Big Blue Huddle

Cosell

THEO JOHNSON'S 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 259 lbs.
40-Time: 4.57
10-Yard Split: 1.55
Vertical: 39.5"
Broad Jump: 10'5"
3-Cone: 7.15
Shuttle: 4.19

THEO JOHNSON 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS:
Alignment versatility in playing attached and detached to the formation, in the slot and split wide.
Very good size and strength allows him to have success engaging and maintain blocks in run, screen game.
Solid run blocker. Moves feet well and works hands to stay engaged with room for improvement with coaching.
Good tempo and pace as a blocker, allowing him to take the right angles and stay under control when in space.
Deceptive speed due to being a long strider and covers ground well vertically (good down the seams).
Good feel for route running in relation to coverage in how he uses his stem to set up his routes and separate.
Uses size well to make contested catches. Good catch radius to secure passes outside of his frame (RZ target).
Solid runner after the catch, who uses a blend of speed and power to pick up additional yards.

WEAKNESSES:
Better vertically than laterally. More smooth than sudden in his movements as route runner and ball carrier.
Upright playing style with stiff hips and choppy footwork when redirecting laterally, effecting separation ability.
Struggles to separate against quicker defenders on short to intermediate routes, especially in man coverage.
Willing and capable blocker, but due to his size, he plays upright at the point of contact, at times limiting his movement.

NFL TRANSITION:
Johnson possesses the position versatility to be used in multiple personnel groups and schemes because of his ability to play attached and detached, especially in the slot and use in the red zone as matchup problem for opposing defenses. His ability to block allows him to be to be either a primary TE or secondary TE in multiple TE sets.

Very good blocker who plays under control with good technique at the point of attack while possessing the athleticism and movement skills to stay engaged. Big frame and catch radius allow him to make catches in traffic or over the middle of the field.

He is a long strider with deceptive vertical speed to allow him to attack the seams. He struggles to redirect laterally as a route runner due to his upright playing style limiting his separation out of sharper in and out-breaking routes. He has a good feel for defensive coverage schemes and finding voids when running his routes, especially over the middle down the seams.

Overall, Johnson is an all-around TE with noticeable upside potential, who has the ability to contribute as a run blocker and as a versatile pass catcher who can make plays from attached or detached alignment. Johnson can be a Year 1 contributor in multiple TE sets and eventually develop into a solid No. 1 TE.

OTHER NOTES:
Johnson came out of Canada as 4-star recruit and was ranked 61st in the National across all positions and ranked third at the TE position. Was selected to play in the Under Armour All-American Game prior to going to Penn State.

Started in 28 games over his last three seasons and was All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2023. Finished his career with 77 receptions, 938 yards and 12 TDs (7 TDs in 2023). Tied for fourth in the National among TEs with 11 receiving TDs over the last two seasons.

In 2022, Johnson had very good alignment versatility with 71 routes run from an attached TE alignment with 76 routes run from a slot alignment and 33 routes run from an outside WR alignment, having most of his success catching the ball and production from an attached alignment (13 receptions for 168 yards and 3 TDs). He had some success from the slot with six receptions for 132 yards and 1 TD.

In 2023, Johnson again had very good alignment versatility. He had even more routes run from a detached alignment in the slot, with 121 routes and 13 receptions for 127 yards and 3 TDs, with 24 routes run from an outside alignment (151 routes detached from formation) and had 97 routes run from an attached alignment with 17 catches for 185 yards and 4 TDs.


McGinn

4. THEO JOHNSON, Penn State (6-6, 261, 4.62, 3-4): Helped himself at the combine with a solid 40, a 39 ½-inch vertical jump and a position-best short shuttle of 4.19. "I'd rather take a shot on him than Sanders," one scout said. "He's on the upside. He's got assertiveness with his blocking but he's not consistent with his blocking. He can make hard, adjusting catches but he can't run after the catch. He doesn't make people miss in space." Started 29 of 45 games over four years, finishing with 77 receptions for 938 (12.2) and 12 TDs. "He's a little bit intriguing," said another scout. "He's a big guy. He's fast. He'll give you effort as a blocker. He's much improved in that area. He's got ball skills. He's a really clunky mover, a really unnatural route runner. He's Canadian, so he's raw. I thought he might go back to school. If somebody really wants one they might take him in the third but I don't think he's worth that." From Windsor, Ontario.


NFL.com

By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Round 3

Overview
Highly recruited out of high school, Johnson looks the part with an above-average frame and traits. While teams might want to place him in an elevated silo for consideration, they might not find the consistency or high number of flashes on tape that they were expecting. Johnson's run blocking is below average for his size, and adopting a glass-eating mentality in conjunction with technique work could help him improve in that area. He'll make contested catches and is adequate against man coverage, but he lacks dynamic qualities as a pass catcher. Traits will work in his favor, but there is work to be done to become anything more than an average backup.

Strengths
Excellent size and build with good musculation across his frame.
Displays decent lift with hips/hands when fitting up his base block.
Widens base and runs his feet through initial contact.
Runs routes with proper leverage to stem and separate at break point.
Will make the contested catch more times than not.

Weaknesses
Tends to drift rather than sit down when sinking into zone voids.
Not a very dynamic runner after the ball is in his hands.
Waist-bending into run blocks allows edge defender to slip off and around.
Missing a hard-hat run-blocking mentality as a Y tight end.
Needs to improve his mirror-and-strike talent against moving fronts.
GRADE

Brugler


THEO JOHNSON | Penn State 6061 | 259 lbs. | 4SR Windsor, Ontario (Holy Names) 2/26/2001 (age 23.16) #84
BACKGROUND: Theodore "Theo" Johnson, the thirdoldestof six boys, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba (north of the Minnesota-Canada border). His parents (Nate
and Amy)moved the family to Brampton and then Cambridge (both in Ontario, just outside of Toronto), and Johnson started playing football in second grade. In
January 2009, Amy and her sixboys left a difficult and allegedly abusive situation at home — Theo reportedly referred to it as an "escape" — and Nate was given a
nine-month jail sentence (he was released on time served). For the next three months, Amy (in school at the time studying social development at Waterloo) and the
boys were forced to live in alternative housing. They attended food banks to make ends meet. The family moved to Windsor, Ontario in August 2012, so Amy could
attend law school at the University of Windsor. She graduated with her law degree in 2015 and is now a family law litigator — shemade partner at her firm in 2021.
Johnson attended Holy Names Catholic High School in Windsor, where he was a two-year letterman as a wide receiver (Canadianrulesfootball). He led the program
to back-to-back city and region championships in 2018 and 2019 and was named All-City and All-Canada both years. Johnson caught 18 touchdowns over his junior
and senior seasons and was named an Under Armour All-American.
A four-star recruit, Johnson was the No. 3 tight end in the 2020 recruiting class (behind Arik Gilbert and Michael Mayer) and the No. 1 recruit from Ontario. He was
the No. 72 recruit nationally (a few spots ahead of RB Jahmyr Gibbs). He was an unknown in the recruiting world until the summer of 2018, when he impressed at the
Grand Valley State "Best of the Midwest" recruiting camp. Bowling Green offered him on the spot,followed by Cincinnati and Toledo. Over the next calendar year,
Johnson attracted a few dozen scholarship offers from some of the nation's top programs, like Alabama, Florida State and Ohio State. He narrowed down his choice
to Georgia, Iowa, Michigan and Penn State,and he committed to head coach James Franklin in December 2019. Johnson enrolled early and was the second-ranked
recruit in the Nittany Lions' 2020 class (behind five-star LB Curtis Jacobs).
Johnson'sfather played wide receiver at Mott Community College (1976-77) and Hillsdale College (1978-79) and was drafted in the seventh round (No. 193) of the
1980 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Nate also ran track at Hillsdale and played several years in the CFL (1982 -84). Theo's older brother (Dominic) played
quarterback at Buffalo before moving to wide receiver and leading the team in receiving as a redshirt seniorin 2021. He was drafted No. 32 in the 2021 CFL Draft by
Edmonton. Dominic also played basketball for two seasons at Buffalo, including on the team that upset Arizona in the first round ofthe 2018 NCAA tournament, and
was a graduate assistant coach for the Alabama basketball team in 2022-23. Johnson'sfour other brothers are Nathan, Levi, Michael and Keon. Johnson is older for a
four-year college prospect, because Canadian rules require a fifth year of high school. He accepted his invitation to the 2024 Senior Bowl.
YEAR (GP/GS) REC YDS AVG TD DROP NOTES
2020: (8/1) 4 56 14.0 0 0 Enrolled in January 2020; pandemic-shortened season
2021: (13/6) 19 213 11.2 1 2
2022: (11/9) 20 328 16.4 4 2 Missed two games (injury)
2023: (13/13) 34 341 10.0 7 2 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten; Led team in receiving TDs
Total: (45/29) 77 938 12.2 12 6
HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP
COMBINE 6061 259 10 1/4 33 80 3/4 4.57 2.68 1.61 39 1/2 10'5" 4.19 7.15 - (no bench press – choice)
PRO DAY - 261 - - - - - - - - - - 19 (bench press only – choice)
STRENGTHS: Good-looking athlete with ideal size/speed measurements for the position ... smooth mover with fluid control of his body as a route runner and at the
catch point (best short shuttle among tight ends at the combine)... flashes the acceleration to gain a step of separation on runway routes ... snares the ball well in
stride and quickly securesit to protect the catch ... has no problem expanding his catch radius to climb the ladder and adjust to inaccurate passes ... looks comfortable
securing grabs in traffic ... shows his quickness on cutoff blocks and made steady strides with his run blocking... awarded Penn State's "Iron Lion" Award for strength
and conditioning as a senior (NFL scout: "I know (Pat) Freiermuth influenced him a lot when he got there and showed him what it takes to play big-boy football.") ...
was a regular on punt- and kick-return coverage as a senior (243 career snaps) ... experienced across the formation.
WEAKNESSES: Runs predictable routes and gives tells to defenders on his intended path ... has the balance to make the first man miss, just doesn't do it enough (only
two catches of 25-plus yards in 2023) ... needs to show better snap through his hips, both as a route runner and blocker ... tends to overextend himself as a blocker
and needs to improve his base and positioning to control the point of attack ... committed five penalties in 2023 (three false starts, one pass interference, one
unsportsmanlike conduct) ... below-average career production (fewer than 1,000 career receiving yards ... off-field vetting will be key, as he was charged with two
misdemeanors (one for simple assault, one for criminal mischief), stemming from a February 2023 incident at a fraternity house (Johnson was ordered to complete a
six-month, pre-trial intervention program for first-time offenders).
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Penn State, Johnson was a versatile tight end in former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich's RPO-based scheme, splitting his time
betweeninline (47.9 percent), slot (38.8 percent) and wide (9.8 percent). A wide receiver in high school in Canada, he faced a steep transition moving to tight end at
State College and didn't have a 100-yard receiving performance in 45 college games (and reached 75 yards just once). But his production steadily climbed each
season, and he led the Nittany Lions in touchdown grabs in 2023. Johnson is quick off the ball and builds his speed downfield, giving his quarterback a big tar get with
his size, strong hands and athletic catch radius. As a blocker, he doesn't embarrass himself but needs to better understand leverage and develop mor e of a glasschewing mentality. Overall, Johnson has inconsistent college tape and production, but he has A-plus measurements and smooth athletic tools that could allow him
to continue developing and become a better pro than college player. Although he is a work in progress, he is a worthy long-term investment for an NFL team.
GRADE: 3rd Round (No. 80 overall)

