Giants' Near-Bust Could Break Out if He Solves This One Problem

Two years ago, the New York Giants selected Tyler Nubin in the second round of the NFL Draft, and given the team's penchant for finding good safeties in the draft (Kenny Phillips, Landon Collins and Xavier McKinney, to name a few), most had high hopes for Nubin.

After all, Nubin flashed tremendous potential at Minnesota, racking up 12 interceptions over his final three seasons with the Golden Gophers. Surely, he was a ball hawk whose skills would translate on to the professional level, right?

Well, through two NFL seasons, Nubin has yet to log an interception, and his tendency to miss tackles has Giants fans ready to throw in the towel on the 25-year-old.

Nubin's impact in New York's secondary has been minimal, to say the least. He has only tallied three passes defended through his first couple of years in the league, and quarterbacks tend to target him regardless of where he lines up.

So, what is the problem with Nubin? And is it possible it was Shane Bowen's scheme that stunted his growth in 2024 and 2025?

New York now has a new defensive coordinator in Dennard Wilson, who once served as defensive backs coach under John Harbaugh in Baltimore. Wilson specializes in the secondary, so perhaps he can find a fix for Nubin.

Nubin is at his best when he is able to roam and seek out the ball. He proved that in college, but he has yet to display that in the pros.

Is it because he is simply not capable in the NFL? Or is it because he hasn't been utilized properly?

Well, we're about to find out, and there is absolutely no question that Nubin is in danger of losing his job next season.

The Giants signed former Ravens defensive back Ar'Darius Washington in free agency, and while he missed most of 2025 due to a torn Achilles, he was actually one of the better DBs in the league in 2024 and can play either safety or nickel.

Harbaugh is obviously very familiar with Washington. So is Wilson. So don't think for a second that Nubin's job is entirely safe.

It will be interesting to see how New York decides to use Nubin in training camp and preseason. If they can devise a role for him that allow him to best flesh out his skills, then perhaps there is a reason to believe Nubin can be saved.

But if it begins to look like the youngster is a lost cause, it would not be surprising to see Washington usurp him sooner than you might expect.

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