A calf injury sidelined Nubin at the start of training camp, but the rookie safety has worked to make up for lost time over the past few weeks. The second-round pick has showcased his high level of football intelligence and toughness since his first day on the practice field, impressing the coaching staff.

“He’s getting better and better,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said a few weeks ago. “He’s improving every day. I think the biggest thing about him is that he’s finally out there. He’s healthy. We missed him the first two weeks. And he had to catch up to get back into contention. He’s been good. He takes advantage of opportunities. He doesn’t make the same mistake twice. I’m encouraged by where he’s at right now.”

Nubin was on the field 18 times in the season opener against the Lions. It was a solid performance for his first NFL appearance, but one play in particular stood out. With the Lions facing a third-and-2, Nubin ran over offensive lineman Michael Niese, pinning the 295-pound lineman to the ground while Dyontae Johnson flew in to tackle the runner just short of the line and win the ball. This was just one example of the physicality Nubin hopes to bring to the Giants’ defense this season, as the rookie safety is headed for significant playing time in his first year.

“He’s really competitive, really confident,” added Jerome Henderson, passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach earlier in camp. “You just have to look at the (college) video — and even here — his intensity, his energy and his focus just jump out at you.”

An ankle injury suffered in practice after the season opener forced Phillips to miss the game against the Texans, but not after the rookie cornerback made a strong first impression. Phillips performed well during the two practices they had together against the Lions, including his outing against All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, where the rookie didn’t shy away from the elite wideout. Phillips then made a strong tackle in the game against the Lions that resulted in a loss of yardage.

“Look at our freshman Dru Phillips and how he holds his own against Amon-Ra St. Brown. He didn’t flinch,” assistant general manager Brandon Brown said last week. “I think the toughness, the quiet toughness that Dru has and his ability to be persistent in the nickel, that he does a really good job every day, going up against (wide receiver) Wan’Dale (Robinson) and going with that flinch at the start of routes. To see a savvy, polished route runner like Amon-Ra not flinch and be able to hold his own two days in a row. That was really nice to see.”

Phillips returned to practice last week and his practice reps increased each day. Coach Brian Daboll listed the rookie cornerback among players who are coming back from injury and should be ready to play this week. Phillips could be the Giants’ starting nickelback in Week 1 against the Vikings.

“I love Dru,” said inside linebacker Bobby Okereke at the start of training camp. “I didn’t know how much, he’s 190, 200 pounds. He’s a physical guy. He was there right away when he put the pads on. I think he’s going to be a great addition to our defense.”

Johnson was originally on the physically unable to perform list when the rookies first reported their performances on July 16, delaying the start of his first NFL training camp. But the rookie tight end passed a physical less than two weeks later, allowing him to return to the practice field just days after the rest of the team. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound tight end has showcased his athleticism throughout training camp with some impressive catches during team drills.

“Theo (Johnson) is a freshman and he’s right on schedule with his development,” assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said recently. “He was one of the guys that started a little later in training camp, just coming back from injury. But he’s doing a really good job. I’m happy. I’m excited about him. I’m going to continue to incorporate him into the offense and continue to find ways to incorporate him.”

Johnson has seen some action in practice with the first team, partly due to injuries at the position, but the rookie has taken advantage of the opportunity and shown he can contribute in the passing game. The 23-year-old could play a bigger role in the offense this season.

“He’s big, he’s fast and he didn’t make many mental mistakes for a freshman,” Daboll said. “We put him in several spots and he was productive in the opportunities he had.”