Discuss

Discuss here


Albert Breer
@AlbertBreer
·
1m
A reminder for Day 3 of the draft: Most NFL folks I've talked to believe the quality of the class collapses after Round 4. It's the effect of NIL & the portal, keeping guys in school—just 58 underclassmen declared (was 130 in '21).

Expect scrambling to get targeted guys today.

Dan Duggan
@DDuggan21
My daily public service (that I started researching for my own purposes but figured I'd share), here's the expected time for the Giants' three picks today:

• Pick 107: Around 12:17
• Pick 166: Around 3
• Pick 183: Around 3:45

That's a long wait between the fourth and fifth round picks due to the pick swap with Carolina in the fifth from the Burns trade. No matter what Schoen does today, he gets an A+ as long as he doesn't add a seventh round pick in a trade.
11:32 AM · Apr 27, 2024
·
9,483
 Views

Media Q&A with Tyler Nubin:

Q. Tyler, congratulations...

TYLER NUBIN: What's going on, man. Thank you, thank you so much.

Q. Just curious, how much interaction did you have with the Giants in this process and what was your reaction when they called you to let you know you were their pick?

TYLER NUBIN: I had great interactions with them. They came out and saw me. I did a workout for them. Got on the board, had a great conversation with their coaches. A great conversation with them at the Combine, too, as well, going over film. It was a great atmosphere being around them, and being around Coach Daboll, as well. It was great, honestly. I was so happy when they called me and when that call came in because we already had a connection.

Q. What kind of player are you and what are you bringing to the Giants, do you think?

TYLER NUBIN: I'm an everything player. I feel like I'm a guy that can do it all on the field. I like to call myself a Swiss Army knife. I can move around everywhere. I can blitz. I am come down and hit the box, I can play over the top. Anywhere on the field I'm comfortable.

Q. Who from the team was there for your work out?

TYLER NUBIN: The safeties coach (Michael Treier) and I think their assistant GM (Brandon Brown).

Q. What about your ability to track the ball and intercept it? Seems to be something you did quite well in college.

TYLER NUBIN: It comes from my preparation, for real. I feel like that's really what it is – how I approach the game, the things I do throughout the week to set myself up for success on the weekend, on Saturdays, now Sundays, to make the game easy.

Q. When you met with the Giants, you know, they are coming in with a new defensive system and with a new defensive coordinator, did you get to do any work with them as far as what you'll be asked to do, what they expect their safeties to do?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah. We did a little bit of work on just understanding the basics of their defense and what they ask their safeties to do. Not specifically what they want me to do. Just being able to teach me a couple things.

Q. How emotional of a moment was that when your phone rang and it was the Giants?

TYLER NUBIN: Oh, man, I've been crying the last 35 minutes (laughs). No, for real.

Q. What were you doing tonight? What were the plans and how were you approaching tonight?

TYLER NUBIN: I had a bunch of my family and friends, we had a little venue that we rented just with couches and tables to watch the Draft. I was surrounded by all of my close family and friends. So when that came in, it was awesome, man, to be around them.

Q. For you personally, why did it hit so hard? What about it made it so special to you?

TYLER NUBIN: Honestly, not even thinking about the work that I put in. The work everybody around me put in, my parents have been working so hard for me all my life, being able to set me up in a good situation. You know, teach me the right things. All of my family and friends around me, on top of the work that I put in, there's just so many people and so many sacrifices that were made over a long period of time leading up to this moment, it just all came out. Honestly that's what it was.

Q. I read a story about you in The Star Tribune that when, I believe, you were in Illinois, living in Illinois and you kind of met with a coach to say that you were going to put in the work to get to be, frankly, in the position you're in now. Do I have some of that right or all of that right?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah, yeah, that was my high school coach.

Q. Okay...

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah.

Q. Have you heard from (center) John Michael Schmitz yet?

TYLER NUBIN: I have not. My phone is blowing up. I've got to call him, actually.

Q. Are you good friends with him or do you know him pretty well since you guys were teammates?

TYLER NUBIN: Oh, yeah, me and John Michael are super close. I was actually hoping I'd get a chance to play with him and (inside linebacker) Carter (Coughlin).

Q. I read that you had a knee surgery after the season. Just what was the problem with your knee and how much did that affect you in the pre-Draft process?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah, so I played like six games on a torn meniscus last year. Got it scoped at the end of the season. I kind of accelerated my recovery process to get myself ready for the Combine because I really wanted to compete at the Combine and pro day. So, that kind of bit me in the butt a little bit. It affected me, but honestly, I wouldn't do anything differently than I did because I really just wanted to compete.

Q. I saw some clips of you. You looked like you are a center fielder out there. Is that how you read the play?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah, I'm real comfortable running under the ball and going to get it. That's my game for real.

Q. I think you were the first safety taken. Does that mean something to you, and were you aware of that? Like did you compare yourself to the other guys throughout the process?

TYLER NUBIN: Honestly, I'm just thankful for this opportunity. I was going to cry my eyes out no matter where I was picked, if I was picked here or picked 199, I'm just thankful to be in this position. I can't wait to get to work for the Giants.

Q. What are you most excited about for this opportunity?

TYLER NUBIN: Playing football, honestly, and getting back to playing football. Doing the thing I love most and doing it well and helping the Giants win.

Q. Have you ever been to this area?

TYLER NUBIN: Yeah, I've been to New York. We had a Bowl game out in New York. That was actually my first time staying there a couple years ago. It was awesome. I love the city.


Media Q&A with Andru Phillips:

Q. What's tonight been like for you?

DRU PHILLIPS: It's been a night. You know, you sit there, you wait for a little bit, you don't know. But right now, I can't even explain it, man. This has meant the world to me.

Q. What do you think about coming to New York, playing for the Giants and being in this area and the City?

DRU PHILLIPS: I can't think of a better organization to go play for. I had one of my Top-30s up there and everyone up there was so cool and it was like, I feel like I fit in right along. I can't wait to go up there and play ball and fit in with everybody.

Q. What makes you think you fit in, or like on that visit what stood out to you to make you feel that way?

DRU PHILLIPS: It came with the history of the program. I was walking around the facility and it has so much history and then you get to meet the people and the coaches and everyone, we bonded so well and we all have the same goal, which is to go out there and win, genuinely go out there and do anything to win the football game. I met what type of people they are, and they are the same. Just good people and that's what I kind of lean towards, so I'm happy to be a part of this organization.

Q. What are the practice battles with (wide receiver) Wan'Dale Robinson going to be like?

DRU PHILLIPS: Man, I can't even describe it. We've been talking crap for so long, he even just called me. II can't wait to go against a great player like him. He's established himself in a way up there in New York, and being able to compete and just go win and get better each and every day against him. It's going to be a great competition.

