Dru Phillips is no longer ‘kind of blind’ with plenty of Giants clarity

Dru Phillips carved out a role as the Giants’ primary nickel cornerback during his rookie season last year, intercepted a pass, logged 68 percent of their defensive snaps, sacked Jayden Daniels and collected seven tackles for loss. 

All what while he was “kind of blind.” 

Phillips underwent LASIK surgery this offseason to make his life easier — he doesn’t like wearing contacts — and has noticed an improvement in tracking the ball and being able to “go attack more” in training camp following the procedure that took around 15 minutes. 

“Seeing the ball in the air, that was one of my biggest problems,” Phillips said after the Giants practiced Thursday. “That dates back a long time ago, but especially this camp … I can just see the ball, so it helps me in here and in outside life, like driving and stuff. It makes it a lot easier.” 

He posted about the surgery at Teaneck, N.J.-based Cornea & Laser Eye Institute in May, writing on X that it was “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made” and adding a photo of himself with Dr. Steven Greenstein holding a Giants football.

Phillips said he spoke with the “people upstairs” about his eyesight before the Giants drafted him in the third round, adding that they were the only team in the predraft process who asked, “You can’t see?” 

It was never mentioned during his collegiate seasons at Kentucky, and Phillips “was just blind” at the time, he said with a laugh. 

“It’s one of those things I’m glad that [the Giants] pointed out because I probably still wouldn’t have had it if no one said anything,” Phillips said, “but it helped me out on an everyday basis.” 

During a Giants training camp defined by change (with newcomers in Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland) and potential change (a Deonte Banks-Cor’Dale Flott competition for the second cornerback spot), Phillips has been a constant in the secondary.

He’s no longer “playing with my head on fire” like he was at this time last year and can sense what’ll happen now instead of guessing. 

Phillips knows that he was part of the defense’s communication issue in 2024 and has tried to help fix that through experience — and, perhaps, being able to see the ball better will lead to tangible improvements, too. 

“You’re part defensive back and, at times, part linebacker,” coach Brian Daboll said of nickel cornerbacks. “He’s tough, but I would say his communication and his process of how he does things — and he’s taken a good step, and we need him to.”