ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Isaac Nauta #18 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs with the ball against Xavier McKinney #15 of the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first half during the 2018 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

New York Giants rookie Xavier McKinney will miss significant time after breaking his foot. He’s scheduled to have surgery on Wednesday.

The New York Giants are going to be without Xavier McKinney for the foreseeable future. The highly-touted rookie will undergo surgery on Wednesday afternoon after breaking his left foot.

The Giants took McKinney in the second round (No. 36 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Alabama product was the first safety taken in the draft.

This is a major blow to a secondary that is already behind the eight-ball. DeAndre Baker’s legal issues have kept him off the field and likely mean his tenure with the Giants will be over soon. The cornerback situation is still very much up in the air.

Defensive back Julian Love appears to be the most likely replacement for McKinney at safety. Love has the versatility to play all over the field, but the Giants will likely move him to safety full-time in order to account for McKinney’s loss.

In addition to McKinney’s injury, linebacker David Mayo has a torn meniscus in his left knee. Mayo was likely to start at inside linebacker this year.

Mayo played in all 16 games last season with 13 starts, racking up 82 tackles, five tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery. His veteran presence in the middle of the defense will be missed.

The challenges continue to mount for first-year head coach Joe Judge. As if the coronavirus changes weren’t enough, he’s dealing with a slew of injuries to a defensive unit that was already questionable coming into the season.

NY/NJ hoops reporter (NBA/NCAA) & sports betting writer for XL Media. Never had the makings of a varsity athlete.