Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Giants have a need at cornerback. Yes, they have Corey Webster, Prince Amukamara, Jayron Hosley, Aaron Ross and a hopefully healthy Terrell Thomas. However, there are questions abound in the secondary and the Giants could find themselves looking at a cornerback as their best player available on their draft board and one that might be available is Houston cornerback D.J. Hayden.
Hayden is trying to come back after almost losing his life from a torn inferior vena cava injury suffered during a game when one of his teammates kneed him in the chest while going for a ball. It is a freak injury most common in high-speed car accidents that has a 95 percent fatality rate. Hayden, however, is recovering well and should be ready for the start of training camp. He ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at his Pro Day and is showing no ill effects of his near-fatal injury.
On the field Hayden is one of the best cornerbacks in the 2013 NFL Draft. At 5-11, 191 pounds, Hayden has good size that blends very well with his speed. He can hold up very well in man coverage and will occasionally read the receiver’s route and jump the ball. He has excellent instincts and can play in just about any scheme in the NFL.
Hayden is a playmaker with the ball once he has it. He returned two of his four interceptions for touchdowns last year. He will also use his size and speed to engage in the running game and is a very sound tackler.
Off the field Hayden is a favorite of teammates and coaches. He is a hard worker and the kind of guy that would fit in well with a Tom Coughlin-led team. Adding a player like Hayden would give the Giants some insurance if Webster continues to struggle and/or Thomas has issues staying on the field because of his knee. The Giants have a very good corner in Amukamara, another top corner who fell to the Giants the last time they had the 19th overall pick two years ago. Hosley also showed promise last season and adding Hayden to the secondary stable would give the Giants a potentially formidable secondary moving forward.
The biggest question surrounding Hayden is his health. Almost losing your life on the football field does raise some questions and could scare some teams away. However, Hayden’s character and drive to get back on the field could also attract some teams. He is the kind of player you want on your team and the Giants could do a lot worse than Hayden with their first pick. He could develop into a shutdown corner at the next level.
