Tyler Nubin Is Making Major Impact On Giants' Defense

Playing any position at the NFL level as a rookie can be very difficult. Usually, when drafting a college prospect, teams are not anticipating the player to produce immediately, especially if they are not a first-round pick. Rather, the rookie is expected to progress as the season goes on and then play his way into more playing time while becoming a long-term contributor for the organization. 

That is particularly true for a defensive back, considering the NFL has notoriously gone out of its way to favor a passing-centric style of play. Having to play a reactionary-based position against experienced players while the odds are already stacked against you is an immense challenge, and a learning curve generally comes along with that. Unless, of course, you are Tyler Nubin.

In addition to parting ways with star running back Saquon Barkley this offseason, the New York Giants lost one other key player; safety Xavier McKinney signed a four-year contract with the Packers. With McKinney tied for the league lead in interceptions, it is easy for Giants fans to point to that as a reason for their demise, headlined by a 2-10 record. Nevertheless, the safety position has been far from the team’s concerns this season.

That is all thanks to Nubin, who was not given any sort of grace period to adjust to the NFL level. In fact, of New York’s 756 available defensive snaps this season, he has appeared in 754 of them. That, my friends, is the definition of durability and consistency. Furthermore, it is not as though his production has been lacking. His 93 combined tackles are not only tied for the most on the team but rank third among all safeties. Furthermore, while the two safeties ahead of him have been charged with double-digit missed tackles, Nubin only has been charged with five. 

A safety’s job, as implied by the name, is to keep the defense safe; that is, to keep plays in front of him. Nubin, with a tremendous combination of creating tackle opportunities and converting them, is doing just that. From a pure tackle perspective, the rookie safety is continuing to make an even larger impact:

That November slate was capped off with three straight performances with 12 tackles, all tied for the highest game total in his early career. The most exciting part of this? Nubin’s ability to perform as a tackler was not considered his strong suit out of college. He set a school record at the University of Minnesota with 13 career interceptions and added 11 more passes defended for good measure. This led to a glowing report by our scouting staff this past February.

Although he did not rate out as well athletically as other safety prospects, Nubin’s instincts and ball skills were more than enough for the Giants to make him the top safety selected in this past draft. While the team as a whole has struggled, that is more due to the lowest-scoring offense in the NFL than a defense that has relatively held its own (18th in points allowed per game), despite having the fewest interceptions in the NFL.

Speaking of which, considering his ball production in college, it is a surprise that Nubin has not yet recorded an interception as a pro. That being said, considering his reputation, it is only a matter of time before that takes place. For instance, he showed his tremendous ability as a coverage defender with a slick pass breakup on Mike Evans in Week 12.

Additionally, with other contributing rookies such as wide receiver Malik Nabers, tight end Theo Johnson, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., and cornerback Andru Phillips, the Giants can hang their hats on a very strong draft class to go along with Nubin. That does not erase their 2-10 start to the season, a record that may very well become worse over the next month. That being said, what it does provide is optimism. With the organization in prime position to select a top quarterback prospect next April, they need to be sure there is a core in place to make the quick turnaround that the city is going to demand from them. Players like Nubin are going to play an essential role, and it would not be surprising to see him emerge as one of the top players at his position relatively soon. For a second-round pick? That is the definition of getting more than you ever could have bargained for.