Safety Tyler Nubin Ready to Do It All for Giants Defense

The New York Giants came into the draft needing to upgrade in the secondary at both safety and cornerback. So with their second-round pick, they addressed the former, adding Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin at No. 47, the first safety drafted off the board this year.

Standing at 6-1-foot-one, 200 pounds, Nubin can truly do it all. He’s versatile and can come down in the box as a blitzer as well as play that centerfield role on the back end. 

He’s certainly not short on confidence in what he believes he can bring to the Giants’ defense. 

“I’m an everything player,” he said during his introductory conference call with reporters. 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 coming down and hitting the box. I can play over the top—anywhere on the field, I’m comfortable.”

Nubin said he didn’t take a top-30 visit with the Giants, but he did have a private workout with them and also met at the NFL combine in February. He was arguably the best safety in the class this year, and the Giants managed to match value with need with where he fell in the draft order. 

Nubin will compete with Dane Belton and Jalen Mills to fill the vacancy when Xavier McKinney left via free agency to sign with the Green Bay Packers.

“I was so happy when (the Giants) called me and when that call came in because we already had a connection,” Nubin said, admitting that he cried tears of joy for about a half hour over having recognized his dream of being drafted.

Nubin had 53 tackles, four pass deflections, and five interceptions last season for the Golden Gophers. He had 13 interceptions during his collegiate career, an all-time school record. He is a ballhawk who always finds his way to the ball.

“It comes from my preparation,” he said. “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.”

Nubin’s physical style of play should earn him loads of playing time early in defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s system. While he doesn’t display blazing speed, he can keep up with pass catchers in coverage relatively well. 

Nubin also isn’t afraid to lay big hits on ball carriers, which will come in handy near the box, given Bowen’s defense lives on stopping the run. His quick instincts shouldn’t be ignored either–being able to read the quarterback like a book is likely why he had 13 interceptions and 24 pass deflections at Minnesota.

Nubin is a tough player, which the Giants look for in their players. 

How tough is he? Nubin revealed he played on a torn meniscus for six games last season.

“Yeah, I played six games on a torn meniscus last year. Got it scoped at the end of the season,” he said. “I kind of accelerated my recovery process to get myself ready for the Combine because I 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 just wanted to compete.”

The draft is a big moment for any player drafted, but Nubin had a lot to say regarding the people who helped him get there.

“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 are just so many people and sacrifices that were made over a long period leading up to this moment; it just all came out. Honestly, that’s what it was.

“I’m just thankful to be in this position. I can’t wait to get to work for the Giants.”

The Giants can’t wait for him to get to work as well.