The New York Giants may have scored a gem here.
The New York Giants took care of some pretty prominent needs in the NFL Draft, but it's also clear that the roster still has some holes.
While the Giants did select cornerback Colton Hood to address the secondary in Round 2, the position remains an issue.
New York lost Cor'Dale Flott in free agency, and the Giants signed Greg Newsome II as an answer. That's actually a downgrade.
Some have also questioned if Hood is all that NFL-ready, so New York could experience some pretty significant issues in its defensive backfield next season (what else is new?).
However, the Giants did land a really interesting undrafted free agent who could potentially make the 53-man roster and help the cornerback room: Thaddeus Dixon.
Dixon almost certainly would have been a Day 3 pick had it not been for an upper-body injury that limited him to just seven games at North Carolina in 2025.
During his time on the field for the Tar Heels this past year, Dixon finished with 19 tackles, a couple of tackles for loss and six passes defended.
Thaddeus Dixon. Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images.The 6-foot-1, 195-pound defender began his collegiate career at Long Beach City College in 2021 and spent two years there before transferring to Washington in 2023. After two season with the Huskies, Dixon moved on to UNC.
Dixon was productive at Washington, as well, particularly in 2024 when he finished with 43 tackles, an interception and 10 passes defended.
The Los Angeles native has great size for the cornerback position, and while he isn't elite in any one particular area, he has a well-rounded skillset that actually should play well on the NFL level.
I'm not saying that Dixon will become a starter for New York, but it's entirely possible that he could qualify for the team and develop into a key reserve.
Right now, Paulson Adebo, Newsome and Hood are the Giants' top cornerbacks. Deonte Banks — a former first-round pick who has been a bust — is fourth on the depth chart (remember: Dru Phillips plays in the nickel role).
Considering how thin Big Blue is at the position, it is within reason for Dixon to actually make the squad and push for legitimate snaps.
If any of the Giants' UDFA pickups were particularly interesting, it was Dixon.
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