Of the players on the New York Giants whose careers were set back by Shane Bowen, Dru Phillips was one of the players who suffered the most. After a standout rookie season in 2024, Phillips' production dropped off considerably to the point where his status as the starting nickel CB may be in jeopardy.
The 24-year-old is a good football player who can easily return to his old form under new DC Dennard Wilson, but this doesn't mean that the Giants should avoid doing their homework on other nickels who could potentially push Dru for the starting role. After all, competition is what breeds excellence.
If you ask me, Joe Schoen should be salivating over the perfect Phillips replacement in the nickel: Miami defensive back Keionte Scott. Scott was a hero for the Hurricanes throughout their College Football Playoff run, but it was his performance at Miami's Pro Day that turned heads in NFL circles.
Keionte Scott could be a player the New York Giants consider drafting to move off of Dru Phillips
Scott, whose nearly 25, put his athleticism on display earlier this week. At 5-foot-11 and 193 pounds, Scott ran a 4.35 40-yard dash that clocked in as fast as 4.3 flat. He was mistakenly reported to have run a 4.25 40, and while that has since been debunked, that's still an incredibly great time to run.
His strong day didn't end there. He had a 10.3" broad jump, a 44-inch vertical, and a 1.57 10-yard split. And it's not like this didn't show up on tape either. In five CFP games, he surrendered less than 50 yards in all five games, including a dalliance with the high-powered Ohio State offense, where he kept Brandon Inniss in check all night long.
The only problem with drafting Scott is that he is expected to be drafted in the late second or early third round next month, and the G-Men don't have a third-rounder due to the Jaxson Dart trade. And there's virtually no shot they draft him with the 37th pick, so it may take a miracle to make him a Giant.
Big Blue needs secondary help, and while I would prefer it come from one of Caleb Downs or Mansoor Delane in the first-round, the All-ACC cornerback is one of my favorite CB prospects in this draft later on. And after he enjoyed the best season of his college career in 2025, others are hopping on the bandwagon.
The Auburn (and Snow College) transfer was a two-way player in high school and was elite at the juco level, so he proved himself as an NFL talent way before he ever stepped foot at the Power Four level, let alone in Coral Gables. The only concern with him as a prospect is that he'll be 25 when he makes his NFL debut, and the Giants have a bigger need at outside corner.
If the Giants trade down from 37 or are able to trade back into the third round, Scott would be a dream target, but unfortunately, I think this wild showing catapulted him into the top 64 picks for good. So if they want to test Phillips under a new DC, they may have to find another way to do so.