One of many few brilliant spots within the 2021 season for the New York Giants was second-year security Xavier McKinney. McKinney led the staff in interceptions and took a big soar in his sophomore season.
Now because the Giants attempt to flip the roster round, McKinney could possibly be one of many items Massive Blue builds round for the longer term. Definitely, the Giants have a number of proficient gamers on protection, however none have the potential at a younger age like McKinney.
Whereas McKinney most undoubtedly impressed in 2021, it’s potential he was underappreciated in the course of the Giants’ abysmal four-win season within the first 17-game NFL season.
Highest graded Safeties in man protection final season
🥇 Jevon Holland: 84.9 🐬
🥈 Adrian Phillips: 82.9
🥉 Xavier McKinney: 81.8 pic.twitter.com/J1Z22euIzr— PFF MIA Dolphins (@PFF_Dolphins) March 10, 2022
When the Giants drafted the Alabama product, they knew they have been getting a proficient participant who can play everywhere in the discipline and clearly his protection is one in every of his robust factors.
Going into the season, it was arduous to think about McKinney getting sufficient taking part in time to impress as a lot as he did with such a crowded defensive backfield, significantly on the security place.
After a pair key accidents everywhere in the protection, together with a season-ending damage to Jabrill Peppers, McKinney thrived and ended up having the third-most complete tackles on the staff.
The Giants could have discovered themselves a gem in McKinney once they took him within the second spherical of the 2020 NFL draft. Whereas the staff’s new normal supervisor Joe Schoen reshapes the roster, McKinney definitely has worth for the Giants’ sooner or later.
