Just three years ago, after the New York Giants’ third Super Bowl triumph, general manager Jerry Reese picked two defensive backs in the first two rounds of the 2008 NFL draft. In the first round he selected University of Miami safety Kenny Phillips with the 31st overall pick. Phillips was clearly the best safety in that draft, an absolute physical specimen and the complete package at the position, with superior coverage and tackling skills. Thirty-two selections later, at #63, Reese used his second-round pick on USC cornerback Terrell Thomas, a tough, gritty player who was good in coverage and unafraid to lower his shoulder to tackle larger running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers.
By making Phillips and Thomas his first two picks that April 26th day of 2008, Reese thought he put together an elite secondary for many years to come--and with good reason. In addition to Phillips and Thomas, the Giants already had Aaron Ross, who was the team’s first round pick in 2007, and Corey Webster, the team’s second-round pick in 2005, at cornerback. Ross and Webster were outstanding in the 2007 postseason, major factors in the Giants winning a Super Bowl. And with Steve Spagnuolo, the former defensive backs coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, running the show at defensive coordinator again, one could say the Giants' secondary resembled the Eagles' of a few years prior, which had Bobby Taylor, Troy Vincent, and Al Harris at cornerback, and the great Brian Dawkins at safety.
Everything was set up for the Giants’ secondary to be great, so why have there been huge letdowns in big games over the last two seasons? Why have Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Aaron Rodgers, and even Matt Moore and Jon Kitna had career games while throwing against the Giants' defensive backs in the last two years?
Well, there are various reasons.
BAD LUCK/UNUSUAL INJURIES
Although Phillips didn’t start until late in his rookie year of 2008, he had a huge breakout game against the Cowboys in Week 2 of 2009, intercepting two passes. Without those picks, it’s doubtful that the Giants would have won the game, the first in Cowboys Stadium, and Phillips looked like an emerging star. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a few days later there were reports that Phillips’ career might be over, as he was diagnosed with patellofemoral arthritis in his left knee. The pessimistic reports turned out to be untrue; Phillips came back to start a full season at strong safety in 2010. But there’s no denying that Phillips may never be the outstanding player he was developing into prior to being put on injured reserve after that great performance in Dallas. The young safety was beaten for big plays last season, most notably by Eagles tight end Brent Celek in the humiliating collapse last December 18th at New Meadowlands Stadium. If he doesn’t have a bounce-back season in 2011, Phillips could become expendable.
Reese spent a third-round pick on LSU safety Chad Jones in the 2010 draft. Jones, who also played baseball for the Tigers, was an ultra-intimidating presence in the defensive backfield, often drilling pass-catchers who came into his path: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkzzrciQf9c&feature=related
Jones also had a flair for making huge, game-changing plays, whether it be with an interception or even on a punt return: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znj7t2vawoI
Unfortunately, Jones was involved in a horrific car crash in the early morning of June 25, 2010, about a month before his rookie training camp was scheduled to begin. As a result, he suffered multiple fractures to his left leg and shattered both his fibula and tibia, in addition to arteries and nerves being exposed. His leg was in danger of being amputated, but luckily it was saved after a successful surgery that lasted about seven hours.
Jones has been working hard to make his way back to the football field, but there’s no question that the odds are against him.
REGRESSION
As stated earlier, Ross was a key player in the 2007 Super Bowl run. He also had a solid 2008 season as a full-time starter—although he was embarrassed and victimized terribly by Braylon Edwards during a 35-14 blowout loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns on a Monday night in Week 6. The team had high hopes for Ross, thinking he could be a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback matched in an elite tandem with an even better talent in Webster. But a disastrous 2009 season, in which Ross was bothered by a hamstring injury and moved to free safety when he came back, seemed to have destroyed his confidence, as he wasn’t able to bounce back in 2010. Now the starting job on the other side of Webster belongs to Thomas, who’s not as athletically gifted as Ross but plays with a lot more guts.