Q. How many years have you played together?

DRU PHILLIPS: We played one year at Kentucky. I was younger, though. He may have had the best of me back then, but I think it's different for me now.

Q. How comfortable are you playing on the outside? It seems like your best position might be in the slot. How comfortable are you on the outside?

DRU PHILLIPS: Yeah, especially after this past year when I played both, that outside became so comfortable by the last game of the season – I was out there, (inaudible) outside corners, but off my skill set and comfortability, it felt like second nature. It was right there really with the inside. It just takes more reps and stuff, but I'm right there. I can compete with anybody.

Q. How often were you asked about the interception total throughout this whole process and how do you explain, I would imagine, I don't know if the emotions are frustrating, that you were close. How do you explain not being able to get one?

DRU PHILLIPS: I was asked about it, but in the grand scheme of everything, everybody knows I'm sticky. In coverage, I'm sticky. I'm going to get the ball off dudes. I'm going to do my job in the back end. It was asked, but at the same time, they understand who I am, when I was coming in, I've shown (inaudible) going to catch no type of balls in that type of sense. You know, I'm just trying to get the balls off guys, it was a question, but they understand it like I'm doing my job, I'm doing it at a very high level. So, they trust me.

Q. How are your hands?

DRU PHILLIPS: Man, they are really good. They are really good. But at the same time, there's always work to get better. I'm always going to work to get better at it. I'm on the JUGS machine. I'm going to be up there in New York and just working, I'm going to get the turnovers.

Q. What was your night like tonight? What was the setup and what were you thinking? Did you expect to go tonight? Talk about the emotions of it all...

DRU PHILLIPS: Yeah, so I thought I was going to go tonight. But I have my family and I have my friends over. It's just how the Draft plays out. You don't know. I just put my faith into God, and I was talking to my family, and I was hoping to land at a great organization and I'm glad I landed at the Giants. It's a great fit for me and a great organization, as well.

Q. Do you prefer Dru or Andru?

DRU PHILLIPS: Yeah, you guys can call me Dru. I go by Dru.

Q. How many 30s did you take?

DRU PHILLIPS: I took basically ten 30s. If you want to count one, the Rams, they don't fly people out, but I did ten 30s (visits).

BRIAN DABOLL: So just before we start, Korey Cunningham, our thoughts and prayers are with his family. You know, not much to add to it. Just unfortunate circumstances that happened, and it's tough. Tough on the coaches. Tough on the players. And we're just praying for everybody involved.

Q. Can you talk about the safety in the second round, there was a big run on cornerbacks.

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, there was.

Q. I'm sure you noticed that.

JOE SCHOEN: There was but we were very, very fortunate to get (Tyler) Nubin there, a guy that we spent a lot of time with. He had an injury. We went out to his pro day when he was healthy to see him out there. Obviously losing (Xavier McKinney) in the off-season, to get Nubin at that value, a guy with high character, leadership, smart, tough, dependable, and then the 13 career interceptions. Just a good football player. Culture changer at the University of Minnesota and he's going to bring that type of mentality here, and I think that will come out tomorrow when you guys meet with him and spend some time with him. Just a really special kid that's a good football player.

Q. A bunch of teams traded up to get corners?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, there were.

Q. Was that ever a consideration for you?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, there were enough players there that we liked, and where we are, again, we have needs throughout the draft. And we were able to get a corner in round three that works out about as well in (Dru) Phillips.

Q. The top safety pick, the first safety, what separated him from some of the other guys?

JOE SCHOEN: I would say that he takes the ball away. 13 career interceptions. He's a ball hawk. To me, the leadership, the character, the smarts, safety, the ability to communicate out there. To get guys to lined up I think is very important, and this kid is elite at those types of things.

Q. You mentioned the 13 interceptions a couple of times. Phillips had zero interceptions which stands out on the other end.

JOE SCHOEN: Right.

Q. Why is that not a concern, and what does he do well to make up for it?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, it is and some of these guys that are 5-11, 200, run 4-4 would be playing receivers if they had really good ball skills unfortunately. But no, I mean, he's sticky. He's in terms of coverage, he's around the football a lot. And watching him down in the Senior Bowl on one-on-ones, he has a lot of traits and those are things we are going to work on. He's in position, but he just has to finish a little bit better. But I really like the athlete, like the kid, look forward to him getting here. Told Wan'Dale, he's got to be ready for practice because Dru said he was going to be locking him up. That will be good competition there.

Q. Do you view him as a slot corner?

JOE SCHOEN: He can play both. He's got the versatility to play inside, and outside. But we have options because Flott can play inside, and outside as well. If he goes inside, Flott can go outside or vice-versa. The versatility is also attractive for all these guys with the new defense.

Q. Sounds like you'll begin with him in the slot.

JOE SCHOEN: Most likely. I've leave that up to Dabs and his staff. We have options with him being able to play both and with Flott being able to do both.

Q. Playing sort of the opposite with Flott, do you plan to start him on the outside?

BRIAN DABOLL: We just drafted this young man. So, we'll figure all that stuff out when we get into practice. We'll be able to play both those guys at different spots and see how it all unfolds.

Q. Coming into the Draft, cornerback, and safety would have been looked at as your bigger needs. Taking these guys, does that preclude you from still adding in free agency after the Draft?

JOE SCHOEN: No. We still can. I think continuing to add depth throughout the roster is important, and again, there was — when we picked in the second, there was, gosh, there were probably five or six players that we liked, and you know, a guy goes — you can't take them all, unfortunately.

I wish we could, but we were able to get a good football player, and that's the most important thing, and we're excited about Nubin.

Q. Four years ago, this franchise, not you, drafted Xavier in the second round. Is this almost getting a younger, cheaper version of him or just the position value kind of thing?

JOE SCHOEN: Younger and cheaper, yes. This young man has not played a snap in the league yet, so he'll come here. He'll compete. We still have some guys in the safety room that we like and he'll have to come and earn his spot but we like the young man. He's a good football player, and again, he's got a lot of dominant traits in his play.

Q. Was there any consideration to quarterback in round two or three?

JOE SCHOEN: We took the best player at both spots. The way it fell, the two guys we took were the best guys at that time.

Q. Nubin said that he played most of the year, or six games with a meniscus. You mentioned last night how you liked the toughness of Nabers with the shoulder. I don't want to say that's a trend but that kind of toughness for you what did that mean for both of you guys?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'd say the college scouts, Joe, and his staff, have done a really good job of identifying these traits that we covet. Toughness being probably near the top. And all three of the players that we've acquired so far, really fit that mold in terms of, I'd say mentally tough and physically tough. I think that's important. Defensively, tough tacklers. You know, Dru, he'll bring the wood now. And Malik's mentality, how he is, and then you guys talked to Tyler. Both Tyler and Dru, were pretty emotional when we called them. They care about the game. They have the right mindset, and it's a credit to our college scouts, Joe, and his staff, for really identifying some of those traits and we're happy to have both of them.

Q. There was a burglary arrest in Phillips' background that got dismissed. I think the teammates even filed a lawsuit after. What did you learn about that in your research?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, there's nothing there for him. You guys can read up on it but he was cleared and yeah, there was a lawsuit eventually after that. So yeah, we're good with all that.

Q. Do you think the knee during the season may have slowed down and changed how Nubin played maybe if he was a hundred percent healthy?

JOE SCHOEN: I'm sure it was bothering him at some point during the season but again that's the way the kid's wired. You had the question about the injury, and again, it's a long season, 17 games and training camp. These guys are all playing through nicks and dings and whatever it may be. So it's a testament to the kid's character and toughness to play through that stuff because it's going to happen here. It wasn't a light injury. He was in some pain. So just the fact that he wanted to be out there his last year at Minnesota and not let his teammates down, I think that's a testament to who the kid is.

Q. You have a new defensive coordinator, how much is what his vision for what he wants to manifest in these two players?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'd say that Shane (Bowen) has done a really good job along with the defensive staff of identifying the players that fit what we want to do, communicating with Joe and his staff, and like I've said, they have done a great job of putting people out there that we think can help us on both sides of the ball.

Q. From a scouting perspective, was there anything different you were kind of looking for for secondary players in these guys with Shane and the new defense?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, I would say that –

Q. Obviously less man.

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, probably less man, not as much press. But still the versatility piece I think came up multiple times, whether it was if we would not have gotten a corner in the third, well, okay, Dane Belton has versatility, J-Pinn (Jason Pinnock), Tyler, like how can those guys play, (Isaiah) Simmons. The versatility and the chess pieces, I think Shane is going to do a good job moving those guys around. The versatility piece came up multiple times in our meetings.

Q. The Panthers traded up right in front of you in the second round for a running back. Do you think they thought you were thinking running back there?

JOE SCHOEN: I'm not sure. I'm really tight with Dan. Dan Morgan is one of my best friends in the world. We didn't talk much about that. They called us, as well, so it was like, hey, would you maybe want to move back? I don't know if he just got antsy. In some of those situations, it's not always just us. Maybe other teams are trying to trade up with the team from us. So you don't know, when you find somebody you like and you want to go get them and they are within range, you try to pull the trigger. I'm not sure if he thought we might do that or not.

