Similar to other areas of the roster, the Giants' secondary has undergone some changes this offseason.

While only one starter from last year's group is no longer on the roster, the depth in the defensive backfield is going to consist of several new faces.

This season's secondary consists of a mix of returning players and newcomers, younger guys and veterans, some experienced and others more on the raw side. While speaking to the media at the start of the offseason workout program, new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson made it clear that the primary goal for that group is to get them to come together and play as one.

"It's a mixture of older and younger guys in the room," Wilson said last week. "It's a room that's going to be competitive. We have guys that have played at a high level, then we have some young guys that haven't had the opportunity to play.

"It's our job as coaches to get them to play as one. I don't think it's an individual thing. When you play good defense in the back end, it's all four or five guys that's on the field. You got to know and put them in the best positions and call the right things to allow them to play as fast as they need to play.

"It's going to be competition at the position, just like everywhere else. I think competitiveness and competition makes your team better."

In the buildup to the first night of the draft on April 23, Giants.com is taking a position-by-position look at the roster. Today we are taking a look at the secondary, a unit that's structure has been in the making for the last couple of years. Below is a detailed look at the coaches, newcomers, incumbents, departures, and prospects at the position.

Here is a refresher on the game-by-game starters from the 2025 season:

The Coaches

Defensive Pass Coordinator / Secondary Coach Donald D'Alesio

Previous Team: Baltimore Ravens (Defensive Backs Coach)

During his time with the Chiefs, D'Alesio served under former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and contributed to defenses that won three consecutive conference championships (2022-24) and two Super Bowls (2022-23). In 2023, D'Alesio assisted a Chiefs defense that surrendered its fewest passing yards per game (176.5) since 1992 (158.6). At his alma mater, Youngstown State, D'Alesio guided the Penguins to a school-record 49 sacks in 2016.

COACHING CAREER

• 2025: Baltimore Ravens - Defensive Backs
• 2022-24: Kansas City Chiefs - Safeties
• 2021: Kansas City Chiefs - Defensive Assistant
• 2020: LSU - Defensive Analyst
• 2019: Youngstown State - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
• 2018: Youngstown State - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
• 2016-17: Youngstown State - Defensive Line
• 2015: Youngstown State - Defensive Quality Control

Defensive Backs Coach Addison Lynch

Previous Team: Denver Broncos (Cornerbacks Coach)

Addison Lynch has 15 total years of coaching experience, the last three of which he spent in Denver. His most recent role with the Broncos was cornerbacks coach during the 2025 season.

During his time in Denver, the Broncos' defense ranked in the top 10 in opposing passer rating (87.5), completion percentage (63.1), yards per pass attempt (6.79), and touchdown passes (69). In 2025, Denver had a league-high six players named to the Associated Press All-Pro team, including safety Talanoa Hufanga and cornerback Pat Surtain II. The Broncos allowed just 18.3 points per game in 2025, which was the third-best mark in the NFL.

COACHING CAREER

• 2025: Denver Broncos - Cornerbacks
• 2023-24: Denver Broncos - Defensive Quality Control
• 2022: Detroit Lions - Defensive Quality Control
• 2021: Las Vegas Raiders - Assistant Defensive Backs
• 2020: Los Angeles Chargers - Assistant Defensive Backs
• 2018-19: Los Angeles Chargers - Defensive Quality Control
• 2012-17: Florida State - Quality Control Assistant
• 2011: Mississippi College - Graduate Assistant

The Newcomers

S Elijah Campbell

Previous Team: Miami Dolphins

Campbell, 5-11 and 200 pounds, has played in 68 career regular-season games (three starts) for the Jets (2020) and Dolphins (2021-25). He spent the 2018 offseason and training camp with the Browns, and then played with the Birmingham Iron (Alliance of American Football) in 2019 and parts of 2020 with the DC Defenders (XFL).

His NFL totals include 24 tackles (14 solo), two passes defensed, 21 special teams tackles (15 solo), one special teams forced fumble, and one special teams fumble recovery.

Campbell also appeared in two postseason games with Miami.