Safety Michael Johnson, a seventh-round pick in the 2007 draft, surprised many in his rookie year and became a full-time starter at strong safety in 2008. Nobody ever thought he was anything special, but many felt he was a reliable player who would flourish alongside an elite talent such as Phillips. Well, in 2009, after Phillips went down, Johnson was exposed as a glorified backup. And after missing 14 games in 2010 with a herniated disk in his back, it’s doubtful that he’ll return to the team when action resumes in 2011.
UNSUCCESSFUL PERSONNEL MOVES
While Reese did a wonderful job in bringing in the talented Phillips, Ross, and Thomas, the Giants’ general manager made a terrible mistake by keeping just three safeties on the 53-man roster heading into the 2009 season. One of the safeties happened to be C.C. Brown, a free agent from the Houston Texans Reese signed in the 2009 offseason. Brown proved to be a complete failure, as he was torched repeatedly in the games he started, and his demotion to backup was well overdue.
His replacement, Aaron Rouse, who was picked up early in the 2009 season after the Green Bay Packers released him, wasn’t much of an upgrade, and the Giants’ secondary continued to get humiliated until the disastrous campaign culminated suitably with a 44-7 thrashing at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings.
The truth of the matter is, Reese and the Giants were doomed after Phillips was placed on injured reserve in 2009. There wasn’t nearly enough depth to make the unit remotely competitive. Reese rolled the dice and ended up losing, big time. And, because of that, Reese was forced to give safety Antrel Rolle, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, one of the richest contracts for the position. Rolle is a nice player, but if Reese had added more depth to the safety position prior to the 2009 season, he could have spent the money used for Rolle on a linebacker such as Karlos Dansby instead.
BILL SHERIDAN
After Spagnuolo left the Giants to become the St. Louis Rams’ head coach following the 2008 season, New York needed a replacement for the defensive coordinator position. Unfortunately, Reese and Giants head coach Tom Coughlin couldn’t have found a successor any worse than the one they promoted: Bill Sheridan, who was previously the linebackers coach.
The G-men jumped out to a 5-0 start to their 2009 season but then had a historical collapse, losing eight of their last 11 games. Most of that was due to the ineptitude of the defense, which featured a confused secondary that was unable to grasp exactly what Sheridan was scheming. With a massive amount of huge passing plays being completed against it, the Giants’ defense allowed 40 points or more in five of their last 11 games. Suffice it to say, Sheridan was fired, yet there may have been some irreparable damage done to the development of certain youngsters.
Where do they go from here?
Last offseason Reese spent huge money on Rolle, and then added Deon Grant, another safety. After another playoff-less season, Reese may be hesitant to spend big dough in free agency again. There is one player worth going crazy for, however...
Nnamdi Asomugha
The four-time All-Pro cornerback, formerly of the Oakland Raiders, will be the most sought after player once the free agent period begins. It's shocking that he's even available, as Asomugha is arguably the best cornerback in the NFL right now. Others may prefer the New York Jets’ Darrelle Revis, but we’ll take Asomugha, who’s done it for a longer period of time in a less-talented, often undisciplined defense.
Imagine what a secondary with Asomugha, who will be 30 in July, could do with a pass rush that includes Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and 2010 first-round pick Jason Pierre-Paul. Imagine how Corey Webster could benefit and increase his interceptions with more passes coming his way, since there are very few quarterbacks in the NFL who dare challenge Asomugha.
Whatever it takes, the Giants should do everything in their power to bring Asomugha to New York. This is a player already mentioned in the same sentence as Deion Sanders when it comes to discussing the greatest cover corners in NFL history. And unlike Deion, Asomugha isn’t afraid to tackle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMawa6WCHdE
DRAFT
There are four cornerbacks being mentioned as first-round talents thus far. One of them, LSU’s Patrick Peterson, is expected by many to go in the top five. Another, Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara, is projected to be picked shortly after Peterson. The other two, Colorado’s Jimmy Smith and Miami’s Brandon Harris, will most likely be there at #19 for the Giants.
Colorado’s Jimmy Smith
At 6-2, 205 pounds Smith is rated by most as the third-best cornerback in this draft. According to Scott Wright’s NFL Draft Countdown, Smith has “terrific height and bulk with long arms and big hands” and “is extremely athletic with excellent timed speed.” He “displays solid instincts/awareness in coverage” and has “pretty good hands, ball skills and body control.” He is also “competitive and confident with a short memory” and has “lots of experience against top-notch competition.”
