New York Giants defensive playmaker primed for leadership role in 2020

New York Giants, Jabrill Peppers
Jun 4, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants free safety Jabrill Peppers answers questions from media during mini camp at Quest Diagnostic Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants have desperately lacked a true leader on defense the past few seasons. Landon Collins was the closest thing to a leader before GM Dave Gettleman completely overhauled the unit and put the team on a different track.

However, one young gun who displayed an increase in productivity last season could be the captain they need on defense, and his name is Jabrill Peppers.

When Gettleman initially traded Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns, most were up in arms, but ever since the deal went down, the Giants have seemed to gain the most value. They essentially swapped OBJ for Dexter Lawrence, Jabrill Peppers, and Oshane Ximines, two regular starting players, and another developmental pass rusher who recorded 4.5 sacks on just 45% of defensive snaps last season.

The New York Giants have their defensive playmaker in Jabrill Peppers:

Peppers started his third season as a professional well, before Pat Shurmur elected to throw him out there as a kick returner, which resulted in a hip injury that ended his season prematurely. Replacing Collins for Peppers has paid off in dividends so far, considering the former Giants second-round pick saw his missed tackle rate balloon from 8.0% to 12.0% in 2019. The former Brown, though, landed at 12.5%, a bit worse than Collins, but his numbers in coverage were far better.

Peppers allowed a 63.9 completion percentage while Collins landed at 70.1, a significant difference altogether. A more intriguing comparison:

Peppers allowed 268 yards and one touchdown over 11 games last season, while Collins gave up 467 yards and five scores in 16 games. If you average that out, Jabrill conceded 389 yards and one score, far less than Collins gave up, especially in the touchdown category. This is an indication of red-zone defense and efficiency in that area by Peppers.

The Giants need their relatively new strong safety to grow into a leadership role, as they cut Antoine Bethea and have a new secondary in need of veterans who can command the locker room. His tenacity and grit make him a dependable player for defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham.