PFF tabs Jevón Holland as Giants' X-factor
The Giants added pieces on both sides of the ball this offseason, including several key players that are looking at big-time roles.
According to Pro Football Focus, one veteran in particular could play a significant role in the defense's potential turnaround.
PFF's Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman recently chose one X-factor from each team across the league heading into the 2025 season. For the Giants, they went with safety Jevón Holland.
"Miami let Holland walk in free agency after he posted a career-low 57.1 coverage grade in 2024. However, his 91.3 coverage grade since 2021 still ranks tied for fifth among qualified safeties, highlighting his overall consistency before last season," wrote Wasserman. "Holland thrives as a deep-roaming free safety in single-high coverages, a promising fit under new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, whose defense ranked sixth in single-high usage during the 2024 regular season."
Holland played in 15 games for the Dolphins last season and finished with 62 total tackles (42 solo), one sack, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, one forced fumble and four passes defensed.
Across his first three seasons, the young safety displayed a knack for finding the football. Holland registered a total of five interceptions from 2021-23 to go with four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 21 pass breakups.
As Wasserman noted, Holland was one of PFF's top-rated safeties in coverage throughout his first three seasons, while also performing well in run defense.
The veteran will join Tyler Nubin and Dane Belton as the team's top safeties, with Holland being the oldest of the group having just turned 25. All three players have recorded at least one interception through the first half of OTAs.
The entire secondary is looking at a good opportunity to grow together moving forward, as every safety or cornerback currently on the roster will be 26 or younger at the start of the season.
View practice photos from OTA No. 5 at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
QB Russell Wilson (3)
Brandon Jacobs
S Tyler Nubin (27)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
Brian Daboll
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
CB Dru Phillips (22)
Brandon Jacobs talks to the running backs RB Devin Singletary (26), RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29), RB Dante Miller (25), RB Eric Gray (20)
QB Jaxson Dart (6),QB Jameis Winston (19)
ILB Dyontae Johnson (54)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
OLB Tomon Fox (45)
DL Dexter Lawrence II (97)
DL Chauncey Golston (57)
G Aaron Stinnie (64)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
CB Nic Jones (31)
Brandon Jacobs
OLB Trace Ford (46)
CB Nic Jones (31)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
WR Dalen Cambre (5)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
Brandon Jacobs
Brandon Jacobs
CB Deonte Banks (2)
LB Chris Board (49)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
ILB Ty Summers (47)
S Jevón Holland (8)
Brandon Jacobs, Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll
S Jevón Holland (8)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
K Graham Gano (9)
Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll
K Graham Gano (9)
WR Darius Slayton (18)
K Jude McAtamney (99)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
S Jevón Holland (8)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
DT Cory Durden (69)
K Graham Gano (9)
C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61)
S Jevón Holland (8) and CB Paulson Adebo (21)
DT Kyler Baugh (99)
DT Elijah Chatman (94)
CB Tre Hawkins III (37)
QB Russell Wilson (3), Mike Kafka
CB TJ Moore (30)
QB Russell Wilson (3), Mike Kafka
CB Dru Phillips (22)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
RB Rushawn Baker (36)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
RB Eric Gray (20)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
QB Tommy DeVito (15), QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
WR Da'Quan Felton (9)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey (81)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
S Jevón Holland (8)
WR Darius Slayton (18)
S Jevón Holland (8)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
RB Dante Miller (25)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
QB Jameis Winston (19)
QB Jaxson Dart (6) and QB Tommy DeVito (15)
QB Jameis Winston (19)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
S Jevón Holland (8)
WR Zach Pascal (83)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
WR Darius Slayton (18)
S Jevón Holland (8)
CB Nic Jones (31)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
S Jevón Holland (8)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
OL Marcus Mbow (71)
WR Juice Wells Jr. (2)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Jameis Winston (19)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
QB Tommy DeVito (15)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (87)
ILB Ty Summers (47)
DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (93)
CB O'Donnell Fortune (39)
WR Montrell Washington (80)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
WR Jordan Bly (12)
See who led the Giants in sacks each season since it became an official statistic in 1982.
1982 Lawrence Taylor - 7.5 sacks
1983 (tied) Lawrence Taylor/George Martin - 9 sacks
1983 (tied) Lawrence Taylor/George Martin - 9 sacks
1984 Lawrence Taylor - 11.5 sacks
1985 Leonard Marshall - 15.5 sacks
1986 Lawrence Taylor - 20.5 sacks
1987 Lawrence Taylor - 12 sacks
1988 Lawrence Taylor - 15.5 sacks
1989 Lawrence Taylor - 15 sacks
1990 Lawrence Taylor - 10.5 sacks
1991 Leonard Marshall - 11 sacks
1992 Lawrence Taylor - 5 sacks
1993 Keith Hamilton - 11.5 sacks
1994 (tied) Erik Howard/Keith Hamilton - 6.5 sacks
1995 Michael Strahan - 7.5 sacks
1996 (tied) Chad Bratzke/Michael Strahan - 5 sacks
1996 (tied) Chad Bratzke/Michael Strahan - 5 sacks
1997 Michael Strahan - 14 sacks
1998 Michael Strahan - 15 sacks
1999 Jessie Armstead - 9 sacks
2000 Keith Hamilton - 10 sacks
2001 Michael Strahan - 22.5 sacks
2002 Michael Strahan - 11 sacks
2003 Michael Strahan - 18.5 sacks
2004 Osi Umenyiora - 7 sacks
2005 Osi Umenyiora - 14.5 sacks
2006 Osi Umenyiora - 6 sacks
2007 Osi Umenyiora - 13 sacks
2008 Justin Tuck - 12 sacks
2009 Osi Umenyiora - 7 sacks
2010 (tied) Justin Tuck/Osi Umenyiora - 11.5 sacks
2011 Jason Pierre-Paul - 16.5 sacks
2012 Jason Pierre-Paul - 6.5 sacks
2013 Justin Tuck - 11 sacks
2014 Jason Pierre-Paul - 12.5 sacks
2015 Robert Ayers Jr. - 9.5 sacks
2016 Olivier Vernon - 8.5 sacks
2017 Jason Pierre-Paul - 8.5 sacks
2018 Olivier Vernon - 7 sacks
2019 Markus Golden - 10 sacks
2020 Leonard Williams- 11.5 sacks
2021 Azeez Ojulari - 8 sacks
2022 Dexter Lawrence - 7.5 sacks
2023 Kayvon Thibodeaux - 11.5 sacks
2024 Dexter Lawrence - 9 sacks
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