Q. Were you contemplating running back at all today, and is it something you would like to fill at least at some point in this draft?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, again, just the amount of needs on the roster, we were looking across the board. Again, we were taking the best player available the first three days and that will shift. Maybe if there's a safety, we like in the fourth round, maybe you look a different direction or if it's — maybe receiver, so you kind of adjust your board as you — based on who you've picked before. So yeah, we won't rule that out.

Q. Didn't ask this last night, but did picking neighbors impact Darius's stats? He's in an unsettled spot. Does that make him more apt to be traded?

JOE SCHOEN: No, again, we've already paid a roster bonus. He had one that kicked in the fifth day of the league year, and you look at the P5, where that is, and you want to look at the production from last year to this year and you take all those things into account. Us drafting Malik Neighbors doesn't affect where we are on that.

Q. What do you like about your defense now after the moves you've made?

JOE SCHOEN: I know the players that are under contract for more than one year. So again, Dexter is under contract. His contract status. Burns is for five years. Kayvon for three. Okereke for another three, Tae Banks for four, and just got Nubin for four years. You've got a young core group of players that will be able to be together for — and again, I know people want instant gratification, but it takes time to build this, and then over time, you have guys that are able to create continuity because they play together year over year. It was something we experienced in Buffalo. By the time we left, some of those guys had been playing together for four years in the same exact scheme, same defense, and playing together. I think that's important from communication and just being on the same page when you're playing as 1/11 and everybody knowing their job. I'm excited about the young core that we have together and the guys that are under contract for multiple years and even guys that may only have a year left that potentially we can extend down the road. But I do think we have pieces in place that I like that are going to be together for a couple of years here.

Q. Have you had any further clarification on Darren, whether he's coming back or —

JOE SCHOEN: No, nothing's changed there. We're still giving him space and when he's ready to make a decision, we'll have those conversations.

drafted a safety and CB on day two?  It's not like they restocked in free agency

I was ready to pack it in around 10:30 last night but Joe hinted at a possible trade up back into the bottom of round 3.  That forced me to stay up for another hour watching until they finished the round and witness no trade.

 

https://x.com/art_stapleton/status/1784193367762411557?s=46&t=1vcQIN8GqF5J2oLdxEVEJQ


https://x.com/art_stapleton/status/1784193903010226356?s=46&t=1vcQIN8GqF5J2oLdxEVEJQ

McGinn


10. ANDRU PHILLIPS, Kentucky (5-10 ½, 192, 4.48, 3): Fourth-year junior with a 42-inch vertical jump and an 11-3 broad jump. "He's excellent," one scout said. "His movement skills, his toughness, his awareness and production ... to me, this guy's a slam-dunk starter. He can play inside and outside – probably better in the slot. He's so fluid. You'd be good with him as your No. 2 corner moving forward." Started 16 of 38 games over four seasons. "He has a compact build," a second scout said. "More of a nickel. Not the greatest speed. Quicker than he is fast. Kind of a mid-range cover guy than deep." Finished with 82 tackles (three for loss), no picks and 10 passes defensed. "He's a little bit under the radar but a pretty good player," a third scout said. From Mauldin, S.C.


Cosell

ANDRU PHILLIPS' 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS
Height: 5-foot-10 3/4
Weight: 190
Arm length: 31 1/4"
40-yard dash: 4.48
10-yard split: 1.51
Vertical jump: 42"
Broad jump: 11'3"
20-yard shuttle: 4.29
ANDRU PHILLIPS 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS
Smooth corner with quick feet and fluid transition and change of direction traits. Can flip and open his hips.
Quick, sudden feet in mirror match press man. Easily flipped his hips to open stride to run with vertical routes.
Strong man coverage snaps from the slot with the short-area burst to match and the speed to run with crossers.
Top-end speed to run with vertical routes. Opened his hips and stayed in phase in a good position to make a play.
Good job on vertical routes, getting his head turned to locate the ball. Did not make picks but solid ball production.
Quick feet to stop and plant to drive on routes in front of him and transition laterally with burst on in-breakers.
Extensive experience in off coverage, showing the quick, sudden feet to stop, transition and drive on throws.
Competitive, aggressive and intense as a tackler. Willing to hit. Embraced the physical nature of the game.
Outstanding playing personality. Highly competitive and physically and mentally tough. High-intensity player.
WEAKNESSES
Size and lack of length can, at times, be an issue on vertical routes, negatively impacting ability to play the ball.
Turned his body in side saddle technique from off coverage, making him susceptible to routes crossing his face.
Too many intermediate and vertical routes in man, he lost contact with the ball in the air, allowing late separation.


NFL TRANSITION
Phillips was a fun player to watch and evaluate, given his extensive experience playing outside and in the slot in Kentucky's defense. My strong sense is that he will likely project and transition to the next level as a slot corner. There's no question that there are NFL corners who play on the outside with the height/weight and arm length measurables of Phillips, but he does not play big on tape.

He plays like a smaller, quick-sudden athlete who is best suited to play the slot. Phillips showed light, quick feet with loose hips, smooth transitions, and a change of direction, easily flipping his hips and opening his stride when he had to turn and run vertical routes.

Phillips has the footwork and sudden twitch to play mirror match press man, but he also played a high percentage of off coverage, where his hip fluidity, short-area quickness and burst to plant and drive and react laterally showed up on tape. Phillips played more man coverage in the slot than he did on the outside, and he showed the quickness, burst and play speed to match multiple routes and impact both the receiver and the throw.

Overall, Phillips does bring outside-inside versatility as you transition him to the NFL and while he is not necessarily too small to play effectively on the outside, my strong sense is that most teams will project him as a slot corner. Is there a comparison to be made to Roger McCreary when he came out of Auburn? McCreary has played outside and the slot with the Titans but is better suited to play inside, where he has a chance to become a good player.

OTHER NOTES
Phillips played four years at Kentucky becoming a full-time starter in 2023. He finished his college career with 16 starts in 38 games.

Phillips was predominantly the field outside corner in the Kentucky defense, but he also played significant snaps in the slot (31 percent of his snaps). In 2022, Phillips played more than twice as many snaps in the slot as he did outside.

There were snaps in which Phillips sunk from slot corner alignment to play half field safety in cover 2, and snaps in which he was deployed as a blitzer when aligned as the slot corner. There were man-to-man snaps versus Georgia, where Phillips matched up with Brock Bowers.

NFL.com


By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Rounds 2-3
Overview
Phillips' tape features a high number of both completions and drops that should have been completions, but that could change in a different scheme and with additional experience. He's still green, with just two years of real game experience, and often played too loose in Kentucky's zone cover schemes. Phillips lacks the anticipation to contest catches at a high enough rate from zone but does have the athleticism to play more man coverage, with the tools to stay sticky on routes. He's an ardent run supporter with excellent toughness but needs to finish tackles at a higher rate. Scheme fit might be critical, along with proving he can play from the slot, but his best football could be ahead of him.

Strengths
Backpedal is low and balanced for quicker reaction time.
Quick feet and easy hips to hit lateral transitions fairly smoothly.
Pounces quickly on top of the catch from zone or off-man.
Opens hips with timing and stays in phase with deep routes.
Possesses tools to eliminate more catch opportunities with added experience.
Plays with the mindset of a safety when engaged in run support.

Weaknesses
Doesn't play with the instincts and anticipation for heavy ball production.
Some false steps and stalls coming forward from the top of his drop.
Tape shows issues sifting through combination routes effectively.
Big receivers are able to play over the top of his head downfield.
Has a tendency to overrun his leverage as a close-out tackler in space.


