The New York Giants need all the help they can get in the secondary. After consecutive seasons of a shaky defensive backfield, the Giants finally went out and spent a high round draft pick on a free safety. Landing Xavier McKinney, in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, should see positive returns.
McKinney will permanently replace Antoine Bethea, who struggled to lock down the deep half of the field. He was more efficient in stopping the run in a strong safety role. McKinney has excellent tackling fundamentals and elite game speed, making him a threat in every facet.
The Giants have a few other safeties that are looking to earn playing time or at least find a spot on the roster. One of them is Dravon Askew-Henry, formally a player on the New York Guardians. The XFL stand-out was signed by Big Blue to shore up the depth at safety.
Dravon Askew-Henry has the genetics
Interestingly, Henry is a cousin of former New York Jets All-Pro cornerback, Darrelle Revis. The former Guardian has spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots before landing in the XFL. He played under former Giants coach Kevin Gilbride.
The Pennsylvania native comes from a long lineage of NFL players, making him the next in line for success. The problem is, he has plenty of competition. Players like McKinney, Julian Love, and even Corey Ballentine, Darnay Holmes, and Chris Williamson represent alternatives at safety and cornerback.
Henry possesses the athletic ability but lacks the fundamentals and instinct to be a premium player in the NFL. Given his inability to stick on NFL teams in the past, history would tell us that he won’t amount to much. However, it is possible he could land a special teams gig and sneak his way onto the active roster.
Writing him off too early would be ignorant, and giving him the preseason and training camp to adapt to the Giants’ defense could surprise us. Scheme fits can often be detrimental to a player’s success or failure. With Patrick Graham bringing a heavy man coverage scheme to the Giants with frequent blitzing, Henry could find himself in a position to succeed and stick with an NFL team for the first time in his career.