The New York Giants have had few bright spots over the first two weeks of the regular season, but one is rookie cornerback Dru Phillips. General manager Joe Schoen took Phillips in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.
The Giants were in desperate need of a playmaker in their secondary following the departure of Xavier McKinney, who left via free agency this past offseason.
Phillips was all over the field against both the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders, flashing as an impact player for Big Blue.
Because of his play, Phillips has caught the eye of a former Giants defensive back Ryan Clark.
Dru Phillips is going to be an absolutely stud at the nickel position in this league.
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) September 15, 2024
Clark, of course, began his career with the Giants in 2002 after going undrafted. He ended up having a lengthy career with the Washington franchise and Pittsburgh Steelers after his time with the Giants
Phillips has stood out not just because of his speed and physicality, but also because of his open-field tackling. If the Giants’ front seven continue to disappoint the way they have in the first two games of the season, the team will need their secondary to step up in order to be competitive moving forward.
In Week 1, Phillips forced a fumble on his very first NFL play and followed that up with an extremely impressive performance against the Commanders in which he recorded 12 tackles and a red zone sack.
With the Giants’ season quickly getting away from them, there will be an increased focus on Schoen’s draft picks and their development. He’ll need players like Phillips to remain hot so that his seat stays cool.
