xavier mckinney

New York Giants: Is Jabrill Peppers ready for a breakout 2020 campaign?

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New York Giants, Xavier McKinney, Jabrill Peppers

What should the New York Giants expect from Jabrill Peppers in 2020?

The New York Giants invested plenty of capital into bolstering their defensive secondary, and strong safety Jabrill Peppers will likely benefit from the drafting of Xavier McKinney and the increase in experience from their 2019 draft picks. Peppers was traded to the Giants in the deal that sent Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns.

The former first-round pick struggled and his first two seasons in Cleveland, playing both strong safety and free safety. However, under James Bettcher, he moved specifically to the strong safety position and put up substantial numbers in just 11 games.

His 76 combine tackles, five tackles for loss, five passes defended, three forced fumbles, and one interception showed an increase in nearly every court category from the year prior. In addition, he only allowed a 63.9% completion rate against and just one touchdown, decreasing his five TDs allowed in 2018 by four. While he does tend to miss some tackles, logging a 12.6% missed tackle right last season, he has the versatility and athleticism to improve across the board.

Paired with a trustworthy ball hawk in McKinney, Peppers should be able to move closer to the line of scrimmage and play more aggressively against the run, knowing his back is covered.

Clearly, the New York Giants believe they have something special and Peppers, considering they picked up his fifth-year option for 2021. This guarantees him to be on the team for at least two more seasons. While he only ranked as the 41st safety out of 71 in the NFL to play at least 500 snaps last season, according to PFF, his development was evident. He did earn the third-highest pass-rush grade out of that entire group of players.

I am most excited to see Peppers play closer to the line of scrimmage with McKinney in the deeper portion of the secondary. New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will likely install plenty of three safety looks, moving Peppers, Julian love, and McKinney around the field. It is possible that Peppers could adapt to a de-facto linebacker position on passing downs, While McKinney and Love prowl of the secondary as ballhawks.

Graham likes to utilize man coverage schemes frequently, which could indicate Peppers matching up against tight ends in man. Nonetheless, the Giants are developing a nice trio of safeties, and Peppers remains an integral part of the defense.

New York Giants: Xavier McKinney is the next best thing after Isaiah Simmons

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New York Giants, Xavier McKinney

Taking a look at New York Giants’ 2nd round pick Xavier McKinney and how he is the next best thing after Isaiah Simmons:

Before the 2020 NFL draft, Clemson stand-out defender Isaiah Simmons was mocked to the New York Giants consistently in the weeks following up.

Simmons is a fantastic athlete that played all over the Clemson defense, featuring at linebacker, safety, and even rushed the passer frequently. However, the Giants realized that the left tackle position was problematic after Nate Solder allowed 11 sacks in 2019. They made the executive decision to select Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick, passing on Simmons and eventually landing safety Xavier McKinney in the second round.

Here’s what Nick Saban, head coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide, had to say about McKinney and what he has to offer the New York Giants at the pro level:

“I think Xavier has a lot of diversity as a player,” Saban said. “He can play man-to-man, he’s got pretty good ball judgment, he’s a good tackler, he’s got a lot of toughness, he’s a very instinctive and effective blitzer. He’s got some burst and acceleration to come off the edge or blitz up the middle and he’s got enough power to take on a blocker if he needs to. So he can do just about all the critical factors in terms of what we look for in a safety here. As he got experience, he was smart enough to be able to play multiple positions.

“I think the guy’s got some dog in him. He’s a competitive guy. He’s a playmaker. We have a production point system here that we use, and he was always high on that board because he forces fumbles, shows up in the right place, does a good job of executing. He’s instinctive, he’s a quick reactor, he’s got a burst. He can be a knock-back tackler. So he’s always been a real playmaker for us and it comes in a lot of different ways, but that’s probably his greatest strength – his production.”

