The NY Giants defense badly needs a playmaker to step up on defense and rookie Xavier McKinney is already answering that call in practice.
Right now, if you’re objectively evaluating the NY Giants as a whole, you’d have to admit that lack of talent on defense is the organization’s biggest current problem.
Enter rookie safety Xavier McKinney who Big Blue stole in the second round in what was considered one of the steals of the draft by experts league-wide.
McKinney is making his transition to the NFL look easy according to reports on the ground, as he routinely is disrupting plays in practice. More importantly, he’s taking Joe Judge’s hardened approach to things in stride as he’s used to going through tough training camps at Alabama under head coach Nick Saban, who Judge worked under for several years.
Via Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.Com:
"“Basically when I kind of figured it out and he kind of discussed some of his moves and how he wanted things to be handled and how he wanted us to be as a team, it was almost like a mirror version of how it was at Bama for me,” McKinney said after Giants practice on Thursday. “As far as that, it was an easy adjustment for me because I’ve already been in this type of system.”"
Boom. Exactly what you want to hear out of a rookie that you just spent a premium draft pick on.
This NY Giants defense badly needs someone to step up and become the alpha male that actually backs up their play on the field (what’s up Alec Ogletree?).
Will he actually be a difference maker for NY Giants?
I’ll be honest; during my draft evaluation (which was much longer than usual this year thanks to COVID-19), I barely looked into Xavier McKinney as it didn’t appear we’d get a chance to land him in the draft.
Yet, somehow, he slipped all the way to pick #36 and GM Dave Gettleman wisely pulled to trigger in an effort to sure up the back end of the NY Giants defense — something that’s been awful for the past few seasons.
Really, ever since Antrel Rolle left there has mostly been a hole in the back end of the Big Blue D’ and Xavier McKinney has the pedigree to batten down the hatches while still making plays and flipping the field for the Giants.
During his two years as a starter at Alabama, the safety recorded at least 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and a touchdown — talk about actually making plays.
With the NY Giants offense seemingly on the rise, a bonafide difference-maker on the defense would be a godsend right now.
To McKinney, just getting his hands on the football isn’t enough, he wants turnovers.
Also Via Art Stapelton of NorthJersey.com:
McKinney said he isn’t satisfied with just breaking up a pass. He wants the interception.
"McKinney said he isn’t satisfied with just breaking up a pass. He wants the interception.“That’s my biggest thing right now for me: I know what I can do,” McKinney said. “I know what I’m capable of. A lot of the times I go back and watch my film, and we’ll watch film as a team, I always study and see what I did wrong and what I can do better so I can improve on the play.”"
That’s welcome news to a unit that was “good” for 30th in the NFL in points allowed and 29th in turnover percentage.