LEONARD WILLIAMS TRADED TO SEAHAWKS…
In advance of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, the New York Giants have traded defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks. In return, the Giants will receive 2nd-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and a 5th-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. According to multiple media reports, the Giants will still be responsible for most of the remaining $10 million prorated portion of his 2023 salary. Williams was set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Williams was the sixth player taken overall in the 2015 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. The Giants acquired Williams by trade from the New York Jets in late October 2019 in exchange for 3rd- and 5th-round draft picks. His best NFL season was with the Giants in 2020 when he finished with 57 tackles, 14 tackles for losses, 11.5 sacks, and 30 quarterback hits. Williams missed four regular-season games in 2022 due to knee (3 games) and neck/stinger (1 game) injuries. The neck issue nagged him for most of the second half of the season and also caused him to exit a few games early. Williams finished with his least productive season since joining the Giants in 2019, being credited with 45 tackles, five tackles for losses, 2.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. Through eight games this year, Williams had 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
DANIEL JONES CLEARED FOR CONTACT…
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has been cleared for contact by doctors. Jones has missed three consecutive games with a neck injury that he suffered in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins. Jones will practice fully on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, back-up quarterback Tyrod Taylor spent Sunday night, being evaluated for a rib injury that knocked him out of the game against the New York Jets. Hew was released this afternoon and ESPN is reporting that he is “week-to-week” in terms of when he will be able to play again.
OCTOBER 30, 2023 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Monday (VIDEO):
Q: Do you have any update on (quarterback) Tyrod (Taylor) to get out of the hospital or anything like that?
A: He’s still there and he has ribs. He’s pretty sore today.
Q: Are the ribs broken? Or why are they keeping him there, I guess? Just to keep him stabilized.
A: Yeah, I’m not going to get into – he’s got ribs. I’m not going to get into what they are. He’s pretty sore right now so assuming he’ll be out here – I can’t tell you when, but he’s got sore ribs right now.
Q: It sounds like it’s just a matter of discomfort, he’s not in any danger or anything.
A: No, no, no. He’s okay in that regard, yeah.
Q: Can you take us through the timeline with (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) here? It sounds like he’s been cleared for contact.
A: He met with the doctor pregame, so he did his tests. The week before he did it on Friday, so he did his tests and they told me he’d be ready to go next week.
Q: So that means that Daniel will be on the practice field and should be good to go full on Wednesday. Is that correct?
A: Correct.
Q: Did you think about in overtime – obviously, most of the time in overtime the team that wins the toss wants the ball in overtime but given the strange nature of this game and the way you were leaning on defense and special teams and field position, was that a debate? Was that something you were thinking about?
A: Yeah, it was discussed. It was definitely discussed but decided to take it.
Q: What was the main reason to decide to take it there?
A: I mean, they’d driven down there in (regulation), had some stuff that we liked so decided to take it and try to go down there and score.
Q: Just a followup, so why the appointment on Sunday morning? Like why couldn’t it have been Saturday because conceivably he could’ve played yesterday.
A: That’s when it was so those guys told me after – actually, they told me after the game so that’s when it was.
Q: What do you mean? Like scheduling purposes? I think it’s —
A: No, no, no. That’s when it was. He was in the training room before the game and they told me about it after.
Q: Yesterday you said it was going to be a run heavy game plan regardless, so just curious why seven wide receivers and only two tight ends? Because obviously losing (tight end) Darren (Waller) impacted what you could do there.
A: Again, we had a back up plan and I’d say the weather, I mean, we were going to run the ball, too, the weather played – you never know what the weather’s going to be, we figured it’d be rainy, played an important part of it. But we had a back up tackle ready to go in that regard that we felt – was (guard Marcus) McKethan in the blocking aspect of it.
Q: Obviously, you ran the ball a ton there in the second half. Why not just more creativity? You didn’t do any two running back sets, you only had one wildcat snap, you didn’t get (wide receiver) Parris (Campbell) involved in end arounds. Whatever it may have been, it seemed like it was pretty vanilla.
