Giants Player Profile | Dravon Askew-Henry, DB

The Giants' lone XFL signing, Askew-Henry brings a will look to find a niche among a stacked defensive backfield.

2019 Season Rewind

Cornerback Dravon Askew-Henry comes from a background of football royalty.

As an Aliquippa, Pennsylvania native, Askew-Henry is the tenth player from the town to make it into the NFL, following his cousin, former Jets All-Pro cornerback Darelle Revis.

But Askew-Henry's career took an unexpected turn when he suffered a preseason ACL injury going into his junior season at West Virginia in 2016. Before the injury, the former ESPN true freshman All-American appeared to be on his way to emerging as a highly-ranked NFL prospect. Unfortunately, the injury appeared to rob him of some of that physical skill that made him such a promising prospect.

After two more seasons at West Virginia, Askew-Henry went undrafted, signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. But his first NFL stint was short-lived.

Pittsburgh cut Askew-Henry before the season and then went on to make stops on the Jaguars' and Patriots' practice squads.

Askew-Henry looked to get back on track when the XFL came calling. He was drafted by the New york Guardians, run at the time by general manager/head coach Kevin Gilbride, once the Giants offensive coordinator.

Askew-Henry took advantage of his opportunity, earning a starting role in the Guardians' lineup and never missing a start. Unfortunately, the XFL's season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but before it was, Askew-Henry had recorded 12 tackles (10 solo) and six pass breakups.

Once the XFL released its players from any contractual obligations, the Giants came calling. Askew-Henry was signed to a two-year $1.39 million contract with the Giants on April 16, making him the first XFL signing in franchise history.

Looking Ahead

Askew-Henry joins a crowded Giants defensive backs room that saw the off-season additions of cornerback James Bradberry, and the drafting of safety Xavier McKinney and corners Darnell Holmes and Chris Williamson.

But Askew-Henry does offer versatility and, of course, can contribute on special teams, which would likely be his best ticket onto the roster.

Askew-Henry's background appears to have prepared him for such a potential role. At West Virginia, he played both as a cover safety and in the box, and saw some snaps in the slot.

The big question remains how much of his pre-injury athleticism can he regain? Askew-Henry showed signs of getting back on track w=in the XFL, but is it enough to give him a fighting chance?

Based on some of his XFL film, Askew-Henry still seems to possess enough solid recovery burst and explosiveness when he is coming downhill to avoid being a liability. 

However, there are still some questions about his man coverage and doing any work on the perimeter.

The good news is that Askew-Henry is a fundamentally sound player who doesn't appear to get out of position on plays. And there is the willingness for special teams and a high level of compete in Askew-Henry's game that likely drew the Giants' interest.