Giants Coaching Spotlight: Defensive Backs Coach Jerome Henderson

Giants defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson has developed some of the best defensive backs in the NFL during his 13-year coaching career. Can he work the same magic with this young Giants defensive backfield?

The Giants defensive backs in 2020 are young and don't boast a single Pro Bowl appearance. However, the unit has a proven asset with the guidance of defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson.

Henderson brings 29 combined years of experience as an NFL defensive back and position coach. He played seven years in the NFL, hauling in nine career interceptions from 1991-98.

As a defensive backs coach with the Jets, Browns, Cowboys, and Falcons, Henderson's defensive backs have recorded 105 interceptions since 2008.

"The things I'm coaching, I've been in that situation before," Henderson said last month. "I try to be that coach who provides answers ... as much wisdom I can impart as well as instruction I try to do that."

The Giants are counting on Henderson's expertise to yield a jump out of their young defensive backs.

He's been successful in that regard. Before coming to New York, Henderson most recently served as defensive passing game coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2016-19 and found particular success with young safeties.

Damontae Kazee, a fifth-round draft pick out of San Diego State in 2017, became a versatile starting safety in Henderson's pass defense in 2018.

After assuming a backup role as a rookie in 2017, injury opened opportunities for Kazee to start 15 games at strong safety in 2018 and 14 games at free safety in 2019. Kazee racked up ten interceptions, and 13 passes defended in those two seasons.

Henderson's instruction helped Kazee make the transition from corner to safety, where he's become the main contributor to the Falcons' pass defense over the last few years.

While Kazee thrived at safety, Henderson still ensured that the young versatile defensive back was prepared to play corner. Kazee even started the 2019 season at nickel corner but transitioned right back to safety when Neal went down with an injury.

Coming out of college as a corner, Kazee was seen as an undersized playmaker with sound tackling ability — a similar evaluation to Julian Love of the Giants.

Love was a fourth-round cornerback prospect out of Notre Dame in 2019 and found playing time after Peppers went down with a spinal injury in Week 12 last year.

With Love, the Giants have a player with the versatility to play safety and slot corner, and Henderson's coaching should ensure that Love will be ready to take on whatever task the defense needs of him.

• RELATED: Julian Love: The Good The Great and The Ugly

Versatility and sound play should be a priority for Henderson's unit from top to bottom. More importantly, the Giants will need to see significant progress from players with elite playmaking potential.

Jabrill Peppers was a first-round draft pick in 2017 and was praised for elite versatility, instincts, and physicality — traits Henderson helped Neal utilize when the two were paired in Atlanta in 2016.

Henderson helped channel Neal's relentless tackling ability into premium defensive production as a rookie starter in 2016 during the Falcons' run to Super Bowl LI.

Neal made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and went on to rack up 222 tackles and eight forced fumbles in his first two seasons for the Falcons.

Henderson's track record of developing productive defensive backs who earn Pro-Bowl or All-Pro players is certainly one big reason to feel good about the future of the Giants' otherwise young defensive backfield.