The 2024 NFL draft is just around the corner and the New York Giants will wrap up their top 30 visits over the next two weeks.
Their most publicized meetings have come with the draft’s top quarterbacks and wide receivers, but they haven’t been that limited in scope. General manager Joe Schoen has also sat down with several edge rushers and at least one defensive tackle.
In the coming days, the Giants will also reportedly meet with a few cornerbacks and a tight end.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports reports that the Giants have an April meeting scheduled with Kentucky defensive back Andru Phillips.
Kentucky CB Andru Phillips has six visits scheduled with the following teams in April:
+ Steelers
+ Cardinals
+ Giants
+ Eagles
+ Bears
+ 49ersPhillips is a tough, savvy cornerback with boundary and field experience in the SEC. His ability to adapt and fulfill a variety of… pic.twitter.com/uFdKxpsh1M
— Josh Edwards (@EdwardsCBS) April 4, 2024
The 23-year-old Phillips earned a relative athletic score (RAS) of 8.13 and is projected to go in the mid-rounds. NFL Network draft analyst Lance Zierlein views him as a developmental talent.
Phillips’ tape features a high number of both completions and drops that should have been completions, but that could change in a different scheme and with additional experience. He’s still green, with just two years of real game experience, and often played too loose in Kentucky’s zone cover schemes. Phillips lacks the anticipation to contest catches at a high enough rate from zone but does have the athleticism to play more man coverage, with the tools to stay sticky on routes. He’s an ardent run supporter with excellent toughness but needs to finish tackles at a higher rate. Scheme fit might be critical, along with proving he can play from the slot, but his best football could be ahead of him.
In addition to Phillips, the Giants are also slated to meet with (or have already met with) Penn State tight end Theo Johnson, reports Sports Illustrated.
Johnson plans to work out in State College for a few weeks before the NFL Draft and make some targeted team visits. He said he’ll meet with the Seattle Seahawks, and the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens plan to schedule visits as well.
The 23-year-old Johnson earned a wildly impressive RAS score of 9.99 and is also projected to be taken in the mid-rounds. However, Zierlein is concerned with his several flaws.
Highly recruited out of high school, Johnson looks the part with an above-average frame and traits. While teams might want to place him in an elevated silo for consideration, they might not find the consistency or high number of flashes on tape that they were expecting. Johnson’s run blocking is below average for his size, and adopting a glass-eating mentality in conjunction with technique work could help him improve in that area. He’ll make contested catches and is adequate against man coverage, but he lacks dynamic qualities as a pass catcher. Traits will work in his favor, but there is work to be done to become anything more than an average backup.
The Giants have needs at both cornerback and tight end (assuming Darren Waller retires), so expect to see other prospect visits over the next two weeks.
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