McKinney’s stats attest to his versatility on defense, logging 95 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles last season. He can play all over the defense, creeping up to the line of scrimmage to act as a pass rusher, and dropping back into the deeper portion of the secondary as a ball hawk. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will utilize him in all of these different facets, as he blitzed 41% of the time on third down in 2019 with the Miami Dolphins. Having a player like Xavier will open up his playbook and creativity, as his game speed is one of the best at the position coming out of the draft.

He is essentially what Simmons is at the safety position, with his ability to move around and feature in different looks. In other words, McKinney is the next best thing, and the Giants got him in the second round.

New York Giants: Nick Saban breaks down why Xavier McKinney can be an elite defender

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New York Giants, Xavier McKinney

The New York Giants could have gone multiple different routes with their second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Ultimately, they drafted the best safety available in Xavier McKinney out of Alabama. McKinney is a diverse athlete that can move up into the strong safety position but also act as a ball hawk in the deeper portion of the secondary. He’s essentially the coverage version of Isaiah Simmons, playing snaps all over the defense for Alabama and displaying a unique set of quality attributes.

McKinney has many different positives to transfer over to the NFL, some of them being his turnover ability, recording for forced fumbles of three interceptions in 2019, his impressive tackling efficiency, and versatility you can’t often find at the free safety position.

Alabama closely mimics NFL style defenses, under Nick Saban. The legendary coach had nothing but great things to say about McKinney and his transition to the NFL while featuring on the “Giants Huddle” podcast recently.

“I think Xavier has a lot of diversity as a player,” Saban said. “He can play man-to-man, he’s got pretty good ball judgment, he’s a good tackler, he’s got a lot of toughness, he’s a very instinctive and effective blitzer. He’s got some burst and acceleration to come off the edge or blitz up the middle and he’s got enough power to take on a blocker if he needs to. So he can do just about all the critical factors in terms of what we look for in a safety here. As he got experience, he was smart enough to be able to play multiple positions.

“I think the guy’s got some dog in him. He’s a competitive guy. He’s a playmaker. We have a production point system here that we use, and he was always high on that board because he forces fumbles, shows up in the right place, does a good job of executing. He’s instinctive, he’s a quick reactor, he’s got a burst. He can be a knock-back tackler. So he’s always been a real playmaker for us and it comes in a lot of different ways, but that’s probably his greatest strength – his production.”

The New York Giants might have lucked out big time:

If Saban is right about the standout player, the New York Giants will have landed a premium safety in the second round of the draft. Xavier has already started off his tenure in New York on a high note, connecting with fans on social media and giving back to the community. His mentality and high character have shined in the early days, indicating he will be a staple for the Giants moving forward. If he can back up the hype on the field, the Giants’ defense could see a significant boost in 2020.

FanDuel Sportsbook has +2300 on Xavier McKinney winning DROY, could this be a reality?

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New York Giants, Xavier McKinney

As we are now almost a month past the NFL Draft, fans and analysts can now start making predictions for the league’s freshman class. FanDuel’s Sportsbook published their Defensive Rookie of the Year bets and put New York Giants’ second-round pick, Alabama safety Xavier McKinney at +2300. For those of you who are not gambling aficionados, it is not exactly a safe wager. But it is worth taking a look at.

Topping the list, to no surprise is Chase Young. The Washington Redskins selected the highly touted edge rusher from Ohio State with the second overall pick, and with comparisons to Myles Garrett and the Bosa brothers, there is Hall of Fame expectations for Young. Other names higher up on the list was Cardinals’ LB Isaiah Simmons at +850, Bills’ edge rusher A.J. Epenesa at +1300, and Ravens’ LB Patrick Queen at +1700.

McKinney should be a person of interest when talking about the DROY race. The majority of the winners of this award recently have been defensive ends and linebackers, but McKinney could be a sneaky pick. Considering his draft position, and scheme fit in first-year DC Patrick Graham’s unit in New York, McKinney could be one of the steals of the draft. Usage of a heavy blitz package can unleash McKinney’s potential. As one of Nick Saban’s best defensive products, playing for someone who used to coach under Saban, like Joe Judge, could be a recipe for success.