A: I mean, got (wide receiver) Wan’Dale (Robinson) involved. The schemes, not sure if you looked at the schemes, the schemes were a variety of schemes that we had. Different types of traps, tackle traps, guard traps, toss cracks, speed sweeps, inside zones, zone reads, a wildcat play, I wouldn’t just say it was one run. I’d say it was, schematically, a variety of runs.
Q: With Tyrod, are you hopeful that he’s going to get released today? Or is he going to have to stay there a little while in the hospital?
A: I don’t know that yet. I’m hopeful it’ll be here soon but it’s sore ribs, so.
Q: With Daniel, I know you said that’s just when the appointment was but why was he not a possibility then to at least be the backup?
A: I told you when they told me he was going to be out. They told me he was out, so he was out, and they told me after the game that they looked at him he’d be ready to go.
Q: And you had an opportunity to go back, I’m sure you watched the game at this point, the whole way the end of the game unfolded, kicking the field goal, the offsides, the spotting of the ball, getting the ball to start overtime, is there anything that you look back on and you were unsure about now that you had more time? What did you think when you went back and watched that last five minutes of game action?
A: We had some chances there. We had some chances to – probably about a handful of plays that if we make one of them, probably get a different result. You look at a lot, obviously, but going for the field goal, I’m secure with what we did there.
Q: What about the (running back) Saquon (Barkley) play? The first down. It was almost like – did he think that you didn’t want to score? Did he think they were letting him score? Did you talk to him about that?
A: Yeah, I did. No, he made a cut and he kind of bounced it back, then he was so conscious of the ball, he was squeezing on the ball, he slipped a little bit.
Q: So, you didn’t tell Saquon to get down in that situation?
A: No.
Q: On Daniel, why was he listed questionable last week for Washington but ruled out for the Jets game?
A: He got looked at on Friday, so I was waiting until – it was Friday at 3:30, I believe, his appointment to see where he was at. That was the – whatever it was two Friday’s ago and then he didn’t have one this week. So, like I said, when they told me he was out, that’s when I told you guys he was out.
Q: As far as his actual injury and being cleared, apparently, it’s a disk issue and he had a disk issue two years ago. What does the training staff tell you about why he’s safe enough to handle contact? Because that’s obviously a very serious thing and a serious part of the body.
A: I’d say that he met with the spine surgeon, the doctor, and the doctor cleared him. I sat down with them, that’s what they’ve told me, so he’s cleared from that doctor.
Q: Why on Friday did you kind of go out of your way to almost lead us to believe that Daniel would be awhile or perhaps even if we wanted to extrapolate, which we shouldn’t I guess, but maybe that he even had a setback?
A: All I said was he’s getting better, and we’ll see what happens next week. I think I said it a few times. Which he’s getting better, and we’ll see where we’re at next week. That’s what they told me.
Q: You’re getting a lot of questions about Daniel and perhaps being active on Sunday. Can you just clarify the rule on that? Once you list him out on Friday, can you change that on Sunday morning?
A: No, he’s out.
Q: So, there was no possibility even if you would have known Sunday morning?
A: Again, I go by the doctors. When they tell me he’s out, he’s out.
Q: Considering Tyrod’s situation, do you guys need to work out quarterbacks and look at adding a quarterback this week?
A: Yeah, (Senior Vice President/General Manager) Joe (Schoen) and I will – I’ll go back upstairs, and I’ll have a meeting here with Joe shortly.
Q: Anything on (kicker) Graham (Gano)? You said yesterday he’s fine but is there any concern about his health at all?
A: No, he’ll be okay.
Q: A lot has been made about the gameplan in the second half and running the football and going through Saquon. How much of that was the gameplan and how much of it was (quarterback Tommy) DeVito being in there? There’s this feeling that you guys didn’t trust DeVito to throw the football and if that was the case then why would he be your backup quarterback on gameday?
A: I think there’s always adjustments but the way our defense was playing, we were going to make sure we took care of the ball, end every drive with a kick, have good ball security and again, a few plays here and there, we make one of them, we probably get a different result. That was the plan going in after halftime.
Q: Was it a statement about DeVito?
A: I think there’s a lot of things that played into it. The weather, it’s a heck of a defense, making sure we’re doing what we need to do in terms of staying on track and if we have to punt, we have to punt. The way our defense was playing against their offense, felt good about that. Try to play a field position game and that’s what we were going to try to do.
