What Andru Phillips Brings to the New York Giants Defense

Coach Gene Clemons has a first look at Giants' third-round draft pick Andru Phillips, a cornerback out of Kentucky.

Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Andru Phillips / Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants are reshaping their defensive backfield. They said goodbye to Adoree’ Jackson and Xavier McKinney in free agency. They followed up their second-round selection of Minnesota Safety Tyler Nubin by grabbing another player in the back third of the defense with the selection of Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips. 

@CountryGiants #NYGiants choose Kentucky CB Andru Phillips in the 3rd round. pic.twitter.com/n4NioH1CX2

— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) April 27, 2024

At the NFL Combine, Phillips ran a 4.48 forty-yard dash and exploded 42” in the vertical jump as well as 11’3” in the broad jump. Those numbers definitely jump off the page and probably speak to the reason why he was not targeted much over the past two seasons. The best thing is that he still has a ton of room to improve. 

At 5-11 and 190 pounds, Phillips has the length to be effective on the perimeter or in the slot, but he is still raw. He only had two seasons of legitimate playing time at Kentucky, and he played a lot in the slot. 

Kentucky’s zone defensive scheme means that he has a good understanding of those principles. His athleticism says that he should be able to excel in man coverage as well. 

He did not intercept any passes, but he did allow many pass targets against him to be completed. His ability to rally to the ball carrier to make the tackle is impressive. 

He also can backpedal smoothly, change directions, explode, and strike. His speed lets him stay in phase with receivers on deep or crossing routes.

Phillips' quickest route to regular snaps may be through the slot. It is where he has a lot of experience, and it can allow him to take advantage of his athleticism. That explosiveness and ability to change directions and cover the deep shots from the slot are huge and extremely valuable in the league. It also allows him to play his physical brand of football. 

He may not be very big but he is aggressive and is not afraid of contact. He has the physicality and mindset of a safety when playing against the run. He was not a splash player over his final two seasons starting for the Wildcats, but he was extremely solid and did his job consistently to the best of his ability.

While Phillips did not wow during the Wildcats' regular season, he turned in the best performance of the week at the Senior Bowl. With big names like Ladd McConkey and Johnny Wilson looking to light it up at the game, Phillips completely shut down both and began his ascent up the draft boards. 

Then, his stellar performance at the combine backed up his play. Front offices and coaching staffs look at his raw materials mixed with what he has already proven on the field, and they see a football player who has yet to tap into his full potential. It is likely a big reason why Joe Schoen decided to pull the trigger on him in the third round.  

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