Instant analysis: Giants select CB Andru Phillips in Round 3 of NFL Draft

The New York Giants on Friday selected defensive back Andru Phillips out of Kentucky with the 70th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Phillips is a compact — but not exactly undersized — defensive back at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds. He doesn’t have great long speed with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash, but he has an exceptionally explosive lower body with a (fairly ridiculous) 42-inch vertical and 11-foot-3 broad jump.

Phillips was announced as a cornerback, but much like Cooper DeJean, he might not have a defined role in the secondary. He lacks the traits to be a man coverage corner — which isn’t a concern in Shane Bowen’s defense — but has upside in zone coverage. He has good instincts to go with awareness, discipline, and communication skills in zone, which are more important than raw athleticism.

Phillips has the versatility to play inside or outside, which could allow the Giants to try multiple combinations of Phillips, Cor’Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins, and Darnay Holmes to best fill out their secondary.

Phillips also has the traits — most notably his physicality — to play safety if they want to experiment with more exotic sub-packages. He has a quick downhill trigger, is a reliable tackler, and is a willing defender in the running game.

It’s worth noting that while Phillips has played a lot of zone coverage, he isn’t a ballhawk on tape. He had 5 passes defensed in each of the last two seasons and no interceptions. That’s a notable contrast to second round pick safety Tyler Nubin, who had 9 interceptions the last two years.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Giants fill out and rebuild their secondary this summer.