Q: Just curious, do you guys need to bring in a quarterback given Tyrod’s situation this week?
A: Yeah, somebody asked that.
Q: Sorry. Got cut off for a second.
A: No, that’s okay. I’m going to go back up there and meet with Joe here, so we’ll talk about that. It’s definitely a possibility.
Q: There’s obviously a lot of questions about the timing of these appointments or these checkups. Are you at all frustrated by them or confused about the timing of them? If he’d been cleared sooner, there could’ve been some adjustments made.
A: I’d say whenever they tell me he’s ready, that’s when he’s ready. So, when they tell me he’s not ready, he’s not ready. When they did, he’s ready, so whenever they give me the information.
Q: Just the big picture. What does it mean to a team to get its quarterback back?
A: Yeah, it’s good. Again, whether it’s the quarterback, the left tackle, the right tackle, the running back – I mean, any time you can get good players, it certainly helps.
Q: The left tackle and right tackle are probably making progress too towards Sunday?
A: Making progress, but we’ll see where we’re at Wednesday here.
THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:
SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Tuesday (VIDEO):
Q: Injury updates?
A: Injury. Yeah, that’s okay. That’ll come out on Thursday. I’ll just say everybody has been rehabbing, they’re getting better. I’ll give you an update on Thursday but we’re making progress with everybody who has been on that report or missed, we’re making progress.
Q: Is (guard Ben) Bredeson in protocol still?
A: No, he’ll be good to go. Ben will be good to go.
Q: What is (running back) Saquon (Barkley) able to do today?
A: Well, we’re doing kind of a jog through, so I don’t think he’ll do much today. But he’s really now, I’d say, in the day-to-day category. Feels a lot better today but we’ll kind of take that all the way throughout the week and see how he improves.
Q: (Tackle) Andrew (Thomas) a lot better?
A: He’s better, yep. Again, we’ll get here Thursday, get out here and give them a couple more days but I’d say all of them are making progress.
Q: Nothing from the game is long term?
A: No. Nope.
Q: If Andrew returns, do you have some decisions to make about offensive line and how you want to configure it? I think you’ve had three different configurations in three games.
A: Yeah, I’d say if those guys are back, it’ll look like it looked when Ben and Andrew were out – when they were back playing. But again, we’ll see where they’re at. I don’t want to make a decision right now. We’ll see where we’re at Thursday.
Q: Does that mean you’ll stick with (offensive lineman Marcus) McKethan at that other guard spot?
A: Yeah. Yep.
Q: What has he shown you?
A: I think he’s done a good job. Again, he’s only played a couple games, he was out all last season. Improving. Big body, moves well, so again, the experience that he’s played in the first couple of games will help him.
Q: You guys were, I know it’s a different year but very effective as a running team last year, especially early in the season and it helped you guys a lot. Is there part of you that wants to get back to that this year and obviously it’s difficult to do against a team like Seattle, who is very good at stopping the run.
A: I’d say again, each week we’ll look at the team, we’ll do what we need to do. We really need to improve in every area so that’s certainly one of them.
Q: How do you feel about the way the cornerback configuration has worked out after three games? Moving (cornerback) Adoree’ (Jackson), getting (cornerback) Tre (Hawkins III) in there?
A: I’d say again, much like the run game, everything’s a work in progress. We’ve got to get better in a lot of areas and that’s what we’re going to try to do.
Q: But you’re comfortable with it? Nothing you would change.
A: Yeah. Look, each week we’ll go into it and we’ll look at how guys are doing. They’ve been competing but there are a lot of improvements that need to be made.
Q: When you come back after a little longer break, do you treat it in terms of with the players as a reset a little bit?
A: Not really. They’ve had a couple of days off, been grinding on some things as a coaching staff. Again, this week is its own week, like every NFL week, and we’ve got to do everything we can to get ready to play a really good team that’s won the last two games, scored 37 points in each game, and continue to work on our process, refine things that we need to refine, improve things we need to improve and have a good week.
Q: You obviously embrace the process every week, process over results, but there is also urgency I’d imagine. I know you attack every week with urgency but the next time you take the field for a game, it’s in October already. The season flies by very quickly. How do you in your communication with the team express that on the daily basis?
