Giants Report Card: Grading the surprises, standouts, and disappointments from the first third of the 2025 season
How have the New York Giants performed so far this season and where can they improve?
The New York Giants’ season has been incredibly up and down through the first six games. From victories over the formidable Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles to frustrating losses to the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys, there has not been much consistency.
Despite the frustrating play, the Giants have still established that they have a young and talented core that is changing the culture of the franchise. With that in mind, let’s grade and evaluate how the Giants have done through the first third of the year.
Offensive superlatives
MVP: Jaxson Dart
Had Malik Nabers not gotten hurt, he would have been the easy pick for this. However, Dart’s impact on this offense has been transformative. In his three starts, Dart has totalled 508 passing yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 167 yards with two touchdowns for a 5.2-yard average. While his stats aren’t jaw-dropping, he’s visibly made the offense more dangerous as a runner and passer.
Glue guy: Andrew Thomas
Since Andrew Thomas returned to the lineup, the Giants’ offensive line has been signficantly more effective. So far this year, he’s yet to allow a sack and has only allowed two pressures. Considering the significance of his lower-body injury and the delicate process of his return, it’s impressive to see how much Thomas has dominated.
While the rest of his linemates haven’t been as steady, Thomas’s reliability is something New York desperately has needed. With a rookie quarterback roaming around behind him, they need someone of Thomas’s caliber to keep them afloat.
Biggest surprise: Cam Skattebo
Skattebo’s emergence has been exhilarating to watch, especially coming from me, a massive fan of him as a 2025 NFL Draft prospect. Once Tyrone Tracy went down for a short stretch because of an injury, Skattebo seized the opportunity. This year, he already has 338 yards rushing and five touchdowns with 155 yards receiving. When Tracy is back to full health, the Giants potentially have an explosive one-two punch in their backfield.
Biggest disappointment: Darius Slayton
Considering the controversy of the contract Slayton received this offseason to return to the team, he has easily been the biggest disappointment. Even with Nabers out for the year, Slayton hasn’t been anywhere near a threat in the offense. In total, through five games after missing Week 6, he only has 166 yards on 18 receptions with zero touchdowns. Once he’s back in good health, he needs to have a bigger impact.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Benching Russell Wilson for Jaxson Dart
Forget stats and even the two upsets the Giants pulled out this year. The energy around this franchise has completely changed since Dart took over. The way the coaching staff and veterans speak is entirely different than when Daniel Jones or Russell Wilson were starting. He has a lot of work to do to become a dominant passer, but Dart’s leadership and energy are building a sturdy foundation for the franchise.
Offense overall grade: C+
Ultimately, the offense has left a lot to be desired, but it is trending in the right direction since Dart took over. We can’t disregard how inconsistent the offense was in the first three games, nor can we ignore Dart’s brutal game against the Saints. But there is evidence of the offense gradually becoming more threatening.
Defensive superlatives
MVP: Brian Burns
The Giants’ best player on this roster absolutely has been Burns. He’s been so dominant and productive that he could be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year. Currently, he’s third in the NFL in sacks with seven and second in TFLs with nine. Additionally, his role as the Giants’ best pass rusher has elevated the play of Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter.
Glue guy: Dexter Lawrence
Lawrence continues to be the reliable, steadying force in the middle of the defense. While the run defense has been gashed multiple times, Lawrence is still one of the few interior defenders making plays. Right now, he has 16 tackles and an interception that was important in the Giants’ win over the Chargers.
Biggest surprise: Cor’Dale Flott
Flott does not get enough love for his role in improving the Giants’ secondary. He’s played exceptionally sticky coverage and only allowed 178 yards on the year. He’s also second on the team with four PBU’s and one interception. His performance comes as a surprise considering he wasn’t even drafted to be a full-time starter.
Biggest disappointment: Deonte Banks
With the excitement for Flott comes the disappointment for Banks. The former first-round pick lost his job to Flott but still occasionally contributes. He’s allowed an abysmal 75% catch rate when targeted and a brutal 16 yards per reception, not to mention the fact that he’s fourth in penalties despite only having 80 coverage reps.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Abdul Carter’s emergence
It’s easy for a lazy passerby to say that Carter hasn’t been a monster in the Giants’ defense. The rookie only has 0.5 sacks on the year, but he leads the team in hurries with 16. Additionally, his pass rush win rate leads the Giants’ pass rushers with 14.2%. Carter is the definition of a guy who does the dirty work to create success for his teammates. His evolution into becoming one of the most elite pass rushers in the NFL is near.
Defense overall grade: B–
The defensive performance this year has been highly inconsistent. The rest of their shaky games overshadow their wins over the Chargers and Eagles. They’re 27th in points allowed per game, 20th in points per game allowed, 22nd in rush yards per game allowed, and 26th in pass yards per game allowed. While there’s plenty to be excited about, there’s a lot that needs to be improved upon.
2025 draft class superlatives
Overachiever: Cam Skattebo
Being a fourth-round pick, Skattebo wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a 500-yard rusher that spelled Tyrone Tracy. Instead, he’s already on track to be one of the most productive rookie running backs in the NFL. Many projected other rookies to have key roles in their team’s success, but Skattebo reignited the team’s nonexistent run game.
Rookie we need to see more from: Marcus Mbow
When I say we need to see more, I literally mean we need to see more from Mbow because he’s only been on the field for 90 plays. The rookie backup tackle flashed in the preseason, but has been inconsistent when he’s stepped in the regular season. He currently leads the team in quarterback hits allowed with six. I’d like to see Mbow play more so he can get more meaningful reps to hopefully develop into a starter.
Underachiever: Darius Alexander (for now)
I’m only saying Alexander is an underachiever because of his slow start. Being a former third-round pick, he needed to be a day-one starter for the team. He finally started to see more snaps against the Saints and took full advantage of them. In his 70 plays this season, he has four hurries and a pass rush win rate of 10.9%. I do believe Alexander will hit his stride by the end of the season.
Draft class overall grade: B+
The top four rounds of the draft class are carrying a lot of weight for this grade. Dart, Carter, and Skattebo have been highly impactful for the team’s biggest wins. However, the rest of the class has either barely played or not been a part of the current roster. Regardless, this class could go on to be a franchise-altering one.
Coaching report card
Grade: D+
Considering the talent on this roster at various positions, the coaching staff has absolutely squandered it. Their most significant problems are simple coaching issues, such as avoidable penalties and turnovers, that have persisted for multiple seasons. Additionally, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has made some inexplicably poor decisions in games that have cost them wins.
Lastly, the worst decision this team made was not starting Dart from the beginning. He was clearly ready to play and would have given the team an early rallying point to support him. Had the Giants stumbled out of the gate, Brian Daboll would have a built-in excuse as long as he showed positive signs. The positive signs have come, but he dug a hole too deep to escape.
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