Creating takeaways is next step for Tyler Nubin
When the New York Giants lost safety Xavier McKinney in free agency a season ago they drafted Tyler Nubin out of Minnesota in Round 2 to soften the blow.
Nubin had 13 interceptions in 55 games for the Golden Gophers, and it was hoped that he would bring that ball-hawking production to the back of the Giants’ defense.
Nubin played fairly well in his rookie season, making 98 tackles in 13 games and starts. The hoped-for ball production wasn’t there, however, as he had no interceptions and just one pass defensed.
With an upgraded secondary that now includes safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo, plus a year of experience for Nubin, the Giants are hoping to see that ball production emerge.
Pro Football and Sports Network believes it might, naming Nubin its breakout candidate for the Giants.
From PFSN:
Tyler Nubin made an immediate impact in the New York Giants’ secondary, quickly establishing himself as a reliable presence on the back end. The second-round pick out of Minnesota started 13 games as a rookie before an ankle injury cut his season short, finishing with 98 tackles and four tackles for loss.
Nubin’s instincts and tackling ability helped stabilize a defense among the league’s better units for much of the year before fading down the stretch. With the departure of Xavier McKinney, who earned All-Pro honors in Green Bay, the Giants are looking to Nubin to step into a leadership role in his second season.
Nubin showed flashes of high-level play as a rookie and now has the opportunity to build on that foundation. If he continues to develop, he could become the next cornerstone of the Giants’ defense and a key figure in their secondary for years to come.
Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has encouraged ball production this offseason, telling players to “be a damn pirate” and using a turnover chest to celebrate when his players earn a takeaway.
A step forward from Nubin would help fulfill Bowen’s goal of creating more takeaways.