Considered by many draft analysts to be the number one safety in the draft, snagging a first-round talent in the second round is always something to look forward to. With his high football IQ and overall toughness on the field, McKinney could be the defensive playmaker that the Giants have desperately missed over the last couple of seasons.

New York Giants: How Will Patrick Graham Utilize The Giants’ Safety Trio?

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New York Giants, Patrick Graham

The New York Giants have a trio of talented safeties on their roster. Jabrill Peppers is entering his second season with the team, as is former cornerback Julian Love. Love’s experience at cornerback made him a solid option as a coverage safety while Jabrill Peppers’s high-speed, hard-hitting playstyle made him an ideal box safety. Now the Giants are adding a third safety to the mix, Xavier McKinney, who is kind of a perfect blend of Love and Peppers. McKinney can play deep coverage and stuff the run in the box.

That makes for a plethora of versatile talent at the safety position for the Giants. Sometimes it can be difficult for defensive coordinators to utilize such versatile talent in their defensive schemes. The Giants hired Patrick Graham this offseason to be their new defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Graham will run a blitz-heavy multiple defense that emphasizes versatility.

Multiple Defensive Looks

The Giants ran a 3-4 defense under James Bettcher over the last two seasons. Bettcher received plenty of criticism during his time in New York as the defense often underperformed. The Giants’ hiring of Patrick Graham is exciting because he is as versatile and aggressive as a defensive coordinator can get. Patrick Graham will run a multiple, blitz-heavy defensive scheme with the Giants.

“The scheme is going to be based on the [personnel],” Graham said. “You can anticipate it being multiple. . . People ask if it’ll be 4-3 or 3-4, and I say yes. 2-4? Yes. 3-3-5? Yes. However you want to rearrange the front 7 or all 11, yes.” – Patrick Graham in an interview with Giants.com, via Giants Wire

Based on the personnel and the opposing offense, the Giants’ defensive scheme will change. One week they could play primarily in a 3-4 and the next week it could primarily be a 4-3 defense. This will keep opposing offenses guessing and allow Patrick Graham to get the best out of his players. Some weeks, the Giants will run mostly single-high safety looks, but Graham could also opt to run plenty of two-safety looks and even some three-safety rotations.

Typically there are only two starting safeties on a defense. But the Giants have three starting-caliber safeties in Love, McKinney, and Peppers. Luckily, Patrick Graham is determined to get the best players on the field, so they will all be rotated in depending on their matchups and could even see extended time on the field together.

Safety Blitzes

Patrick Graham loves to blitz. With the Miami Dolphins in 2019, Graham blitzed frequently:

“The Dolphins Blitzed on 35% of their snaps, 41% on third down (which was the third-most in the league). The Dolphins ran man to man coverage 50% of the time in the 2019 season and would often show blitz and drop back into coverage. This was a great strategy in the Graham defense, keeping opposing offenses on their toes because of the constant blitzing formations.” – via Jack Quartararo of Empire Sports Media

One of the most exciting aspects of Graham’s defense is the way he blitzes. Graham loves to utilize defensive back blitzes, and he has the talent to blitz his safeties with extreme efficiency. According to Pro Football Focus, Xavier McKinney earned an 89.2 coverage grade as a junior while also recording 10 pressures. In the past two years, Xavier recorded 21 pressures across 71 pass-rushing snaps. Graham’s usage of the safety blitz will allow Xavier McKinney to make an instant impact on this defense in his rookie season.

New York Giants: 2 rookie who can be major contributors on defense in 2020

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New York Giants, Darnay Holmes

Here are two New York Giants rookie that could have a significant impact on defense next season:

The Giants’ defense in 2019 ranked 30th in the NFL, as they injected youth from the previous draft class into the unit in hopes of developing a foundation. The secondary was extremely young, consisting of DeAndre Baker, Julian Love, Sam Beal, and Corey Ballentine. All of these players received live reps and started a majority of games as a whole.

