There’s a real chance that the player with the biggest immediate rookie impact for the New York Giants isn’t Daniel Jones or Dexter Lawrence, but cornerback DeAndre Baker, who was the Giants’ third and last pick of the first round after the team traded up for another pick just to select him. The Giants did take somewhat of a risk with that move but it looks like their risk will pay off with a quality addition joining the team.
Baker has been praised throughout offseason activities as a quick learner and a player that could immediately start and become a difference maker at cornerback, a position of need that doesn’t have much depth outside of Janoris Jenkins. Going into training camp, the positive press around Baker has stayed the same.
From Baker’s talk with the Giants website, it looks like his offseason has gone well so far. “Learning from the older guys who gave me pointers to better my game. Just the experience, and getting more and more every day and learning more, that’s how I bettered my game so far,” Baker said.
Baker also talked specifically about Janoris Jenkins, who will fill the veteran corner role this year in a secondary with plenty of young talent – including three rookie cornerbacks drafted this year, one of which is Baker.
“He said it is all in the playbook. Once you learn the playbook, you get to play fast without thinking, without questioning yourself or your moves. As long as you get in the playbook and watch film, it helps you on the field,” Baker said about Jenkins’ advice.
“They won some battles. I won some battles and we are competing every day. They are getting me better and I’m getting them better. That’s what I like to do, compete,” Baker added on the subject of competition with the team’s receivers.
Will Baker be a starter? That’s unknown right now, as there’s competition from a number of others – most notably from rookie Julian Love. But one thing is certain at this point in the offseason: in a year with a controversial first round pick, it looks like the Giants managed to find at least some almost guaranteed value in the 2019 draft, at a position of need nonetheless.