The New York Giants were shocked when Kentucky safety Yusuf Corker not only went undrafted in April, but then landed in their lap as a rookie free agent.
Desperately in need of depth at safety, the Giants were quick to swoop Corker up. In their minds, they had just found a diamond out in the open.
“I think that happens every year, where this guy should’ve got drafted in the fourth or seventh or sixth, he’s a free agent or this guy should have been a seventh, and he was a second-round pick,” head coach Brian Daboll said of Corker. “We’ll see. He’s a good kid. I think he’s got a good skillset. Put him back there, see how he does.”
Corker was widely projected to go between Round 4 and Round 6. Precious few believed he’d slide into Round 7 or out of the draft all together. But Corker’s misfortune was the Giants’ gain, and those dividends are already beginning to be paid.
After a three-day rookie minicamp last week, Corker returned for the start of organized team activities on Monday. And he immediately made an impact.
It was a surprise to some in the media to see safety Yusuf Corker go undrafted last month. Corker landed with the Giants as a free agent, and on Monday the safety made the defensive play of the day. The former Kentucky Wildcat intercepted a pass which he then took the other way for what would have been a significant gain.
Although Xavier McKinney is already penciled in as a starting safety, who plays alongside of him is less certain. Julian Love appears to have the inside track, but he’s really a versatile do-it-all man who Wink Martindale would prefer moving around.
If Corker can keep up his current momentum and play well throughout the summer, there’s a strong chance he not only makes the Giants’ 53-man roster, but plays an impactful defensive role.