However, they failed to play at a high-level and ultimately put the Giants in a difficult position. In the most recent draft, they spent two picks on shoring up positions of need. They landed Xavier McKinney, the top-rated safety on the board, and Darnay Holmes, a projected nickel corner in the NFL.

Both players have immense potential, especially McKinney, who is coming out of Alabama, which closely represents an NFL style defense. He is essentially the next best thing after Isaiah Simmons, having totaled 95 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, 3.0 sacks, five passes defended, and seven total turnovers.

While Holmes’ statistics don’t look nearly as impressive as McKinney’s, as he battled a high ankle sprain but returned prematurely against the advice of medical professionals.
Holmes couldn’t bear to sit out his expected last season with UCLA due to injury, and playing on a bad ankle severely limited his efficiency in coverage.

Nonetheless, it attests to his mentality and how committed he was to the team. That is an excellent sign for the Giants in terms of leadership and intangible qualities. He will be a great addition to the locker room and hopefully lock down the slot corner position, a spot that has been problematic for the Giants in recent years.

Overall, these two players have the opportunity to earn significant starting time on defense and could end up being two of the more significant contributors in 2020. McKinney has the diversity and adaptability to move around the defense from a deep look to a strong safety position closer to the line of scrimmage. While Holmes played primarily outside corner in college, he looked fantastic as a nickel corner during the Senio Bowl.

These are two players we should be extremely excited to see moving forward and could revolutionize the defense.

New York Giants: Why Xavier McKinney Will Make An Instant Impact

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New York Giants, Xavier McKinney

The New York Giants have invested heavily in their secondary over the past two offseasons. In 2019, New York drafted three defensive backs. In 2020, the Giants doubled down, drafting three more defensive backs and signing free agent James Bradberry to a large contract.

One of the Giants’ most exciting picks in the secondary came in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. With that thirty-sixth overall pick, the New York Giants selected safety Xavier McKinney out of Alabama. McKinney was projected to be a first-round pick but the Giants were lucky enough to steal him in the second round. McKinney joins the Giants’ youthful secondary as one of the team’s most talented defensive playmakers.

A Potentially Elite Safety Duo

Xavier McKinney joins a young secondary that already featured a talented safety in Jabrill Peppers. Peppers was impressive for the Giants in 2019, prior to suffering a season-ending injury. The former Cleveland Brown totaled 76 combined tackles in 11 games. He also added 3 forced fumbles, 5 passes defended, and 1 interception (a pick-six).

Peppers is an ideal box-safety. He has the physicality and playing style of a linebacker but he has the speed and body type of a safety. Peppers and McKinney are similar in this way. They both have the ability to make an impact in coverage and against the run. They truly have the potential to create an elite duo. But McKinney’s role in the defense will be a bit more diverse than Peppers’s.

A Versatile Talent

Jabrill Peppers is excellent in the box and can play coverage well enough to where he is not a liability. But Xavier McKinney can play coverage well enough to shut down some opposing targets. One of Xavier’s most coveted traits leading up to the draft was his ability to take opposing tight ends out of the game.

Additionally, McKinney has received tons of praise for the work he does as a pass-rusher. According to Pro Football Focus, McKinney earned an 89.2 coverage grade as a junior while also recording 10 pressures. In the past two years, Xavier recorded 21 pressures across 71 pass-rushing snaps. The Giants needed someone to rush the passer and someone to guard tight ends. McKinney will fill both of those roles.

While coaching the Miami defense in 2019, Graham blitzed on 35% of their snaps, which ranked seventh in frequency among all NFL teams. On third down, the unit blitzed 41% of the time, which was the third-highest rate. Graham utilized linebackers and safeties significantly on blitzes and to drop back in coverage. Both Peppers and McKinney will be used heavily in that role and likely interchange to keep defenses on their toes. – via Alex Wilson of Empire Sports Media

Plenty of fans wanted to see the Giants draft Isaiah Simmons with the fourth overall pick. Simmons possesses elite versatility as a linebacker, lining up all over Clemson’s defense. The Giants opted to go a different route but ultimately landed the next-best-thing in the second round of the draft with Xavier McKinney. In college, Xavier McKinney played over 200 snaps at three different positions; 323 snaps in the box, 227 in the slot, and 271 deep (PFF).

