Most people probably have no idea who Dravon Askew-Henry is. The New York Giants recently signed the former XFL stand out as an addition to their defensive backs to brew competition during the 2020 preseason.
Henry is a Pennsylvania native, and most are unaware that he is a cousin of former Jets All-Pro cornerback Darelle Revis. Henry comes from a long lineage of talented football players, and he was on pace to being a draft pick in 2019. Unfortunately, an ACL injury suffered in 2016 put him at a disadvantage and hurt his physical skill set. However, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, but his stint in the NFL was short.
Askew-Henry made subsequent stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots before eventually landing with the XFL last season. The New York Guardians under head coach Kevin Gilbride landed Askew-Henry, and while the XFL season was cut short, he recorded 12 tackles and six pass breakups.
So, where does Henry fit into a crowded New York Giants defensive backfield?
As a defensive back, he will be competing with rookie Xavier McKinney, second-year player Julian Love, Corey Ballentine, Darnay Holmes, Chris Williamson, and more.
He has a tall task ahead of him if he wants to earn a spot on the active roster, but based on his film, Askew-Henry possesses the athletic ability to compete at the NFL level. He has the power and explosiveness to shoot downhill and stop the run if need be, and he is a fundamentally sound player that could fill a role on special teams in a worst-case scenario. I expect him to compete for the starting nickel role, where there’s currently an open spot available for the taking.
Do I think Askew-Henry is a Darkhorse player? Probably not.
However, you can’t write off players too early, and all New York Giants fans know that after seeing what Victor Cruz became at the wide receiver position. Nonetheless, there’s a ton of competition in the secondary, but a lot of the talent available is not at an above-average or elite level, giving Askew-Henry a solid chance of landing an active spot if he can hold his own during training camp.