A: You have to live in the moment in our profession and you have to address the things that need to be addressed each week. Every year is different, every week is different. It’s a week-to-week league so stay in the moment, focus on the things we need to improve on, all of us, and that’s what we try to do every week. There’s urgency every week. This is a one-game season – every game is a one-game season. You just focus on doing the best you can do each week, prepare the right way, and then ultimately go out there and perform the right way.
Q: Seven days between when you’re playing, and you said you’re doing a walkthrough today —
A: Yeah, so we’re going to make it a normal week leading up. We’re going to get an extra day here with our mental reps. The guys have been in working in the weight room, doing their conditioning stuff. We’ve been working on Seattle, so this is a really good day to go ahead and implement the game plan, the first and second down stuff. Come out here and have a good mental day and then we’ll treat it (like) the normal week. So tomorrow will be like a Tuesday and Thursday will be like a Wednesday.
Q: After the game some of the 49er’s players said “yeah, we knew that they were going to blitz, and they were going to keep blitzing.” (49ers quarterback Brock) Purdy ended up saying something like “it’s a four-quarter game” meaning that they were able to adjust. Do you have any concerns about the level of blitzing or the fact that when it doesn’t get home what happens?
A: I think each week you go into a gameplan with the things you need to do and throughout the game you’re always adjusting. So, it’s not just the first quarter, second quarter, maybe it’s a different blitz, maybe it’s not a blitz. Focus on the things we can improve on and keep improving.
Q: Does the CBA allow you to have a practice today or are you only allowed to have like three practices?
A: The way we set this up was come back, have this right here, have this walkthrough/jog through, have some good meetings. Take tomorrow to go ahead and as a coaching staff, kind of adjust things that we’ve talked about and then just have a normal week. That’s the way we’ve planned it out.
Q: Obviously, the tackling has been a problem, right? The missed tackles in the games. What can you do during the season, how much can get guys in pads, how much do you believe in getting guys in pads and working on that throughout the season?
A: Yeah, we’ll be in pads Thursday. And again, you are always focusing on your fundamentals, so we do that every practice, whether that’s press coverage, tackling, ball disruption, shedding blocks. Those are things that you work on. Same thing with the offense, double teams, pass protection, games, pass protection for the backs, press releases, those are things that you constantly evaluate. Leading up to a week and getting ready for, in this case Seattle, you always adjust practice and things individual wise or maybe team wise of things that you are really putting an emphasis on.
Q: So, you plan to do more practicing tackling wise with what you can?
A: We normally, like during the early part of the year, we normally practice once a week in pads and that’s an important day for us.
Q: (Defensive lineman) Leonard Williams said last week before the game, so that with context, but the idea of if you don’t have sacks defensively and you don’t have takeaways, sometimes you chase that and was very conscious of saying we can’t do that. Do you see that a little bit defensively that maybe guys are starting to chase things, that you kind of have to reel them back in again and focus on what you need to focus on?
A: Yeah, I think it’s important that we all do our job. And again, those are points of emphasis every week of creating some negative plays or getting turnovers and we’ve got to continue to work them during the week and ultimately we’ve got to get them done on Sunday. Monday.
Q: Do you think too much pressure can cause a quarterback to see it when it’s not there because it’s just so often happening that they have to get sped up in the process.
A: In the pocket?
Q: Yeah.
A: I think there is always an element to that. When you can affect the quarterback, I think it speeds up things. Again, there is always when you are game planning, shorter routes, get it out quicker, less of the protection. You want to run deep routes, you have some more protection in. So, definitely an area that we’ve got to improve is making sure that we give our quarterback a clean pocket and it’s not just always the line. There is backs involved, there is timing in the passing the game, there is receivers getting open, so it’s really a collective thing when it comes to that.
Q: Is there anything you can glean from last year’s game against Seattle or is it two completely different teams?
A: No, you certainly look at it. They have the same coordinators. That’s something that you go back, like you are playing a team that’s right there in your division. They are in our conference, we played them at their place, hard place to play at, obviously with some noise and things like that, but certainly some matchups and things that they’ve done. (Seahawks head coach) Pete’s (Carroll) done a heck of a job; he’s been there for a long time. Some of the same players, obviously some different players, but yeah that’s definitely a game you watch and evaluate.