Brugler

9. ANDRU PHILLIPS | Kentucky 5106 | 190 lbs. | 4JR Mauldin, S.C. (Mauldin) 11/30/2001 (age 22.40) #23
BACKGROUND: Andru "Dru" Phillips, one of four children (three boys, one girl), was born in Birmingham, Ala., lived in Atlanta and then grew up in Louisville. He was
raised in a family of athletes and played multiple sports throughout childhood. Prior to high school, his father (Carlos) acc epted a new job (president and CEO of the
Greenville Chamber of Commerce), and the family relocated to northern South Carolina. Phillips enrolled at Mauldin High School as a freshman and played both ways
on the JV football team before getting called up to varsity. He started on varsity as a sophomore and finished with 50 tackles, 15 passes defended and one
interception, earning All-Region honors and helping the team to an 8-5 record. As a junior, Phillips posted 29 tackles, 1.0 sack, one interception and one forced
fumble. For his senior season in 2019, he was named first team All-State and earned an invitation to the Shrine Bowl with 38 tackles and two interceptions. Phillips
was also a standout track athlete in high school and as a senior ranked No. 1 in the nation in the triple jump. He twice earned All-State honors and won the triple
jump (49 feet, 4 inches) at the 2019 state championships. Phillips also set personal bests of 11.00 seconds in the 100 meters, 23.07 in the 200, 54.88 in the 400 and
22-2.5 in the long jump.
A three-star recruit, Phillips was the No. 47 cornerback in the 2020 recruiting class and the No. 10 recruit in South Carolina. As a legacy at Kentucky, he received his
first scholarship offer from head coach Mark Stoops the summer before his junior season (June 2018). Phillips added several Power 5 offers (Colorado, Kansas,
Louisville, NC State, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and West Virginia). But he'd grown up attending Kentucky games, and it was his "lifelong dream" to play for
the Wildcats. Phillips officially committed in April 2019 and was the No. 18 recruit in Stoops' 2020 class.
His father is from Owensboro, Ky. and played linebacker for Kentucky (1986-90). His mother (LaTonya) was a multi-sport athlete at Danville High School. His older
brother (C.J.) was an All-Conference offensive lineman at FCS Morehead State (2012-16) and finished his career with 46 straight starts. Phillips graduated with his
degree in integrated strategic communication (December 2023). He skipped his senior season and entered the 2024 NFL Draft. Phillips accepted his invitation to the
2024 Senior Bowl.
YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT NOTES
2020: (4/0) 1 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 Redshirted; Pandemic-shortened season; Enrolled in January 2020
2021: (9/0) 3 0.0 0.0 0 0 0
2022: (13/4) 31 1.5 0.0 0 5 0
2023: (12/12) 47 1.5 0.0 0 5 0 Missed one game (injury)
Total: (38/16) 82 3.0 0.0 0 10 0
HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP
COMBINE 5106 190 8 3/4 31 1/4 75 4.48 2.63 1.60 42 11'3" - - - (no shuttle, 3-cone, bench press — choice)
PRO DAY 5106 192 8 3/4 31 1/2 75 - - - - - 4.29 6.98 16 (stood on combine run, jumps)
STRENGTHS: Competes with a physical mindset and looks to reroute receivers early ... fluent in multiple techniques (press, bail, side-turn, etc.), thanks to his footwork
and acceleration control ... will find himself in compromised positions because of his aggression, but he has the makeup speed to quickly recover ... anticipates well
from depth to drive and disrupt ... plays through the hands of receivers downfield for late rakes ... doesn't have a large frame, but he's no stranger to the weight room
and plays with functional length and play strength ... does a nice job punching off blocks and squaring ball carriers ... experienced on kick an d punt coverages (12
special-teams tackles in his college career) ... experienced both inside and outside (played every snap as the n ickel in 2023 against Tennessee).
WEAKNESSES: Will lose the size battle against most NFL wide receivers ... didn't record an interception in college ... didn't play with a large catch radius on tape, and
well-placed throws were often completed ... allows a half-step of separation at the break point ... his hands-on approach will attract attention from officials (two pass
interference penalties in 2023 vs. Missouri) ... displays tackling toughness but finish and technique fall short (15 missed tackles in 2023) ... one of six Kentucky players
charged with first-degree burglary (August 2021) in connection with an incident at a fraternity house party; a month later, a grand jury later c leared the players of
charges; the players involved then filed a civil suit that was later dropped.
BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS 261
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Kentucky, Phillips was an outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Brad White's zone-heavy scheme, moving inside to cover the
slot in subpackages (37.6 percent of his career snaps came inside). Although his production won't jump off the page, his coverage tape improved each of his four
seasons in Lexington — and that continued with a strong week during Senior Bowl practices. With his lower-body quickness and agility, Phillips can drive from zone or
stay within arm's length downfield in man. He prefers to play a physical brand of football, which is refreshing. However, his handsy tactics needs more subtle ty, and
his tackling requires better finishing control. Overall, Phillips falls short in a few categories, which leads to in-game volatility. He is battled-tested, though, with the
athletic instincts and feisty toughness that will translate to any level of football. He won't be a fit for every team but offers inside-outside versatility with
immediate special-teams value, similar to Roger McCreary.
GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (No. 61 overall)

discuss

https://x.com/PFF_Giants/status/1784036324334305773

NFL.com


Prospect Info
COLLEGE
Minnesota
HOMETOWN
CLASS
St. Charles, IL
Senior
HEIGHT
6' 1''
WEIGHT
199 lbs
ARM
32''
HAND
9''
Prospect Grade
6.33
Will Eventually Be Plus Starter


72
Good
View All Prospects


Score Breakdown
Score Breakdown

Production Score
74
2024 Combine SAF Rank: 3rd
Athleticism Score *est
58
2024 Combine SAF Rank: 24th
Total Score
72
2024 Combine SAF Rank: 5th

Player Bio
2019: Played in 12 games as a reserve (six tackles, two PBUs).
2020: Started all seven games (41 tackles, one INT, one forced fumble).
2021: Honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference. Led the team with three INTs. Started all 13 games (52 tackles, one sack, two PBUs). Guaranteed Rate Bowl Defensive MVP (eight tackles, one sack, one PBU).
2022: Second-team All-Big Ten Conference. Led the team with four INTs (55 tackles, two tackles for loss, three PBUs, one forced fumble). Missed the end of the year with a broken hand.
2023: Second-team Associated Press All-American. First-team All-Big Ten Conference. Tied for sixth in the FBS with five INTs. Started 12 games (53 tackles, one sack, four PBUs, one forced fumble). Set school record with 13 career INTs.
His father, Rodney, played RB/CB at Eastern Michigan. His uncle, Steve King, played in the defensive backfield with Ty Law and Charles Woodson at Michigan. His uncle, Joe, played at Mount Senario and EMU. His brother, Jordan, walked onto the Gophers as a DB, then switched to RB.

-- by Chad Reuter


Analysis
By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Round 2

NFL Comparison
Marcus Williams

Overview
Talented safety prospect with the size, length and instincts that teams are looking for to shore up the back end. Nubin has the ability to play as an interchangeable safety but will make his money as a ball thief. He's rangy over the top in two-high safety looks and plays chess in the middle of the field, using instincts to think along with the quarterback and pounce on throws from an angle. He's average in man coverage and might lack ideal top-end speed, but his anticipation and discipline help make up for that. He's capable in run support, but his pursuit angles get him beat outside. Nubin's traits, instincts and ball skills give him an opportunity to become a successful long-term starter.

Strengths
Has the size, length and instincts teams covet on the back end.
Plays with predatory mentality from split safety and robber alignment.

Shades coverage to route development and the quarterback's eyes.
High-end ball tracker with ball skills to flip the field on the pro level.
Athletic and light on his feet in open-field coverage.
Operates with good field balance and discipline as a high safety.
Uses length and agility to expand his tackle range against cuts.

Weaknesses
Top-end speed is just average to run down leaky targets.
Average burst coming out of his man-cover transitions.
Fairly average downhill trigger on deep digs.
Needs to drop down and fit run gaps a step sooner near the line.
Pursuit angles run too steep, preventing leverage to the sideline.
Sources Tell Us

"I think his speed is the only thing you kind of worry about. His tackling is OK but can get better. He's very instinctive and he's a good player. He'll go in [Round] 2." -- AFC scouting director


McGinn


1. TYLER NUBIN, Minnesota (6-1, 205, 4.61, 2-3): High-school corner moved to safety once he reached the Twin Cities. "They played him (in the box) but if you watch him covering on special teams you know he can play in space," one scout said. "He is a special-teams demon. Nubin gives you more than (Kamren) Kinchens because he could be that big nickel. He plays with a physical mindset. He's better than Kinchens in natural tight end matchups in man coverage or as a general slot guy. He's got great ball skills, too. For a guy you don't see going backwards very often he's always around the ball." Ran an unexpectedly slow 40. "That hurt him," a second scout said. "Instincts are his thing. He's quick to trigger. Better in zone than man. Physical around the line of scrimmage. Little tight in his backpedal but uses his size well to play physical and doesn't give up separation much. Struggles to open his hips and change direction, but nothing crazy. Can track (the deep ball). Looks to lay a hit. I think he should have come out last year but I still think he's a pretty good football player. Yes, he'll be a starter. I would say second round but he would have been a first-rounder last year." Just 10 reps on the bench press. "He doesn't have great range but he can do the interchangeable stuff," a third scout said. "He'll be a good teams player. He's had production on the ball." Started 43 of 55 games, finishing with 207 tackles (4 ½ for loss), 13 picks and 24 passes defensed. From St. Charles, Ill.


Cosell

TYLER NUBIN'S 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS
Height: 6-foot-1 1/4"
Weight: 199
40-yard dash: 4.56
Arm length: 32"
Vertical jump: 32"
Broad jump: 10'
TYLER NUBIN'S 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS
A long, rangy athlete with play speed to run sideline-to-sideline and make plays; a run-and-hit element to his game
Decisive reactor with strong key and diagnose; transitioned effectively without segmented or rigid movement
Ran the alley in the run game with conviction and sudden reactions; played with an NFL demeanor as a run defender
Physical element to his game, consistently willing to attack with velocity, deliver hard hits and set tempo
Not afraid to mix it up, a bit of a heat-seeker mentality vs. the run; he sees it and goes with speed and velocity 
Excellent feel for reading routes and the quarterback from a back-end safety alignment, also showed decisive plant and drive
Showed excellent recognition and instincts in the pass game as back-end safety with a strong feel for route concepts 
Athletically transitioned to undercut routes and make interceptions, changed direction with no wasted steps
Strong zone coverage defender in split safety coverage and as the post safety
Excellent ball skills as a back-end safety; showed excellent technique getting his hand up and through the receiver
Comfortable pedal in off-man coverage vs. tight ends with a smooth transition to turn and run vs. vertical routes
Quick recognition reaction on reads in front of him and triggered downhill with sudden plant and drive
Outstanding playing personality: his competitive edge and attitude consistently showed up
WEAKNESSES
Despite aggressiveness his tackling technique needs work, too often he dropped his head without seeing the ball 
At times as a back-end safety, he was a little sticky and segmented in his transition to plant and drive on routes
Speed may be an issue for some but the tape showed that his recognition and instincts compensated   
There were snaps, especially in the red zone, where he struggled in man-to-man coverage matchups with a wide receiver
Overall did not match up man-to-man effectively vs. wide receivers when the coverage called for it
Did not see him match up man-to-man on tight ends in Minnesota's defense; his size and traits suggest he can do it


NFL TRANSITION
Nubin is one of the better safety prospects in the 2024 draft class, and I could easily make the argument that he is the best safety prospect due to his overall traits, his competitive demeanor and his playing personality.

