Skip to main content
New York Giants homepage
Advertising

Giants News | New York Giants – Giants.com

Giants Now

Presented by

Giants Now: NFL.com selects Dru Phillips as potential first time Pro Bowler

DRU-PHILLIPS-GN

NFL.com selects Dru Phillips as potential first time Pro Bowler

NFL.com's Kevin Patra recently chose one potential first time Pro Bowler for every team across the NFL.

When it came to the Giants, he went with second-year cornerback Dru Phillips.

"Head coach Brian Daboll has already said he sees Phillips making a "big jump" in Year 2, and teammates have praised the slot corner's upside," Patra wrote. "In 2024, Phillips showed potential as a run defender and generated a -7.2 target EPA -- the best mark on the team, according to Next Gen Stats (min. 200 coverage snaps). Phillips' aggressive, physical style plays well near the line of scrimmage. Stepping into a bigger role with a better understanding of the defense, the 23-year-old has the chance to grow into one of the better slot defenders in the NFC."

Phillips played in 14 games with six starts in his first NFL season. He registered 71 total tackles (46 solo), seven tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, and one interception.

According to Pro Football Focus, the slot corner allowed just 41 receptions for 373 yards and one touchdown on 335 snaps in coverage.

Of the 77 corners from across the league that played at least 600 snaps this season, Phillips finished as PFF's seventh-best cornerback overall and the second-best among rookies, behind only Philadelphia's Cooper DeJean.

As Patra noted, Daboll has already praised Phillips for the jump he's seen the young corner make since the conclusion of the 2024 campaign.

"He's made a big jump from year one to year two, just the overall communication in that area in particular," Daboll said towards the start of training camp. "I think he's got a lot of confidence right now. He's a good football player. He's got a lot of physical traits that help him play that spot that he plays. It's the nickel position and you're part defensive back and at times part linebacker. He's tough but I would say his communication and his process of how he does things and he's taken a good step and we need him to."

"I think mentally he's really impressed me with his ability to handle everything that we ask a nickel to do," veteran corner Paulson Adebo added on Thursday. "Arguably one of the toughest positions, if not the hardest position mentally as far as knowing all the different checks that you have to do. And then also you're basically a linebacker when it comes to fitting the run and knowing the run fits, but then also being able to cover like a corner because you're out in space and you're actually in more space. You're in the slot. Guys can run all the way to the opposite sideline. They can run every route on you. So, I think his ability to cover, his lead quickness, and then his strength coming up and being able to tackle in the box is elite."

See the best photos from practice at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

View the top photos from the joint practice sessions with the New York Jets.

25_ScheduleRelease_SingleGameTickets_1920x1080

Tickets on sale now

Limited 2025 Giants single game tickets are now available

Advertising