Xavier McKinney is an extraordinary talent. He can do so many different things on the football field and he does all of them well. McKinney is also a perfect fit in Patrick Graham’s scheme which places a large emphasis on man-coverage and disguised blitzes. Combining his talents with this scheme will lead to instant success for the Giants’ new safety.

How does New York Giants’ safety Xavier McKinney fit into Patrick Graham’s plans?

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New York Giants, Xavier McKinney, Jabrill Peppers

Taking a look at how New York Giants DC Patrick Graham might look to utilize Xavier McKinney:

Before we dive into Xavier McKinney and what he’s capable of, let’s take a look at Patrick Graham and what he brings to the Giants. Graham is familiar with head coach Joe Judge, having spent time coaching for the Patriots between 2009-15. He served as a coaching assistant, defensive assistant, linebackers coach, and defensive line coach during his tenure. His familiarity with Judge will allow him to adapt to his style of coaching and already brings a basic understanding of the type of schemes he tends to rely on.

Graham also has experience with the Giants, featuring as the defensive line coach between the 2016-17 seasons. The Giants’ defense was the most improved in the league during 2016, and he was a major factor in helping their defensive front dominate across-the-board. They allowed just 17.8 points per game, which ranked as the second-best in the NFL. This was the best the Giants had performed in the category since 2002.

What type of defense is Graham bringing to the Giants?

Right off the bat, we can take a few things away from his 2019 season with the Miami Dolphins. Graham loves to blitz from the linebacker and safety positions, having blitzed on 35% of their snaps, ranking seventh-highest in the NFL. On third down, he blitzed 41% of the time, which was the third-highest rate in the league. He will utilize a 3-4 defense primarily, featuring two outside linebackers, a middle linebacker, and inside linebacker. However, he loves to utilize his safeties in various looks, which will incorporate Xavier McKinney and Jabrill peppers.

This is where McKinney enters the frame, as the Giants’ second-round pick out of Alabama in the 2020 NFL draft. Last year, McKinney tallied 95 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles. He also logged three sacks, showing off his ability to rush the passer from the safety position. His elite game speed and ability to create turnovers will be a godsend for Graham and the Giants’ defense. His ability to drop deep into coverage and act as a ball hawk is another attribute McKinney brings to the table.

Overall, Xavier can play in a deep half safety role, climb up to the line of scrimmage, and cover tight ends in a strong safety position. I expect him and Jabrill peppers to rotate and keep defenses on their toes. Seeing how Graham utilizes the athletic duo will be extremely exciting.

New York Giants’ safety duo of Jabrill Peppers and Xavier McKinney can be elite

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New York Giants, Xavier McKinney, Jabrill Peppers

The safety duo of Jabrill Peppers and Xavier McKinney can be elite for the New York Giants:

On paper, New York Giants‘ safety Jabrill Peppers and 2020 2nd-round draft pick Xavier McKinney are very similar. Both are able to play up in the box and free safety on defense, attesting to their versatility and dynamic styles of play.

However, before this duo can reach its potential and play at an elite level, we must look at each individual player and how they fit into defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s scheme.

While coaching the Miami defense in 2019, Graham blitzed on 35% of their snaps, which ranked seventh in frequency among all NFL teams. On third down, the unit blitzed 41% of the time, which was the third-highest rate. GRaham utilized linebackers and safeties significantly on blitzes and to drop back in coverage. Both Peppers and McKinney will be used heavily in that role and likely interchange to keep defenses on their toes.

