Giants' Secondary Ranking Holds Up at Safety, Not at Cornerback

Pro Football Focus ranked the Giants' secondary 27th in the NFL heading into 2026, according to Giants Wire's Dan Benton. Sharp Football Analysis rated it even lower, 29th of 32 — the lowest-graded position group on the team. Both point to the same problem: in 2025, the Giants' defensive backs had the league's worst run-defense grade among secondaries and committed the second-most penalties of any defensive back group, per PFF.

Camp and the first two preseason games have not changed the overall ranking. Individually, cornerback Deonte Banks is outplaying his 2025 grade, and safety Tyler Nubin is not.

Banks looks like a different player

Banks had one of the worst seasons any Giant put on tape in 2025. He graded 42.4 overall, 112th out of 114 qualified cornerbacks, per PFF. He allowed 26 receptions, a 149.7 passer rating and zero interceptions. The Giants declined his fifth-year option in May, turning down a $12.63 million salary for 2027.

On Aug. 3, Banks got a hand on a pass intended for Isaiah Hodgins, and Micah McFadden intercepted it, according to Giants.com's John Schmeelk, who covered the practice on-site.

Six days later, Big Blue Film Room, a Giants-focused account on X, cited ESPN's Jordan Raanan on "serious" competition at cornerback. The account wrote that Banks, despite that 112th-of-114 grade, had "earned rave reviews in camp" under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson.

Banks closed West Virginia camp with an end-zone interception and a breakup on a slant to Isaiah Likely, Empire Sports Media's Alexander Wilson reported.

Against Minnesota on Aug. 15, Banks played the whole first half and held up in coverage, finishing with two tackles, according to Sports Illustrated's Giants Country. Against Miami on Aug. 22, in a 26-3 Giants win, he knocked away two passes and added two run-game tackles.

Giants Country's Bob Folger wrote that Banks "has been playing like a much different player this year, one who is not only full of confidence but also more physical than ever."

Banks isn't the only cornerback playing better than the ranking suggests. Rookie Colton Hood, the Giants' No. 37 overall pick, drew praise for "tight, sticky coverage" against Minnesota. Paulson Adebo returned from a hamstring strain to play well against Miami. Greg Newsome II, back from a knee sprain, added a run tackle, a pass breakup and another run stop for little gain.

Nubin hasn't shown the same jump

Nubin graded 65.8 as a rookie in 2024 and dropped to 57.2 in 2025, according to PFF — 78th among 98 qualified safeties. His run-defense grade fell to 47.1, 95th at the position. He still has zero interceptions in 26 career games.

On Aug. 6, backup safeties Elijah Campbell and Raheem Layne each intercepted quarterback Jaxson Dart in the same practice. Layne also forced a fumble, and Campbell broke up two more passes, Empire Sports Media's Anthony Rivardo reported. Nubin, in that same practice, got beaten by JuJu Smith-Schuster for a red-zone touchdown.

Jevon Holland hasn't solved the safety spot either. He signed a three-year, $45.3 million deal before the 2025 season, then graded 58.4 in his first year with the Giants, with one interception in 512 coverage snaps.

Nubin had one good moment in the two preseason games. Against Minnesota, he knocked away a pass — worth noting, Folger wrote, only because it was the first time in two seasons he'd gotten his hands on the ball. Against Miami, he had a good close on a tight end, but he got beaten deep on a 30-yard completion that Folger wrote "most starting safeties" would have prevented.

Where things stand

PFF's team preview named Nubin the Giants' breakout candidate for 2026, pointing to the run defense he showed as a rookie as the level he needs to get back to. Camp hasn't shown that yet.

Banks's preseason performance has outpaced his 2025 grade so far. Nubin's has not. The sample remains small — three weeks of camp and two preseason games — with one more preseason game, Friday against the Jets, before the Giants set their 53-man roster by the Aug. 30 deadline.