Giants hone in on star WR at recent Pro Day
The New York Giants are under five weeks away from making the 25th selection in the NFL Draft on April 27th. Despite a busy free agency, the roster still has some holes to patch, and upgrades to be made. One of those positions includes wide receiver, an area that could desperately use an influx of […]
The New York Giants are under five weeks away from making the 25th selection in the NFL Draft on April 27th.
Despite a busy free agency, the roster still has some holes to patch, and upgrades to be made.
One of those positions includes wide receiver, an area that could desperately use an influx of youthful difference-makers. Well, New York isn't being shy about who they think can fill that role.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Ohio State held their Pro Day earlier today (March 22nd) with a large contingent of media and NFL personnel clamoring to see potential number one overall pick CJ Stroud.
And while the Giants were well represented, with both HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen, they were attending for a different reason.
Prospect dinners on the eve of Pro Day's are nothing new, in fact many teams will have these dinners with players they have no intent on drafting.
But this one was a little different.
So the interest seems to be mutual, and the fit is a perfect one.
New York has a type when it comes to receivers, preferring shifty pass catchers that work the middle of the field and create after the catch opportunities.
Smith-Njigba embodies this role, but he does it in a 6'1 nearly 200-pound frame, displaying a route tree and short area skillset usually reserved for smaller players.
And while speed is the only question mark on his profile, after declining to run the 40 at the NFL Combine, JSN went to work today.
While a 4.53 is nothing to write home about, once again, that's not his game.
If you wanted to isolate Smith-Njigba as a boundary X and play him in an OBJ role, he would struggle. But if you play to JSN's strentgh's he becomes a chess piece that can align as the Z on the flank, or as a slot receiver based on matchups.
Some were worried JSN wouldn't even run, fearful he may time in the 4.6's or below. A 4.53 may undoubtedly propel him to wide receiver one, which would create a new conundrum for New York.
Sitting at 25, there are a bevy of teams in front of them looking to add pass catchers, with JSN currently slated at 14th on the Conseseus board.
So, with JSN answering all questions regarding athleticism and injury, and the feelings between he and the Giants being well documented, there's only one puzzle piece remaining…
How far are the Giants willing to go to select their wide receiver one?