Expect to a varying amount of players with their hand in the dirt at the line of scrimmage or standing tall, looking as if they’re going to blitz but actually dropping back into coverage. While Miami’s defense ranked among the worst in the league last season, Graham didn’t have much talent utilize. After trading Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dolphins were void of much quality at any position.

I anticipate seeing plenty of three safety looks with the McKinney, Peppers, and second-year player, Julian Love. The Giants will likely stick with a base 3-4 defense, which consists of two outside linebackers, three interior defensive linemen, a middle linebacker, and an inside linebacker.

For a majority of snaps, McKinney will likely be in the free safety spot while Peppers manning the box. However, Xavier can easily move up to the line of scrimmage and rush the passer, as he tallied three sacks as a junior for Alabama last season. His five tackles for a loss were also impressive, and his ability to create turnovers should indicate him being around the ball plenty. He caused four forced fumbles and intercepted three passes in 2019. The Giants haven’t had a capable safety like McKinney in years, and pairing him with Peppers, who also recorded three forced fumbles and one interception, could be extremely successful.

As for Peppers, his stats saw a major increase last season in five fewer games compared to 2018. He equaled or improved in every category at the strong safety position with the Giants, after moving from free safety spot with the Cleveland Browns two seasons ago. His special team snaps saw a major decrease with Big Blue (61% in 2018 to 3% in 2019), though, which could have played a part in his fatigue.

The hope is that Peppers can fully recover from a hip injury that ended his season prematurely. If McKinney can develop quickly and lock down the defensive backfield, it will give Jabrill more range and mobility to rush the passer and lockdown opposing tight ends. The Giants were burned far too often on deep plays in 2019, directly correlated to lackluster performances from Antoine Bethea at free safety and poor cornerback play.

New York Giants: Nick Saban tells us exactly what we want to hear with Xavier McKinney

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New York Giants, Xavier McKinney

When the New York Giants selected safety Xavier McKinney with their second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, most were pleasantly surprised he was still available. Going into the draft as the top-rated safety, the Giants filled the position with great talent and potential. His ability to move up into a strong safety role and rush the passer is unique, allowing defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to utilize his skillset appropriately.

In 2019, McKinney tallied 95 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, 3.0 sacks, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles. His seven total turnovers were impressive, and the hope is he can translate that to the NFL level — a category the Giants struggled in last season,

The New York Giants are getting a high-ceiling player with Xavier McKinney:

McKinney is just 20 years old, attesting to his youth and developmental potential. As a junior in 2019, he was one of the best safeties and defensive players in college football, and bringing his talents over to the New York Giants as a second-round pick represents stellar value. Playing on a high caliber defense with Alabama allowed him to see what an NFL style scheme might look like.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban had nothing but good things to say about McKinney, who played a defense similar to the scheme Saban utilized while coaching the Dolphins and acting as Bill Belichick‘s defensive coordinator in Cleveland many years ago. When the six-time national champion head coach says something good about a player, it is best to listen and consider it.

“I think it’ll be helpful to him because we do – when I was coach at the Dolphins or Bill Belichick’s defensive coordinator in Cleveland – we do a lot of the same stuff here from a coverage standpoint, from a secondary standpoint,” the six-time national champion head coach said on the “Giants Huddle” podcast. “So our guys typically make good adjustments. I know a few years ago we had six guys sign NFL contracts and five of them ended up starting as rookies. Even though this will be a transition, I think most of the things that ‘X’ is going to be exposed to, he’s probably done. They might call it something different. I think it’ll be an easy transition for him.”

Mckinney’s diversity as a player, and the ability to play man coverage makes him much more than just a free safety. He is a fantastic tackler and brings toughness and speed to the game. While his 40-yard dash was a bit lackluster, he was dealing with cramps, and his game speed far surpasses one inadequate drill at the combine. Patrick Graham will have an excellent time utilizing him as a Blitzer, considering his style and high percentage blitz right from the safety and linebacker positions across the board. Expect to see McKinney very active on defense and playing a similar role to Jabrill peppers at times, confusing the opposing offense frequently.