The New York Giants and general manager Dave Gettleman have been heavily praised for their 2020 NFL Draft haul, which featured key additions in left tackle Andrew Thomas, safety Xavier McKinney and right tackle Matt Peart.
However, despite the obvious value brought in by those players, NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks doesn’t believe any of them are future All Pros or Pro Bowlers. In fact, Brooks believes the top three offensive tackles taken after Thomas (Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Mekhi Becton) are superior talents.
But while Brooks is not high on any of the Giants’ first three picks, he does feel fourth-round cornerback Darnay Holmes could be a “game-changer,” and acknowledged as much by recently naming Holmes a “red star.”
3) Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA: The best nickel corner in the 2020 class possesses a unique set of skills that should enable him to shine immediately in the league. Holmes’ combination of speed, agility, intelligence, competitiveness and toughness are ideal for the slot corner position, which is viewed as the 12th starting spot on defenses in today’s game. The UCLA product has the capacity to cover shifty receivers in tight quarters and also understands how to maintain his leverage, to maximize the help available to him from linebackers and safeties. Holmes’ high football IQ and his overall awareness of coverage would make him ideally suited for the slot corner role in a multi-faceted scheme that demands a lot from the nickel back. Given Holmes’ toughness, tackling and competitive spirit, the move inside could help him become a game-changer at the next level.
In case you’re wonder what a “red star” is, Brooks explained:
On the “Move the Sticks” podcast, Daniel Jeremiah and I have discussed how scouts will stand on the table for guys they believe will outperform their draft status. In the scouting world, these players are called “red star” guys because they are destined to make their mark in the league, regardless of where they are drafted.
Brooks’ opinion of Holmes is not unique in that many draft analysts, experts, scouts and anonymous executives have heaped praised upon the Giants for the pick. And if the young cornerback can live up to even a fraction of the building hype, he’ll be a mainstay in East Rutherford for quite some time.
