New York Giants: Vonn Bell Is Now A Must

With the New York Giants deliberate decision to avoid a veteran free safety in free agency, it’s clear now that the team must look to the draft yet again for a player with talent and durability to step into a starting role for Big Blue’s defense at this important position.

I say “again”, because the Giants grabbed Landon Collins last year in the 2nd round of the draft, and he appears to be their box safety for the foreseeable future. But they still need someone they can trust to cover the back-end of the secondary and occasionally even step into the nickel corner role when needed ala Antrel Rolle. Since the Giants are committed to go young here, they better put someone back there that’s shown big talent against NFL-quality players.

Enter Vonn Bell from Ohio State.

Bell possesses the range, speed and coverage skills that none of the 2015 Giants crop of free safeties had. He excelled at man to man coverage both at safety and sometimes in the nickel corner role, flashing great ball skills and instincts during the last two years at Ohio State as the starting free safety.

Per Dane Brugler of cbssports.com, Ohio State’s head coach Urban Meyer said of Bell, “I’ve been lucky to have been around a lot of good safeties and he’s as good as I’ve ever had.” That’s pretty lofty praise from a coach that has had a lot of great players pass through his locker rooms over his coaching career.

Bell projects well as an NFL free safety instead of a strong safety as he isn’t the hardest hitter, but the Giants don’t need him to be. The previously mentioned Collins is filling that role well, but struggled in coverage in his rookie campaign.