Campbell played in 10 games last season before it was cut short by ankle and knee injuries.

He joins a defensive backfield with Jevón Holland, who spent his first four seasons with the Dolphins before signing with the Giants in 2025.

CB Greg Newsome II

Previous Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

The 6-foot, 192-pound cornerback has played in 71 games with 58 starts for the Cleveland Browns (2021-2025) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2025), and has totaled 207 tackles (163 solo), six tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, one sack, four interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown), and 43 passes defensed.

Originally the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Newsome started 11 games for the Browns as a rookie. He finished his first NFL season with nine pass breakups and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team.

His best overall campaign was in 2023 when he played in 14 games (13 starts) for Cleveland and registered career-highs in interceptions (two), passes defensed (14) and tackles for loss (four).

In early October of 2025, Newsome was traded to the Jaguars, where he went on to play 12 games (11 starts) and recorded 29 tackles (23 solo), one interception and six passes defensed.

Prior to being drafted, Newsome played three seasons at Northwestern from 2018-2020. In 15 games over his final two seasons with the Wildcats, the young corner totaled 20 pass breakups. Newsome was named first-team All-Big Ten as a junior in 2020.

S Jason Pinnock

Previous Team: San Francisco 49ers

Pinnock played three seasons with the Giants before spending last year in San Francisco, where he appeared in all 17 games and made seven starts. From 2022-24, Pinnock played in 46 games with 37 starts for the Giants.

Overall, his career numbers include 263 total tackles (13 for loss), 11 passes defensed, 11 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and two interceptions – one of which he returned 102 yards for a touchdown for the Giants in 2023.

It is tied for the longest interception return in Giants history. On Oct. 15, 1961, Erich Barnes intercepted a pass at Dallas and returned it 102 yards for a score.

Pinnock's pick was the third in Giants history that was returned at least 100 yards. Henry Carr had a 101-yard touchdown at the L.A. Rams on Nov. 13, 1966.

Pinnock entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft choice by the Jets in 2021.

Prior to that, he appeared in 42 games in four years (2017-20) at the University of Pittsburgh.

S Ar'Darius Washington

Previous Team: Baltimore Ravens

The 5-foot-8, 180-pound safety originally joined the Baltimore Ravens after going undrafted in 2021. He spent the last five seasons with the Ravens where he played 29 games with 11 starts and totaled 85 tackles (56 solo), seven tackles for loss, three sacks, seven quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and 10 passes defensed.

Most of his career stats came during the 2024 campaign when he played in all 17 games and made 10 starts for Baltimore. He finished the season with 64 tackles (45 solo), five tackles for loss, one sack, two QB hits, one forced fumble, two interceptions, and eight pass breakups.

Washington had a successful collegiate career at TCU before joining the Ravens. As a redshirt freshman in 2019, he recorded five interceptions in 12 games on his way to being named the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year along with a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America. Washington and teammate Trevon Moehrig, now with the Carolina Panthers, combined to form one of the nation's top safety duos in 2020.

The Incumbents

CB Paulson Adebo

Career: 64 G, 63 GS, 324 tackles (264 solo), 8 tackles for loss, 1 quarterback hit, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 11 interceptions, 51 passes defensed

CB Deonte Banks

Career: 45 G, 35 GS, 147 tackles (116 solo), 5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, 2 interceptions, 28 passes defensed

CB Dru Phillips

Career: 31 G, 14 GS, 137 tackles (95 solo), 1 sack, 16 tackles for loss, 1 quarterback hit, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 3 interceptions, 13 passes defensed

CB Art Green

Career: 20 G, 5 tackles (4 solo); 13 special teams tackles (7 solo), 1 forced fumble

CB Nic Jones

Career: 23 G, 5 tackles (4 solo), 1 tackle for loss, 1 quarterback hit, 1 pass defensed; 7 special teams tackles (three solo)

CB Rico Payton

Career: 25 G, 7 tackles (4 solo), 2 passes defensed; 16 special teams tackles (7 solo)

