Countdown to Camp: Who Will Lead the Giants in Interceptions?

The Giants defense snagged ten total interceptions in 2019, but will only be retaining the players that accounted for four of them in 2020.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins finished as the team's leader with four despite being released in mid-December. The only other Giant to rack up more than one was rookie linebacker Ryan Connelly, who hauled in two picks in his first three starts before suffering a season-ending ACL tear.

Defensive backs Jabrill Peppers and Julian Love are the Giants' only other returning players that accounted for an interception a piece in 2020.

Meanwhile, free-agent cornerback James Bradberry, who projects to be the Giants' No. 1 corner in 2020, had three interceptions in 2019 and boasts eight total in his career.

Bradberry's proven ball skills and overall coverage experience should make him the favorite to lead the team in interceptions this season in a young and unproven secondary.

However, several potential candidates could finish as the Giants team interception leader in 2020.

Second-round draft pick Xavier McKinney, considered by many to be the best safety in this year's draft, hauled in five interceptions over the last two seasons at Alabama.

Scouts praised McKinney's nose for the football before the draft, as he illustrated a great ability to undercut wide receivers in man coverage in college.

But McKinney might not be the player with the best ball skills the Giants drafted this year. Fourth-round pick cornerback Darnay Holmes racked up eight career interceptions in three seasons at UCLA.

Holmes is projected to be one of the leading candidates for the slot cornerback spot, the slot position being one that plays almost as much as the starters.

Then there's Connelly, who would figure to be on pace to lead the Giants in interceptions in 2020 based on brief showing last season. Connelly emerged as one of the most surprising defensive playmakers for the Giants in their first two wins against Tampa Bay and Washington.

Connelly vastly transcended the skillset that scouts projected as a rookie, as his coverage skills were not seen as a strength. However, he was able to discredit those criticisms early with his two interceptions.

If Connelly has made a full recovery from his ACL injury, and if the interceptions were reflective of his NFL cover skills and not just cases of him being in the right place at the right time, he might be someone to watch for the team lead in interceptions.

So who will it be for the Giants' interception title?

Bradberry still deserves to be the favorite going into the season and is one of only a few Giants that should be penciled in as a 16-game starter for the defense in 2020.

As a veteran corner with proven cover skills, Bradberry is expected to be both a leader and a playmaker on defense this season. He can lead by example while also getting the defense off the field by building on his three interceptions from last year.