Giants Rookie Nubin Jokingly Previews Week 1 vs. Vikings

The New York Giants drafted safety Tyler Nubin and corner Dru Phillips during Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft with the intention of getting instant production in a young secondary.

Nubin’s calf injury hurt his chances of starting Week 1, but if he gets the nod, he’ll get to face off against a formidable Minnesota Vikings team that has undergone an overhaul of their own this offseason.

The Kirk Cousins era is over, with the veteran passer heading to the Atlanta Falcons for the home stretch of his career. Instead, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy will take the reins as Minnesota’s franchise quarterback. While he hasn’t won the job just yet – currently battling journeyman Sam Darnold – he’ll have a strong supporting cast surrounding him when he does get the call.

The Giants’ new-look defense will hope to spoil his debut if given the chance.

When talking to reporters about the transition from college to the NFL, Nubin highlighted Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson as an example of what makes life in the big leagues difficult.

“First off, the spacing of everything is different,” Nubin said. “Obviously in college, the hashes are different. But it’s definitely more of a matchup-based league than college. The formation would tell you a lot but if you’ve got Justin Jefferson over there at the X, the formation’s not telling you s***. If Justin Jefferson is at the X, the formation does not matter, the ball is going over there.

“That’s one of the biggest things that’s a lot different, that you gotta pay attention to everything, who’s around you, who the matchups are on the field. That’s the biggest thing.”

Related: Roster Battle: Giants Coach Weighs in on Safety Competition

Unsurprisingly, Jefferson poses the biggest threat to New York’s chances in Week 1. As perhaps the best receiver in the league, Jefferson’s ability to separate is trouble for a young group of corners and puts extra stress on the back end to contain explosive plays.

However, Nubin was billed as a pro-ready prospect for his processing, technique, and ability to make plays on the ball. He may not get the starting nod, but Nubin’s rookie transition should be fairly quick, giving him ample runway to gel with an ascending secondary.