Smith was a three-year starter for the Buffaloes and was named Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2009 and First-Team in 2010. But Wright does mention that Smith “didn’t make a ton of impact plays in college,” as evidenced with him finishing his college career with just three interceptions in four years. Wright also mentions that Smith “will need to polish his technique and footwork,” since he “doesn’t play quite as fast as he runs in shorts.”
In WalterFootball.com’s latest mock draft it has Smith being taken by the Seattle Seahawks with the 25th overall pick. Here’s what it has to say about him:
Jimmy Smith is a player who's probably going to keep moving up in my 2011 NFL Mock Draft. His stock is rising right now, and if he impresses at the Combine, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he goes as high as No. 13 to Detroit.
Miami’s Brandon Harris
Before getting embarrassed by Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd in the Fighting Irish’s 33-17 convincing win over the Hurricanes in the Sun Bowl last New Year’s Eve, Harris was sitting comfortably as the third-best cornerback in this draft, and there was talk about him being picked in the top 15. But after Floyd finished that game with six receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns, Harris’s stock dropped at least half of a round, with most now projecting him to be picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 31st overall selection.
2010 Sun Bowl highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9hBz6ialEg
One bad game shouldn’t kill a career, however, and while Harris finished his time at Miami with just four interceptions in three years, he showed on more than a few occasions that he has superior coverage skills and the courage to step up and make tackles to limit gains by the opposing offense: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0yjcu9CJvc&NR=1
The Giants could probably trade back and pick Harris at the end of the first round. That would open up more opportunities to fill holes if they’re not enamored with anyone at pick #19.
Other cornerback prospects receiving high praise: Texas's Aaron Williams, Virginia's Ras-I Dowling, Utah's Brandon Burton, Virginia Tech's Rashad Carmichael.
There isn’t as much talent at the safety position, as only one, UCLA’s Rahim Moore, is projected as a possible first-round pick—and many believe he’s actually a second-round talent. But there are a few prospects the Giants could steal later, most notably…
Clemson’s DeAndre McDaniel
With Antrel Rolle entrenched as the starting free safety for the next few years or more, and with Phillips’ future uncertain, the Giants need to consider grabbing a young strong safety in this draft. Rahim Moore is not a strong safety prospect, so he doesn’t fit the bill, but DeAndre McDaniel does.
McDaniel was a three-year starter for the Tigers. He was named First-Team All-ACC in 2009 and 2010, and finished his college career with 15 interceptions. His best season came in 2009, in which he had eight picks and 98 tackles. Although his numbers dropped off some in 2010, he finished with four interceptions and 73 tackles, stats most safeties in college would be very proud of.
At 6-1, 205 pounds McDaniel is also a ferocious hitter in the secondary who often goes for the knockout. He also shows proper technique when tackling, wrapping up the ball-carrier’s legs while driving him to the ground. This may have come as a result of him playing linebacker during the 2008 season,
DeAndre McDaniel highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpAk11N3VkM
With all that said, McDaniel is considered by most as a mid-round prospect, which is very perplexing when one considers the plethora of skills he possesses and his tremendous production on the field. But just like Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, McDaniel has character concerns, stemming from an assault and battery arrest in June 2008. According to published reports, McDaniel choked his girlfriend, punched her in the head and chest, and threw her down a flight of stairs. Obviously, that’s a huge red flag against a prospect, and could lead to McDaniel being taken off the Giants’ draft board completely after they look into the incident extensively.
Other strong safety prospects receiving high praise: North Carolina's Deunta Williams, West Virginia's Robert Sands, Iowa's Tyler Sash.
Most Giants fans will say the team’s biggest needs are offensive tackle and linebacker. While that may be true, the secondary has huge question marks with Aaron Ross and Kenny Phillips, and a ballhawk needs to emerge. To be on the safe side, in a league where the passing game is stronger than ever, Reese would be wise to add more talent to the secondary.
