Hard Knocks: Giants view former Gophers star Tyler Nubin as 'Year 1 contributor'

Nubin is expected to start at safety for New York this season.

Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants safety Tyler Nubin (31) and safety Elijah Riley (34) during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

When the New York Giants selected former Gophers star safety Tyler Nubin with the 15th pick in the second round — No. 47 overall — of this year's draft, they were selecting a guy they deemed a Day 1 starter.

In the latest episode of HBO's Hard Knocks: Offseason, the Giants' handling of the draft was the focus, and it provided further insight into how the latest star safety from the U landed in New York.

After selecting LSU's Malik Nabers in the first round of the draft, the Giants entered round two looking to shore up some holes on their defense. New York was focused on landing one of the top corners still left on the board but understood they may be gone by the time the Giants picked, so they had lined up Nubin as their third choice heading into Day 2 of the draft.

As the board would fall, New York's first two options — Kool-Aid McKinstry and Kamari Lassiter — went in back-to-back picks to the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans several picks before New York. With those two off the board, the Giants focused in on Nubin.

On whether the Giants thought about moving up to get one of their top-two guys, Giants general manager Joe Schoen said, "It just didn't make sense."

“In order for us to move up in the second round, we probably would have had to give up a fourth-round pick," Schoen said. "As much as some of the players we really liked that maybe would have helped us that were there and went before we picked, the plan was to be patient. We knew we were going to be able to get a good football player based on our numbers and how the board was set.”

In the moments before the Giants were set to pick, cameras caught Schoen having a conversation with Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen about Nubin, where Bowen confirmed that Nubin was his "No. 1 guy." After Schoen listed off all of Nubin's positive traits, Bowen responded that Nubin, "Can come in and contribute, Year 1."

Nubin is set to replace longtime Giants safety Xavier McKinney, who signed with the Green Bay Packers in the offseason after four years in New York, with Schoen noting that he "should come in and start." It's a role that fits Nubin well and one that has seen him listed as a "dark horse" candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year this season, according to NFL Network's Lance Zierlein.

After making the selection, Giants head coach Brian Daboll told Schoen, "You got a great kid."

“Sometimes if you just wait and your patient, you’re going to get a good player," Schoen responded.