CB Korie Black

Career: 12 G, 4 GS, 18 tackles (7 solo), 1 tackle for loss, 1 pass defensed

CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse

Career: 25 G, 3 tackles; 8 special teams tackles (3 solo)

S Jevón Holland

Career: 74 G, 71 GS, 355 tackles (252 solo), 5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, 5 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 6 interceptions, 1 defensive touchdown, 30 passes defensed; 9 special teams tackles (5 solo), 1 fumble recovery

S Tyler Nubin

Career: 26 G, 24 GS, 171 tackles (103 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 defensive touchdown, 3 passes defensed; 5 special teams tackles (3 solo)

S Raheem Layne

Career: 16 G, 3 GS, 17 tackles (13 solo), 1 tackle for loss; 2 special teams tackles

S Beau Brade

Career: 25 G, 1 GS, 2 tackles (1 solo); 3 special teams tackles (1 solo)

The Giants have put a lot of resources toward the secondary over the last few offseasons. They used two Day 2 picks on Tyler Nubin and Dru Phillips in the 2024 NFL Draft before signing Paulson Adebo and Jevón Holland to multi-year contracts last offseason. Nubin and Phillips both showed plenty of flashes during their rookie campaigns, while Adebo and Holland both have track records of success in the NFL.

Then there's former first-round pick Deonte Banks, who has had mixed success across his first three seasons in the NFL. But with a new coaching staff in the fold, Banks and the rest of the roster will have a chance to essentially start over as they enter the 2026 campaign.

"He's a talented player," Wilson said about Banks. "He's big. He can run. He brings an element of physicality, but he's had an up-and-down career thus far.

"For us, it's coming in with a clean slate. That's everybody on this defense. No matter what has been done in the past, where they were drafted, how they were acquired, we're coming in here as a clean slate, we're trying to evaluate the players, see what they do well, and we're trying to teach them our way of football."

When speaking to the media in early April, Wilson made it clear that one of the goals for the entire defensive coaching staff is making things as simple as possible for the players, something he believes will lead to better production on the field.

"I was raised, my dad always told me, keep it simple," Wilson said. "We have ways to kind of simplify things to make it all fit no matter what the call or the structure is.

"We're going to give them all opportunity and we're going to see what they all can pick up, how they grasp it. The best guys are going to play ultimately."

The Departures

CB Cor'Dale Flott (signed with Titans)

Flott started 14 games for the Giants in 2025 as he put together perhaps his strongest season in his four-year NFL career. He had just one interception for the third consecutive season, but he picked up a career-high 11 pass breakups after totaling only 14 total over his first three seasons. Pro Football Focus credited him with allowing just one touchdown last season while earning a 72.8 passer rating against.

S Dane Belton (signed with Jets)

Belton saw the most action on defense of his young career last season, which led to career-high marks in several statistics. He finished with 120 total tackles, which ranked second on the team and matched the total number of tackles he had across his first three seasons. Belton added an interception and five passes defensed along with two sacks and three tackles for loss.

The Prospects

The top five cornerbacks in the 2026 draft class, according to NFL.com's Bucky Brooks:

1. Mansoor Delane, LSU
2. Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
3. Colton Hood, Tennessee
4. Chris Johnson, San Diego State
5. Brandon Cisse, South Carolina

This prospect crop offers a collection of cover corners with the instincts, awareness and diagnostic skills to play in turnover-obsessed systems. Teams looking for a silky-smooth cover corner with the potential to win in the slot or out wide could target Mansoor Delane as a top-20 pick. The 6-foot, 187-pounder not only possesses a scheme-versatile game, but creative play-callers could build their call sheets around the LSU star's playmaking talents. Jermod McCoy is an instinctive ballhawk with outstanding diagnostic skills and anticipation in bump-and-run and shadow coverage. Despite missing the entire 2025 season while rehabbing from a torn ACL, the Tennessee star's 2024 tape is littered with impressive flashes that showcase his ability as a feisty and physical defender with big-play potential. Colton Hood is an ultra-competitive CB with a polished game that should make him a Day 1 starter when he enters the league. As a scheme-friendly cover man with a knack for making plays on the ball, the 6-foot, 193-pounder operates like a seasoned veteran on the island. Chris Johnson is a rock-solid cover corner with the size and athleticism to challenge receivers on the perimeter while utilizing bump-and-run or shadow techniques from depth. After dazzling at the combine as a top-notch athlete, the San Diego State standout is an ideal CB2 as a pro. Brandon Cisse is an unorthodox technician with a fearless approach that overwhelms some perimeter pass catchers. With a playing style that evokes memories of Josh Norman, the South Carolina product could make his way into Round 1 due to his mastery of the "shuffle and scoot" technique that enables him to shadow explosive pass catchers.

