Eli Apple had a solid rookie season recording 41 tackles defended seven passes and had one interception. But he did struggle when matched up against top tier wide receivers on passes down the field especially in the Giants Wildcard loss to the Green Bay Packers. In addition, the Giants did not feel comfortable with him playing in the slot corner.
But now that he’s had a year of NFL experience and getting adjusted to the speed of the game, the Giants feel he can make a leap in year two similar to what safety Landon Collins did last year.