Opinions can turn on a dime in the NFL. One underwhelming season can completely shift the conversation around a player, especially one near the start of his career. New York Giants safety Tyler Nubin is one of the latest victims.
Nubin had a strong rookie season, but he took a major step back in 2025. His disappointing season even had some fans and analysts lobbying for the Giants to replace him in the 2026 NFL Draft.
While the young safety's career seems to be heading in the wrong direction, it won't take much to turn things around this season. With just a minor tweak from new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, Nubin could get his progression right back on track.
Giants' Tyler Nubin breakout is one Dennard Wilson tweak away from becoming reality
Coming out of college, Nubin had a clear and somewhat limited skill set. While he wasn't the best athlete and struggled in man coverage, he used his top-tier anticipation to create big plays. He seemed to know where the ball was going before it was thrown, coming up with nine interceptions across his final two seasons at Minnesota.
Those skills helped Nubin put together a strong rookie season for the Giants, but he struggled in his second year. A closer look reveals that he hasn't been used in the best possible way so far, and that a year-three breakout might not require more than a minor position change.
Nubin was not at his best when put in the slot in 2024. He allowed 1.22 receiving yards per coverage snap in the slot, per PFF. He also struggled in man coverage, receiving a man coverage grade of 56.1.
Despite these trends, Nubin was used more in the slot and more in man coverage in 2025. He took almost 50% more snaps from the slot and increased his rate of man coverage. While some of the underlying numbers improved, his overall performance took a turn for the worse.
Hopefully, Wilson uses Nubin more as a "robber," putting him in the best position to succeed. Jevon Holland will operate as a free safety, but Nubin can be used to jump underneath routes over the intermediate middle of the field. That would give him more chances to make plays on the ball and create turnovers.
Andru Phillips and Ar'Darius Washington can handle slot coverage. Let Nubin man the middle of the field, and watch him recover the reputation he earned as a rookie.
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