Brooks' top five nickelbacks:

1. Avieon Terrell, Clemson
2. Keionte Scott, Miami
3. D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana
4. Keith Abney II, Arizona State
5. Bud Clark, TCU

This prospect pool has a mix of nickelbacks/star defenders with hybrid playmaking abilities that are showcased in blitzes and/or coverage. Avieon Terrell is a talented technician with the instincts, awareness and fundamentals to excel in any scheme. As a 31-game starter in a pro-like program, the Clemson product displays a knack for creating turnovers (eight forced fumbles and three interceptions in three college seasons) and should be viewed as a plug-and-play prospect on the draft board. Keionte Scott is a big-play machine as a nickel corner. A disruptive box-area player with elite blitz skills, as well as man-to-man and zone coverage abilities, Scott could provide an immediate spark as a designated playmaker around the line of scrimmage. D'Angelo Ponds is an undersized playmaker with the high-IQ, instincts and awareness to make an impact as a slot defender. The Indiana product excels at diagnosing routes and keying the quarterback's eyes to make timely plays on the ball in a zone-heavy scheme. Keith Abney II is a feisty player with outstanding instincts, awareness and ball skills. He flashes a knack for playmaking and is an excellent "see ball, get ball" defender with a nose for the football. Bud Clark piques the interest of scouts looking for an instinctive ballhawk with the versatility to play in the deep half or the slot. Despite his slender frame (6-1, 188 pounds), the TCU standout is a reliable tackler who is not afraid to mix it up.

Brooks' top five safeties:

1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State
2. Dillon Theineman, Oregon
3. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
4. Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
5. J. Haulcy, LSU

The NFL's transition to positionless football has forced scouts to spend more time evaluating defensive backs who are comfortable playing near the box as additional pass rushers or run stoppers. Caleb Downs is a menace near the middle of the field, displaying superb instincts, awareness and toughness, routinely taking on big backs in the hole. As Ohio State's designated traffic cop, the cerebral safety exhibited the communication skills to run the show from the deep middle. With the 6-foot, 206-pounder boasting A+ tackling skills on the perimeter, teams looking for an impact defender should pay close attention to the rugged center fielder with NFL bloodlines, as the younger brother of Colts WR Josh Downs. Dillon Thieneman is a talented center fielder with exceptional instincts, awareness and range. The 6-foot, 201-pounder attacks the ball in coverage, routinely picking off tipped or overthrown passes in his area. With coaches placing greater emphasis on turnovers, Thieneman's superior ball skills could make him a hot commodity in scouting circles. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is a rangy center fielder with outstanding awareness and ball skills. Although he specializes in protecting the deep middle, the Toledo product also shines as an aggressive box-area defender when deployed as a designed run stopper from the second level. Kyle Louis is the kind of hybrid box-area defender defensive coordinators covet as a sub-package centerpiece. The 6-foot, 220-pounder plays with the violence and physicality needed to stop running backs in their tracks, while also displaying the range, awareness and anticipation to attack underneath/intermediate throws. As teams begin to narrow their focus to role-specific defenders with significant upside, Louis' reputation as a splash-play specialist could move him up the charts. A.J. Haulcy is an underrated playmaker with magnificent ball skills and big-hit ability. As a high-IQ defender with superb instincts and anticipation, the LSU product has the potential to develop into a box-area bandit as a pro.