The Giants were all set. They had a trade worked out and were set Friday night to move out of the No. 36 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. They found a trade partner and were going to drop in the second round in order to add an additional pick.
Only one player could cancel the trade.
“We had our mind made up our mind that if Xavier fell to us we were taking him,’’ general manager Dave Gettleman said.
Indeed, Alabama safety Xavier McKinney was on the board. That was that. He was the pick and the potential trade was gone.
“We did have something, if Xavier had been gone,’’ Gettleman said. “We felt the value of getting Xavier there was just too good to pass up.’’
A day after addressing a huge need with the first-round selection of offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, the Giants added the top safety in the entire draft. The Giants had a first-round grade on McKinney and did not expect him to make it through Thursday.
Xavier McKinneyGetty Images“We saw him hanging around,’’ head coach Joe Judge said. “We were very fortunate.’’
Just like that, after signing James Bradberry in free agency, the Giants have the makings of a legitimate secondary. McKinney figures to start quickly and perhaps immediately, teaming with Jabrill Peppers, who will be able to move closer to the line of scrimmage, where he is more effective. McKinney can roam the deep half of the field.
Peppers after the pick was made tweeted “YESSSSSSIR’’ with a whole bunch of exclamation points.
A two-year starter at Alabama, McKinney is extremely versatile. He can play in a slot cornerback role, in the box or as a deep safety. According to Pro Football Talk, McKinney played 291 snaps in the box, 232 snaps in the slot and 282 snaps at free safety. He was one of four players in college football to play 100 snaps at inside linebacker, outside linebacker and cornerback.
“I consider myself a DB,’’ McKinney said. “A DB is somebody who can play safety, free safety, corner, slot nickel, anywhere.’’
He is not Isaiah Simmons, the do-everything Clemson linebacker who was taken No. 8 overall by the Cardinals, but he is one of the most versatile defensive players in the draft.
“One of the important things for us this year was getting a safety that can play the deep part of the field,’’ Gettleman said.
Judge went as far as to say McKinney will “allow us to use a lot of our players in different ways, because of his versatility it will complement everyone else on our roster.’’
McKinney did not run well (4.63) at the NFL Scouting Combine, and that might have hurt his stock a bit. He never got a chance to improve that time, as Alabama’s pro day was canceled, with social distancing measures put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That’s the only thing we can think of,’’ Gettleman said of why McKinney dropped into the second round. “Very frankly, it’s how fast does a guy play. It’s not what he does in his underwear on a track.’’
McKinney said he experienced cramps before running the 40 at the combine, calling it a “fake time.’’ Earlier in the draft process, he said he ran 4.52.
“I don’t know how much it hurt me,’’ McKinney said. “To be honest I really don’t care much about the 40 anyways. I think my tape says it all.’’
As far as slipping into the second round, McKinney said he was “very surprised.”
“I’m happy to be a Giant and that’s all that matters now,’’ he said.
McKinney follows Landon Collins in 2015 as an Alabama safety coming to the Giants in the second round. Judge received plenty of inside information from Nick Saban. Judge worked for Saban for three years at Alabama. Judge said he first noticed McKinney two years ago when he was in Tuscaloosa scouting for the Patriots.
“He just stuck out as a guy on the field that flies around, plays with a lot of passion and energy,’’ Judge said. “He also has that ability to be that quarterback on the back end.’’
In addition to Peppers and now McKinney, the Giants have Julian Love entering his second season after starting five games as a rookie.
“You can never,’’ Gettleman said, “have enough DBs.’’
