The New York Giants’ rebuilt secondary had some young and exciting pieces emerge this summer. As Big Blue gears up for Week 1, rookie safety Tyler Nubin is ascending into the starting lineup and preparing to be an essential member of the defense this season.
Tyler Nubin named among rookies who “popped” in preseason
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com recently broke down 10 rookies from across the NFL “who showed serious flashes” during the preseason, including Nubin (h/t Giants.com):
“Nubin is a ballhawk with superb instincts, awareness and range playing behind a front line that will make quarterbacks uneasy within the pocket,” Brooks wrote. “As a potential rookie starter with a game that perfectly fits the way the Giants want to play under new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, Nubin is a star-in-waiting in New York.”
New defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has expressed his confidence in Nubin, citing the rookie’s continuous improvements as a reason to be encouraged:
“He continues to get better,” Bowen said. “He continues to improve each day.”
Nubin missed the beginning of training camp with a calf injury. In the meantime, third-year safety Dane Belton filled in as the starter. However, it did not take long for Nubin to reclaim the starting job upon his return.
In the Giants’ first preseason game against the Detroit Lions, Nubin made an excellent tackle for loss, barrelling through an offensive lineman en route to stuffing the running back behind the line of scrimmage:
His physicality was on full display this summer as Nubin carved out a big role in the defense. Nubin’s ability to make plays against the run will be essential to the Giants’ defense this season.
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Nubin will be essential to the success of the Giants’ defense
Nubin is a 23-year-old safety entering his first season in the NFL after wrapping up an elite, five-year collegiate career. He was the No. 1 safety and No. 31 overall player on Pro Football Focus’s 2024 Big Board and is Minnesota‘s all-time leader in interceptions (13). According to PFF, Nubin recorded a 33.0 passer rating allowed in coverage since 2021.
The Giants lost star safety Xavier McKinney in free agency this offseason. To offset that loss, they drafted Nubin in the second round. The Minnesota product has elite production as a free safety, combining his ball skills and football IQ to become a playmaker against both the run and the pass.
As the projected starter in Week 1, the Giants are excited to have such a talented rookie serve as their last line of defense.