Nubin played almost exclusively on the back end in 2023 as both a two-shell safety and post safety. One of his best traits was his recognition of receiver splits and route concepts and his concurrent ability to trigger with burst and speed, planting and driving on routes in front of him to take away throws, especially in-breakers.

Nubin displayed outstanding vision on the back end with a refined, instinctive feel for reading both the route concepts and the quarterback. That was a main reason he had excellent ball production throughout his career. Nubin was aggressive and competitive playing downhill as an alley defender and gap shooter in the run game. He had an excellent feel for which gap to hit based on the defensive front and the gap fluidity once the play took shape. What consistently stood out on tape vs. the run and pass was that Nubin was a decisive reactor with strong key-and-diagnose traits. He always played with a quick trigger and high-level competitiveness.

His reaction time and quick trigger allowed Nubin to play fast. His game speed is much faster than his timed speed. That also showed up in his range on the back end, where he often reacted before the quarterback threw the ball.

While Nubin rarely aligned in the box in Minnesota's defense, he has the size and physicality to do that and be a factor in the run game and as a blitzer. He was successful blitzing from a distance in college.

Where Nubin could struggle at the next level and would need some development is matching up to wide receivers when  quarters was the coverage call and he had to man-match on intermediate and vertical routes.

Overall, Nubin is a higher-level safety prospect who has the traits and playing demeanor to be an interchangeable safety in the box and on the back and be effective in both roles. It would not surprise me if he was a Day 1 starter and became one of the NFL's more complete safeties as his career develops.

OTHER NOTES
Nubin played five seasons at Minnesota, starting his final three years and finishing with 36 starts in his 55 games. In 2023, Nubin earned First-Team All-American honors. Nubin was heavily recruited out of Illinois as a 4-star recruit after playing safety and wide receiver in high school.

Nubin was predominantly the post safety in Minnesota's single-high safety coverages and he almost always aligned to the boundary in split safety coverages. Nubin matched up to a tight end in some of Minnesota's Cover 1 defenses, and there were snaps he was deployed as a blitzer from a distance. Against Purdue and Wisconsin, Nubin played significant snaps aligned to the field in split-safety coverages. His interception vs. Illinois was a textbook split-safety play: Nubin was responsible in coverage for the boundary x vertical route. From the boundary hash, he rotated to the edge of the numbers with his eyes on the quarterback reading the throw to the in-breaker from the field. He consistently provided high-level safety play.


Brugler

3. TYLER NUBIN | Minnesota 6012 | 205 lbs. | 5SR St. Charles, Ill. (North) 6/14/2001 (age 22.86) #27
BACKGROUND: Tyler Nubin (NEW-bin), the oldest of two boys, grew up outside of Chicago. He started playing football at age 6, primarily as a running back and wide
receiver. His father (Rodney) often coached him throughout youth football in St. Charles. Nubin attended St. Charles North Hi gh School, where he played wide
receiver and cornerback and was a four-year varsity letterman. After posting three interceptions as a sophomore, Nubin recorded 26 tackles, 12 passes defended and
two interceptions as a junior, along with 47 catches for 702 yards and six touchdowns on offense. He added wildcat responsibilities as a senior and led North to a 10-4
record and the program's first-ever state championship game appearance. Nubin finished his final season with 42 receptions for 549 yards and nine touchdowns as a
receiver, 109 carries for 600 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rusher and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass. On defense, he recorded 51 tackles and six pass breakups. He
was named a U.S. Army All-American.
A three-star recruit, Nubin was the No. 38 cornerback in the 2019 recruiting class and the No. 4 recruit in Illinois. His recruitment took off during his junior year,
starting with a scholarship offer from Central Michigan and followed soon after by offers from several Power 5 programs, like Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern and
Tennessee. Nubin had grown up a Michigan fan, but he committed to Minnesota, because of the campus and his chemistry with the coaches. He was the No. 2 recruit
in head coach P.J. Fleck's 2019 class. He committed as a cornerback but moved to safety during his freshman season.
Both of his parents were athletes at Eastern Michigan: his father played running back and cornerback (1993-97); his mother (Sherese) was a sprinter on the track
team. Tyler's younger brother (Jordan) also played prep ball at St. Charles North and was a preferred walk-on at Minnesota as a defensive back. Because of depth
issues, Jordan moved to running back last season and led the team in carries, including a career-high 40 attempts for 204 yards and two touchdowns vs. Michigan
State. Nubin's uncle (Steve King), who died in 2014, played safety at Michigan (1993-95). Nubin took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted because of the
pandemic and returned to Minnesota for his fifth season in 2023. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors four times and graduated with his degree in business,
management, marketing and related support services. Nubin opted out of the 2023 bowl game and declined his invitation to the 2024 Senior Bowl.
YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT NOTES
2019: (12/0) 6 0.0 0.0 0 2 0 Enrolled in June 2019
2020: (7/7) 41 0.5 0.0 1 1 1 Led team in INTs; Pandemic-shortened season
2021: (13/13) 52 1.0 1.0 0 5 3 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten; Led team in INTs; Bowl Game MVP
2022: (11/11) 55 2.0 0.0 1 7 4 Second Team All-Big Ten; Led team in INTs and passes defended; Missed two games (injury)
2023: (12/12) 53 1.0 1.0 1 9 5 Second Team All-American; First Team All-Big Ten; Led team in INTs; Missed bowl game (opt-out)
Total: (55/43) 207 4.5 2.0 3 24 13
HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP
COMBINE 6012 199 9 32 77 1/2 - - - - - - - - (skill drills only — right knee)
PRO DAY 6012 205 9 1/4 32 1/4 78 1/8 4.59 2.68 1.65 31 1/2 10'0" 4.51 7.20 10

STRENGTHS: Broad, filled-out frame ... rangy athleticism allows him to make plays from various alignments in the secondary ... sees the field with instinc tive eyes and
the whole-field vision to simultaneously track route combinations and the eyes of the quarterback ... looks like a wide receiver at the catch point and collected more
interceptions than any player in Minnesota history ... zero coverage penalties over the past two seasons ... physical in run support and flashes short-area burst when
working downhill ... breaks down well in the open field, dropping his pads and extending his arms to limit misses ... was a regular on special-teams coverages all five
seasons (705 career snaps), including a career-high 169 in 2023 (14 career special-teams tackles) ... learned "how to practice and watch film" from Antoine Winfield
Jr. (teammates in 2019) ... always directing traffic on defense ... teammates say his competitiveness is "infectious" and "elevat es" the rest of the team.

WEAKNESSES: His movements show hints of tightness ... pedal and transitions are more efficient than explosive ... ultraprotective of his deep responsibilities and gets
stuck on his heels, allowing too many front-facing completions ... want to see better urgency in his click and close to drive as a top-down defender ... needs to clean
up some timing issues as a blitzer (offsides penalty vs. North Carolina in 2023) ... wasn't consistently asked to match up man -to-man versus slot receivers ...
underwent meniscectomy surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee following the 2023 season (wasn't 100 percent healthy during the draft process);
missed two games with a broken right hand (November 2022).

SUMMARY: A four-year starter at Minnesota, Nubin was an interchangeable safety (single high and split zone) in defensive coordinator Joe Rossi's mixed-coverage
scheme. A cornerback-turned-safety, he led the Gophers in interceptions in each of the last four seasons and collected his 13th career interception in his final home
game, which set a new school record. Using his athleticism and awareness, Nubin keeps everything in front of him and can drive off the numbers in the deep half to
overlap the seam or track and finish from the post. As an alley defender, he is fearless but controlled, and he comes to balance with low pads to fi nish tackles with
authority. Overall, Nubin has conservative tendenciesin coverage, but he is a four-down player with a coveted skill set, because of his split-field range, playmaking
instincts and toughness versus the run. He is ideally suited for a quarters-based, Cover-2 scheme in the NFL and will be a core special teamer.
GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (No. 68 overall)


PFF


After committing to Minnesota, Nubin waited his turn behind
Antoine Winfield Jr. before becoming a full-time starter in
2021. Since then, he's become Minnesota's all-time leader in
interceptions (13). His athleticism — an explosive first step,
controlled and quick footwork and fluid hips — provides him
with good range in coverage from a free safety role. He pairs
that with good eyes and anticipation for where passes and
ball carriers are going. In run defense, he is consistently
willing to be physical but tends to lead with the crown of his
helmet. He also can be a bit overaggressive in pursuit angles.

STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
PLAYER COMP
Tyler
Nubin
Free Safety
6'1"
199 lbs
Minnesota Golden Gophers
After committing to Minnesota, Nubin waited his turn behind
Antoine Winfield Jr. before becoming a full-time starter in
2021. Since then, he's become Minnesota's all-time leader in
interceptions (13). His athleticism — an explosive first step,
controlled and quick footwork and fluid hips — provides him
with good range in coverage from a free safety role. He pairs
that with good eyes and anticipation for where passes and
ball carriers are going. In run defense, he is consistently
willing to be physical but tends to lead with the crown of his
helmet. He also can be a bit overaggressive in pursuit angles.
PROFILE
• Quick, controlled backpedal
• Good first-step explosiveness
• Desire to make impactful hits on ball carriers/pass catchers
• Impressive ability to flip his hips to run
• Effective blitzer, even from deep alignments
• Top-tier ball skills for a safety
• Excellent eyes/anticipation for where the ball is going
• Leads with the crown of his helmet too much
• Lighter run defender
• Can be overaggressive in pursuit angles

Discuss

Post draft comments here

Dan Duggan
@DDuggan21
Thoughts heading into Day 2:

• The Giants absolutely should not draft a QB tonight. If they couldn't add a game-changer in the first round, there's no reason to use a later pick on a prospect who won't be a clear upgrade on what they have. They went BPA in the first round. Continue with that philosophy to build the best roster possible. The future at QB will be addressed in 2025.

• Schoen mentioned adding picks or trading up. Trading up would be a tough sell. As Schoen continues to say, there's plenty of holes on the roster. They only have five picks remaining. Not sure they're in position to reduce their swings by giving up picks in a trade. If they trade back, I'd be aiming for 2025 picks. They're going to need as much ammo as possible next year.

• I can't imagine the Giants double-dipping at WR, so they should be rooting for a run on the position at the start of the second round to push other players toward 47.

• Looking for possible Day 2 targets: Focus on players from big schools. Schoen's picks in the first three rounds as GM have all been from power conferences (if they still exist). Would be surprised by a swing on a small-school guy tonight.

• I don't think the Giants should be in a rush to trade Darius Slayton — it's OK to have multiple good players at a position. But if his unhappiness with his contract turns into a trade request, the Giants would have to be open to moving him if they can get a mid-round pick.

• Schoen has added some players with promise on Day 2 in the past, but be needs to crush it today. There's nothing that says you can't land a guy on Day 2 who is an immediate stud.
3:00 PM · Apr 26, 2024
·
85
 Views

https://x.com/DDuggan21/status/1783934262711910617

The Guardian Caps about-face has been confirmed.

After league executive Dawn Aponte nonchalantly mentioned in a recent webinar that players will have the option to wear Guardian Caps during games in 2024, we asked the league for confirmation.

NFL executive V.P. of health and safety Jeff Miller confirmed that the players will have that option as of 2024.

"We now have two years of data showing significant concussion reductions among players who wear Guardian Caps during practice so players will be permitted to wear the cap during games this upcoming season," Miller said in a statement provided to PFT. "Additionally, there are new helmets this year that provide as much — if not more — protection than a different helmet model paired with a Guardian Cap. These developments represent substantial progress in our efforts to make the game safer for players."

Last year, the league declined to let players wear Guardian Caps during games. No player publicly expressed a desire to do so. This year, they can do it if they want.

Given the look of the Guardian Caps, many will surely hope that the players choose not to wear them during games. Pro football is an extremely visual sport; it thrives in large part because of how it looks on TV. With sleek helmets coated in clumpy coverings that look like soundproofing panels, the vibe will be compromised.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/nfl-confirms-players-can-choose-to-wear-guardian-caps-during-games

At this point, I almost hope he comes back.  I would love to see how defense would handle the receiver corps and Waller


https://x.com/art_stapleton/status/1783898100236435885



Art Stapleton
@art_stapleton
Just spoke with Darren Waller a few minutes ago as he finished up an event here in New Jersey as the mental health ambassador for Hackensack Meridian Health.
Shared his story at the opening of the Carrier Clinic in Montgomery.

Waller said he has not finalized his decision regarding retirement, but was adamant that the decision has everything to do with whether he feels he can give 100 percent of himself to the team and the game.
I asked specifically if it has anything to do with the roster here or his experience last season. Waller insisted no. #NYGiants
12:37 PM · Apr 26, 2024
·
7,003
 Views

https://x.com/Giants/status/1783847494658535752

https://x.com/PLeonardNYDN/status/1783847502204055740

https://x.com/RalphVacchiano/status/1783847542297444369

https://x.com/KevinGraySports/status/1783705819877392833

Hall of Famer Rondé Barber loved what the Giants and Jets did for their starting QBs in round 1 of the NFL Draft. He loved the aggressiveness of the Detroit Lions moving up for a top CB.

But as for that Michael Penix Jr. pick at no. 8 by the Falcons? Well, it's safe to say, not everyone was a winner Thursday night. Check out the full list of day one winners and losers.

https://www.the33rdteam.com/nfl-draft-round-1-winners-losers/

Media Q&A with Malik Nabers:

Q: Malik, congratulations. What was your reaction when you got picked by the Giants?

NABERS: Mix of emotions, I had my family there. It was a great opportunity for me to come to New York.

Q: How likely did you consider the Giants as a potential landing spot for you?

NABERS: It was very likely, I knew Dabs he conversed with a lot of my coaches, he really liked my game, he liked my dog mentality, so I'm glad he chose me.

Q: What kind of player are the Giants getting?

NABERS: A great teammate, a great leader, a great person on the field and off the field, and that's it.

Q: Have you heard from Daniel Jones yet?

NABERS: Not yet, but I'm sure I'll be hearing from him soon.

Q: What are your thoughts on having him throw the ball to you?

NABERS: I'm ready to get in, work with him, learn what kind of quarterback he is and catch footballs from him.

Q: Malik, Odell Beckham Jr. came from LSU in the first round, had a great career at the Giants. Do you have any relationship with him and what does it mean for you to follow in his footsteps.

NABERS: I don't have a relationship with him, but I'm just trying to be the best football player I can possibly be for the Giants organization. I'm not coming in trying to replace Odell, I'm just trying lead into my own legacy.

Q: What were your meetings with the Giants like? What was it like getting to know Brian Daboll?

NABERS: It was great meetings. He has a great personality, he makes people laugh that are in the room. He's going to compete with you for sure, he has high standards for his athletes. So I am hoping he has high standards for me and I live up to those.

Q: You said compete with you. Did you guys get into something during your meetings, or what were you guys competing about?

NABERS: He was talking about trying to guard me. He thought he could guard me.

Q: In basketball or trying to guard you on the football field?

NABERS: Football field.

Q: So you think your separation skills will really be put to the test against Brian Daboll in press coverage against you?

NABERS: Say that again.

Q: Never mind. It's okay. Did you get on the field with Brian Daboll at all and go at it with you or just talk?

NABERS: No, it was just all talk.

Q: What do you think of playing, coming to the New York area?

NABERS: I know it's a great city. I'm going to bring my family with me, bring God with me, bring the dog mentality that I have there.

Q: What do you think sets you apart from the other receivers in this class?

NABERS: I'm able to play different positions, create separation, open up a great window for the quarterback to throw me the ball. Great teammate. Great leader. All in all a great football player. Dog mentality when I'm out there on the field.

Q: What are you most excited about coming to New York?

NABERS: I'm excited to see the city, excited to be with my teammates and learn the offense, learn my quarterback, and just be in New York. I never been to New York, only been there once. Living there, I'm going to need some help.

Q: Being an SEC guy, do you know Jalin Hyatt at all?

NABERS: I sure do.

Q: What can you tell us about your relationship with him?

NABERS: We have built a relationship along the lines, I asked him a few questions about the organization when I was on the visit. Told me great things. Watched him when he was in college. Tremendous athlete. Amazing speed. Got hands. He was also a Biletnikoff winner, so you know it's going to be a lot of competition going on in that room. So I'm excited to get to know those guys, hit the field with those guys.

Q: When you were up here with your visit, did you cross paths with the other two receivers, with Harrison and Odunze?

NABERS: Yes, we were all at the meeting together.

Q: What was that like for you? And did you get a, kind of different sense here when you are kind of with other guys you know they're kind of measuring you up against?

NABERS: It was a great meeting with those guys. We got to know each other more closely. So that was it.

Q: You talk about the competitor you are. Were you a competitor that day?

NABERS: Yeah, I had to be. They were trying to see what guy they wanted to pick. There was competition in that room.

Q: What do you think this offense could be? The explosiveness you have now with the guys like you, Jalin Hyatt, Darius Slayton and Wan'Dale Robinson?

NABERS: I'm not sure. We're going to learn, they're going to learn me, they're going to learn how I play. I'm going to learn my teammates, learn the my offense and we'll see where it leads.

Q: I know you're only 20 years old, but how much more do you think there is to grow in your game?

