Joe Schoen and the NY Giants front office had a crucial start to free agency, as they were tasked with replacing star running back Saquon Barkley, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and safety Xavier McKinney, who signed with the Green Bay Packers.
McKinney has spent the last four seasons with the New York Giants after he was selected 36th overall by the team in 2020 out of Alabama. He was impressive at the collegiate level and was a part of the Crimson Tide team that won the National Championship in 2017. He started in 2018 and 2019 for Nick Saban and skipped his senior season to enter the NFL Draft.
In four seasons in the NFL, the 24-year-old safety has played 49 games and has 279 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, 27 pass deflections, nine interceptions, two forced fumbles, and a touchdown with Big Blue. His big 2023 season led to him landing a $68 million deal from Green Bay.
With McKinney departing from the Giants, the G-Men will look for replacements for the veteran safety. The Giants did sign former Patriots and Eagles safety Jalen Mills to a one-year deal and currently have Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton, and Gervarrius Owens rostered, but the team needs more help. Here are five safeties the Giants can target in the 2024 NFL Draft:
5. Utah safety Cole Bishop
One option that makes sense for the Giants to pursue in the draft is Cole Bishop out of Utah. The 6-2 safety had 60 tackles, three passes defended, three sacks, one forced fumble, and two interceptions, earning Second-Team All-Pac 12 with the Utes this past season.
The junior led the team in tackles with 83 the previous season and started the final six games of his freshman campaign, where he totaled 54 tackles and three sacks. Now, he'll look to carry that success from the last three seasons with him to the professional level and will look to be one of the top safeties off the board at the NFL Draft in late April.
Bishop demonstrates excellent potential by being able to do whatever is asked of him. He is a big and versatile defensive back who can thrive in the Giants' defense with good coverage. We can expect Bishop to be selected as early as the second round, which would make perfect sense for the Giants, who occupy the 47th pick from the Seattle Seahawks. Keep an eye on him for the G-Men.
Has a prospect ever made you pump your fists and shout “YES” multiple times? Well Cole Bishop did that for me, and he’s quickly becoming one of my favorite prospects in this class
— Jordan Laube (@JordanLaubeFB) March 14, 2024
6’2, 205, true junior, 4.45 40, 39” vertical, 10’4 broad, and has plays like this all over tape pic.twitter.com/M3LjFxHjZd