At just 5-foot-9 and 163-pounds, New York Giants cornerback, Donte Deayon, stands tall. His pride and grit are the staple of his personality and motivation to continue forward in his ultimate dream – start for an NFL team.
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/901602859816337408
As the Giants approach training camp, Deayon will be seeking what might be his final chance at getting onto the active roster. In his rookie season, Deayon played in just four games, recording seven tackles. While his statistics don’t shine, and taller, more physical receivers toyed with him in coverage, his determination has not swayed.
After just 94 snaps of live-action, Deayon was forced to injured reserve with a forearm ailment. He finished the season with a Pro Football Focus grade of 59.1. Despite his porous start to his professional career, there was one intriguing number that stood out.
With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie & Ross Cockrell no longer on the #Giants roster, Donte Deayon could see an increased role.@AyoItsND had the best Coverage Snaps per Target rate (8.5) among #BigBlue CBs last season. https://t.co/ej7OrkxsjJ
— PFF NY Giants (@PFF_Giants) May 24, 2018
The good news for Deayon:
The Giants failed to put together a strong secondary with depth this offseason, which ultimately opens up several positions for the taking. This is Deayon’s opportunity to strike, as there’s little depth behind Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, and William Gay. There are spots for the taking and the big-hearted corner has the mental strength to get there. Unfortunately, Deayon’s fate lies in the hands of his physical attributes and abilities.
Behind the starting three, B.W. Webb, Teddy Williams, Curtis Riley and Chris Lewis-Harris all offer competition. Deayon’s one year of experience with the Giants helps, but it might not be enough to guarantee him a spot. The bottom line, there’s two backup cornerback spots available, and there are five players vying for it. This will be a competition to keep an eye out for during training camp and pre-season.