New York Giants' Dru Phillips named a potential first-time Pro Bowler in 2025
Entering his second season, more is expected of Phillips, and head coach Brian Daboll has seen marked improvement, both in the meeting room and on the field.
"He's made a big jump from Year 1 to Year 2, just the overall communication in that area in particular. I think he's got a lot of confidence right now," Daboll said in late July. "He's a good football player. He's got a lot of physical traits that help him play that spot that he plays.
"It's the nickel position, and you're part defensive back and at times part linebacker. He's tough, but I would say his communication and his process of how he does things, and he's taken a good step, and we need him to."
Kevin Patra of NFL Media also expects a notable improvement from Phillips in 2025, naming him a potential first-time Pro Bowler.
Let's take a dart throw at one of the Giants' young secondary players who could make strides in 2025. Head coach Brian Daboll has already said he sees Phillips making a 'big jump' in Year 2, and teammates have praised the slot corner's upside. In 2024, Phillips showed potential as a run defender and generated a -7.2 target EPA -- the best mark on the team, according to Next Gen Stats (min. 200 coverage snaps). Phillips' aggressive, physical style plays well near the line of scrimmage. Stepping into a bigger role with a better understanding of the defense, the 23-year-old has the chance to grow into one of the better slot defenders in the NFC.
If Phillips were to make the Pro Bowl roster or be named an All-Pro, it wouldn't come as any sort of surprise to his teammate, linebacker Bobby Okereke.
"Dru is a freak athlete," Okereke said. "So for him, he's got All-Pro, Pro Bowl in his future. It's just as he gets mentally more in tune with the game and understanding concepts and playing the game, playing ahead of the game, seeing those pre-snap indicators. I sit next to him in meetings every day, and you see the notes he's taking, the questions he's asking, so it's cool to see that maturation."
The Giants are loaded with young talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but few have more potential or a higher ceiling than Phillips.
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