Giants sign defensive back Dravon Askew-Henry of XFL's Guardians, source confirms
Dravon Askew-Henry of the Guardians breaks up a pass intended for Donald Parham of the Renegades during an XFL game on March 7 in Arlington, Texas. Credit: Getty Images/Richard Rodriguez
Dravon Askew-Henry is moving from the NYG to the NYG.
That’s New York Guardians to New York Giants, by the way. The XFL to the NFL.
The Giants agreed to a two-year deal with the defensive back on Tuesday, a source confirmed after the NFL Network first reported the deal.
Askew-Henry is the latest XFL player to make the jump to the NFL after the league’s season was cut short by the spread of the coronavirus and players were allowed to switch leagues beginning Monday. He is the first defensive player to switch leagues.
The Guardians, like the Giants, played at MetLife Stadium. Askew-Henry had 11 tackles and six passes defended at safety in five games for the team coached by former Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride.
Askew-Henry, 24, was an undrafted free agent signed by the Steelers out of West Virginia last season but did not make the roster after 2019’s training camp. He recorded nine tackles in the preseason. At 5-11 and 208 pounds, Askew-Henry can compete at both safety and nickel cornerback for the Giants, and the team has needs at both positions.
Askew-Henry is also a cousin of Darrelle Revis by marriage. He started 51 games at West Virginia and finished his career in college with 215 tackles.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
