they needed to fill and no clear-cut player to fill them. That led to a trial and error period for Big Blue.

This offseason, they will want to make sure that the depth is such that when they have a starter or position player go down, there is ample talent behind him to step in and continue to move the defense forward.

Mobile has been filled with promising defensive prospects that can do just that. An edge and interior defensive tackle that has captivated scouts, a rock-solid inside linebacker prospect, a cornerback project with an extremely high upside, and a safety who has been one of the best defensive players at the practices.

Defensive End/Edge: Jermaine Johnson, Florida State

Johnson was dominant over the first few days of Senior Bowl practice. He was so dominant that nobody was upset when he didn’t participate on Thursday.

The consensus by all who have observed him this week is that he’s done enough. His speed off the edge has been unmatched, and he’s used it to turn the corner in his pass rush and turn speed to power on his bull rush.

He has used his hands well in his secondary pass rush moves, and while he still isn't the most polished against the run, you can see the improvements when he has to deal with base blocks. This motor and pursuit ability has made him a terror chasing down run plays from the backside.

He was a guy who already had a first-round grade, but with the performance this week, he’s pushing to ascend into the top 15 of the draft. A great performance at the combine could seal the deal for him.

The Giants are always looking to upgrade their pass rush, so this is a prospect worth keeping an eye on.

Defensive Tackle: Neil Farrell Jr., Louisiana State

Farrell is yet another dominant interior defender from LSU. He has shown that dominance over the past few days in Mobile. It has been impossible to run on him because his pad level and hip explosion has consistently displaced the line of scrimmage.

He is excellent at using his hands and extending his arms to control the offensive linemen. In addition, he has flashed a level of athleticism that can make him valuable on passing downs. His bull rush is lethal, which you could expect from an LSU defensive linemen, and he has a couple of quality counters to keep interior offensive linemen off balance.

He exhibits great technique with his hand fighting to neutralize the offensive lineman’s initial punch and create separation so he can’t be held. If defensive coordinator Patrick Graham remains with the organization, Farrell is a guy who could be a fit as a nose with versatility.

Inside Linebacker: Chad Muma, Wyoming

Muma looks a lot like Blake Martinez playing linebacker. He has been instinctual and twitchy all week at Senior Bowl practices. He diagnoses offensive plays very well, especially in the run game. Once he knows what’s going on, he wastes very little time closing in on the opponent.

He does a great job of wading through the traffic in pursuit and working to his field areas in zone coverage. He has improved his man coverage and pass-rushing ability, but those are not where his greatest value lies.

He will be able to fight in a phone booth or chase the ball sideline to sideline. He is a guy who seems to always be around the ball whenever he is in on a rep during these practices. As the Giants look to upgrade and add depth at the position, Muma could be a guy on day two of the draft that is in play for Big Blue.

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Cornerback: Tariq Woolen, Texas-San Antonio

The intrigue behind Woolen is simple: you can’t coach measurables. He was measured at 6’3⅜”, and his American squad high 22.45 MPH means that he is packing blazing speed in that long frame.

He has been intriguing because right now, he seems to be a man-to-man specialist and in a league where you need to put pressure on these ultra-talented quarterbacks, having guys who can be sticky in man coverage is essential.

He is still raw in his technique, and you can tell he has only been playing the position for a short amount of time. His conversion from receiver (similar to Diggs in Dallas) has come with a better understanding of how to attack the ball when it is in the air.

As the Giants try to produce more turnovers next season, Woolen could be a guy, groomed under veterans like James Bradberry, who could help to increase that turnover number.

Safety: Jalen Pitre, Baylor

Pitre has been a standout defensive player for the entire week of the senior bowl. After every practice, someone was talking up Pitre. In a very underwhelming group, he separated himself.

He performed well on the hash making proper breaks and knowing when to come downhill in the run game. He also showed his ability to cover man to man in the slot, in the red zone, and on the goal line. In the open field, he has constantly made plays on intermediate routes.

His greatest value seems to be in the intermediate area, where he can use his hybrid abilities as a tackler and coverage defender to give defenses versatility.

We know that the Giants welcome versatility on their defense, and they are always looking to add more guys on the back end who can make a difference.

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