NABERS: There's a lot more to grow. Especially I'm a young NFL person that's coming in. I have a lot to learn, a lot to learn how to be a pro, but coming in there finding those older guys that can guide me along the way.

Q: How eager are you to compete against Jayden Daniels, same division?

NABERS: Same division, me and Jayden? The competition with me and him will always be the same. We had a lot of competition going on in college when we were teammates. So the competition level is high between us, for sure.

JOE SCHOEN: We're excited to get Malik. He's a guy who's been on our radar for quite some time, explosive playmaker, can play multiple spots. Can separate and has run-after-the-catch, very good hands, very productive in a difficult conference, so before getting here tomorrow and then getting into the building a couple of weeks from now. Getting him in with the rest of the players in our culture and developing him and competing for his play time. With that we'll open up for questions.

Q: What made you — obviously you had the choice, Malik over Odunze?

JOE SCHOEN: We had a lot of meetings throughout the season and at the end of the day we just thought Malik's toughness, separation, speed — not that Rome doesn't have all those things; Rome is a very good player, too — just when it came down to it, what we were looking for, Malik checked a lot of those boxes — his person, his toughness, competes, his production, the versatility.

Q: Joe, there were quarterbacks on the board. First of all, how aggressive were you trying to trade up to get a quarterback?

JOE SCHOEN: I think I said last week we were going to have conversations in front of us. We actually had conversations behind us. There was an opportunity for us to move out of the pick. So we had conversations. We had different plans in place. And we're excited to have Malik Nabers here, so we're real happy with the way it worked out.

Q: There was a lot reporting that you were talking with the Patriots, specifically for the third pick. How serious did those talks get? Was there just a walk-away point where their ask was too high?

JOE SCHOEN: We had a lot of conversations with a lot of teams. I'm not going to get into specifics. We had a really good player at six that was a position that I think was a need that we needed to upgrade. I'm fired up about the kid.

Q: Have you gotten any texts from Daniel Jones about the pick?

JOE SCHOEN: He's fired up. I texted him Malik's number. That's one of the first things I did. And he's fired up about it. He knew before it was announced on ESPN and NFL Network.

Q: Brian, what does it mean for you to have that sort of, for lack of a better term, a number one type receiver?

BRIAN DABOLL: Look, I'm excited about Malik. He's a heck of a player. He's a fun guy to evaluate. Like Joe talked about, he's got quickness, explosive, good run after the catch. He's got a great mindset in terms of the competitive style he plays with. Played well in big games. Get him in the program, get him with the receivers and into the offense, and really looking forward to working with him.

Q: Joe, do you view the quarterback position as a high priority, your next pick is 47, or do you remain comfortable coming out of this draft without one?

JOE SCHOEN: I'm comfortable with where we're at.

Q: Do you believe you can find like a franchise quarterback at that point in the draft?

JOE SCHOEN: I'm excited about Malik. Whatever, I don't know what's going on out there right now, but I know a couple of quarterbacks just went. We'll look at all positions across the board. I said last week that we have multiple needs across the board and the team, and we'll continue to try to fill those throughout the draft.

Again, there could still be movement. We could get more picks. We could trade up. We've done that in the past. Again, we just got an electric wide receiver that's 20 years old, will be 21 end of July. My guys said he is the fourth youngest player we had on our entire board among the 450 players we have in certain ranges, but a young player that is electric and we're really fired up about acquiring him.

Q: Is there a point where he kind of stood out and popped to you throughout the process? Maybe it wasn't even this year.

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, LSU, the amount of players they had, and our staff was able to see him play live several times. I've seen him two years in a row. I happened to be at the first game of the year versus Florida State, two years in a row. He's been on our radar.

He's a really good player. And we were at the pro day, we had him in on a 30 visit and went to dinner with him a couple different times. Getting around the kid, he's a great kid. He's super competitive. He's driven. And I'm excited about having him.

Q: How far did you guys — what does this do for Daniel? He's never really had a top tier receiver?

BRIAN DABOLL: We've got to get him in. He was obviously ultra productive at LSU. Made a ton of plays. I would say deep, intermediate, short. Be good to get him in here and get him acclimated to what we do. I know he's excited about it. We're excited to have him.

Q: Was he the top receiver on your board?

JOE SCHOEN: He was in the mix with multiple guys. We had a lot of guys that we liked that would fit in with the way we had them stacked. At the time we took him, he was the top receiver on our board.

Q: There was obviously an arrest at some point with him with a gun. The charges eventually dropped. But I'm assuming that wasn't a problem with you. And how did you guys go about looking into that?

JOE SCHOEN: We've got an extensive process in terms of background on these guys. And from watching it, we bring up the film, watched what happened. (Head of security) Jerry Meade does a phenomenal job for us. We have other resources that we reach out to and use, whether it's boots on the ground on the campus, in the cities, wherever it may be. We're very comfortable with the players we turn the card in on.

Q: Brian, at the combine, Malik talked about the meeting and just how much fun it was. You guys were joking around and doing this. Take me in the room there. Was it fun? Was he —

BRIAN DABOLL: I enjoyed those meetings. I love his personality. He's a very, very competitive young man. So it was good to sit down and kind of introduce ourselves and get him to introduce himself to us. He came here — he's a competitive guy. And I'm looking forward to working with him.

Q: How did you weigh McCarthy there versus Malik?

JOE SCHOEN: Malik was our guy. He was the guy we targeted. And we took him. There were other players on the board and we took him.

Q: How many times did you see him play in person last year?

JOE SCHOEN: Last year one time, saw LSU play.

Q: Joe, can you speak about Malik's toughness? I know he had the shoulder injury early in the season last year, but I don't believe he missed any games. Can you just talk about that?

JOE SCHOEN: That's legit, talking to the trainers and the medical staff, this guy didn't miss. Whatever it is, he's going to fight through it. He's tough, doesn't miss games, doesn't miss practice. If he can play, he's going to play. That's the way this kid is wired.

You'll see it, when you guys get around and see the way he practices and the way he plays on game day and see his highlights and you see some of the stuff he can do, whether it's with the ball in his hand, without the ball in his hand. When guys are wired like that, at his age, that's ingrained in him by then. That's who he is. Looking forward to bringing some of that toughness and explosiveness to the roster.

Q: How did you see him develop from when you first saw him?

JOE SCHOEN: He's been productive. He's had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He scored more touchdowns this year than he did the year before. But I think Jayden (Daniels) really elevated his game this year but he had scored in the past. But you saw a lot of the traits last year, he's a young kid.

When you evaluated him last year, you were evaluating a 19-year-old. This year, a 20-year-old kid. You see what some of these receivers are getting right now, APY. And you get a guy at his age where we got him in the draft and you're going to have cost control for five years. We're fired up about that.

Q: What stood out when you saw Malik in person?

JOE SCHOEN: I think at that position, the toughness. Some of the competitiveness, some of the best ones I've been around, they have that. It's going to be 20-some receivers taken between today and tomorrow and Saturday. What separates all the guys that are six-foot that are 200 pounds and run a 4.45, there's a bunch of them out there. To me it always goes back to grit, toughness, tenacity. You can't coach that. You can't teach that. I think this kid best illustrates it.

Q: This could be a very different night for Daniel. What did he say when you called him?

JOE SCHOEN: I shot him a text.

Q: When did you realize this was going to be the likely outcome, like at what pick? And did you know at that point or did you think that the Chargers, I know you kind of heard it a little bit, that they were going to take an offensive tackle there?

JOE SCHOEN: But you look at their roster, too, Mike Williams is gone and Keenan Allen is gone.

Q: I'm asking you, how confident were you that they were?

JOE SCHOEN: Again, that was part of the contingency plan. You have six names, and if all six go, you go to bed at night, whoever six was, and you're happy with it. When there's other contingency plans, when teams start calling, you can move back or you move up. So we had multiple plans against the whirlwind and Dabs rode it with me, we could do this, you're over-preparing for everything in all different situations. And we didn't know what the Chargers were going to do until we heard they took an offensive tackle. We were fired up.

Q: Other than the fact they're both from LSU, does this guy remind you at all of a young Odell?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I'm not going to compare him to anybody. I think he's a fantastic player. He's got a lot of good attributes. Starting with his personality and demeanor, his competitive stamina. He's got some dog to him. Excited to work with him, he's his own person. He's got a lot to learn coming in. I started out my career working with the receivers and there's a lot to learn, but I know he will, and he's ready to jump on the opportunity.

The Giants added a blue-chip prospect last night, even though they were all the way down at 6.  Many say that Nabers was the best WR on the board, better than MHJ.   He was considered by many to be a top 3 prospect in this draft and has elite franchise WR ceiling (he beat OJB's college record).

Not only did the Giants add a great WR prospect to the team, his presence will boost the other WRs as the best CB and the defensive focus will be on Nabers which means all the other WRs will see lesser CBs covering them.


Regardless if you believe Jones or Lock is the Giants' long term answer, the team need to put in place an infrastructure to support the QB and drafting Nabers goes a long way towards creating that infrastructure

History says, at best, only half succeed.  So which 3 do you see being hits in their new situations

Bears and Williams

Commanders and Daniels

Pats and Maye

Atlanta and Penix

Vikings and JJ

Broncos and Bo