Getty Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants.
No Jabrill Peppers? No Logan Ryan? No problem. The New York Giants secondary came to play against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12, thanks in large part to the budding play of second-year safety Xavier McKinney.
The Alabama product snatched his fifth interception of the season, while the Giants defense as a whole forced a season-high four turnovers on the day, en route to a 13-7 victory over their vaunted division rivals.
“[He’s] a superstar who’s only going to get better throughout this league,” Saquon Barkley told reporters of McKinney following the game.
After recording just one interception over his first 11 games as a pro, McKinney has now recorded at least one interception in three of his last six games, including a total of three interceptions over the Giants’ past three outings.
McKinney Blossoming Into a ‘Game Changer’
Dubbed the best pick in his entire class by former Super Bowl-winning GM Charley Casserly, McKinney initially arrived in East Rutherford with sky-high expectations for a second-round pick in 2020. One of the most versatile players in all of college football during his days in Tuscaloosa, CBS Sports’ Bryant McFadden went as far as to boldly predict that McKinney would not only take home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors but also be selected to both the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team.
Unfortunately, a fractured foot suffered in training camp made it relatively impossible for McKinney to deliver on his tantalizing promise, as he spent the majority of his rookie campaign on injured reserve, appearing in just six games (four starts). However, fast forward to current day and a healthy McKinney is reminding everyone of his sky-high potential, quickly blossoming into one of football’s most promising ballhawks — and by McKinney’s own accord, he’s far from a finished project.
“Just being aggressive on the ball. Trying to make plays for my team. I’m trying to be a game-changer for my team so we’re able to win games,” he said. “So that’s been my biggest thing, just trusting what I see and going and getting it so that’s what I’ve been doing and obviously I’ve still got a lot of things I’ve got to practice and work on, which I do every day, so I keep doing that and improving and helping us win.”
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Time to Get the Bleach Out
McKinney’s half-blonde look is probably the most notable hair decision a Giants player has made since Odell Beckham’s bleached mohawk from back in the day. It’s become synonymous with the 22-year-old’s brand. Yet, if the safety continues his stellar play it won’t be a scarce look in Big Blue’s secondary.
“Yeah. That’s a true statement,” Love said on November, 20th. “I told him I’ll dye my hair half blonde if he makes the Pro Bowl. So, yeah, that’s accurate.”
“I think Xavier is a rising superstar in this league without a doubt. I think he’s wise beyond his years,” Love added. “Obviously, he’s a year younger than me, but he goes into each week with a great preparation and a great focus. He’s really intentional about what he’s doing. He’s a great guy, so you want to support all your guys who are in that role and I think he’s having a great year. I think attention should be shown his way, for sure.”