Q: Is there anything you can do as a coach to get your team to start faster? I think the number is 77 to 6 or something like that.
A: Yeah, not very good. So, we are working on it, yeah, we are working on it.
Q: Can you open up like in a no-huddle offense or just things to put an offense …
A: Yeah, you can do a lot of different things. Something we need to do better collectively and something that will be, it’s always a point of emphasis, hasn’t shown up, understand that. No excuses for it, so we are working on that.
Q: With Saquon how much do you factor or how much have you talked to him about, he’s had ankle injuries before, right? He’s had that before, he’s come back, hasn’t played at the level that he’s like and then in retrospect has basically said I might’ve come back too early, so how much have you talked to him about that and how much do you factor that in?
A: Yeah, again, to me I think every injury is different, even though it’s the same body part. Let him rehab, let him get with the trainers, get a feel for where he’s at. Let’s talk to the trainers and see where they are at with his injury and then make the decision when it comes time to make the decision, but he’s getting better. We’ll see how it goes.
Q: Do you see (offensive lineman) Josh Ezeudu now as a swing tackle or is he still a reserve guard or a reserve tackle?
A: I think he can play four spots for us. So, both tackle spots and then he can also go inside and play, having done that some, so I think he’s done a good job of filling in, but he has, I’d say, four-position flex for us.
Q: Is there as much value or maybe even more value in Ezeudu playing that role than it is to, you know what we’ve got to get him to as one of our five guys. I mean I know you would play him if he was one of your five, but the value of having a guy like that, that you know if someone goes down you can plug him in four or five spots, I would imagine that’s pretty high in this day and age.
A: That’s why we move guys around a bunch during the preseason and training camp months because you can. If you’re not starting five, you better have some position flexibility to play multiple spots, so certainly an important aspect for us.
THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media availability to the team on Wednesday as the players have the day off. The Giants practice on Thursday afternoon (12:45-2:45PM) with Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players also addressing the media.
DETROIT LIONS 21 – NEW YORK GIANTS 16…
The New York Giants fell to the the Detroit Lions 21-16 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan in the first preseason game for both teams. Both teams sat the bulk of their starters.
The starting offense for the Giants was:
QB Tyrod Taylor
RB Matt Breida
WR Isaiah Hodgins
WR Cole Beasley
WR Jalin Hyatt
TE Daniel Bellinger
LT Matt Peart
LG Joshua Ezeudu
OC John Michael Schmitz Jr.
RG Ben Bredeson
RT Korey Cunningham
The starting defense for the Giants was:
DL Jordon Riley
DL Brandin Bryant
OLB Tomon Fox
OLB Oshane Ximines
ILB Carter Coughlin
ILB Micah McFadden
CB Tre Hawkins
CB Deonte Banks
Slot CB Darnay Holmes
S Jason Pinnock
S Dane Belton
The Giants actually led the game 13-3 at halftime due two interceptions and a turnover on downs that gave the team outstanding field position. The second half got away from New York due to a 95-yard punt return and very poor play by their back-up offensive tackles, specifically Korey Cunningham and Wyatt Davis. Detroit did out-gain New York 327 to 216 in total yards, with most of the discrepancy coming in the passing game (230 to 135).
The Lions received the ball to start the game and immediately turned it over when outside linebacker Tomon Fox hit quarterback Nate Sudfeld, forcing a bad throw that was picked off by safety Jason Pinnock near midfield. Pinnock returned the interception 17 yards to the 32-yard line. The Giants could not pick up a first down and settled for a 48-yard field goal by place kicker Graham Gano.
New York’s defense got the ball back again on Detroit’s next possession. The Lions went for it on 4th-and-1 on their own 32-yard line, but Pinnock broke up the pass, causing a turnover on downs. Once again, the Giants’ offense stalled and Graham kicked a 42-yarder, making the score 6-0.
The Lions gained 63 yards on 14 plays on their third drive, setting up a 39-yard field goal to cut the score to 6-3. The Giants then drove 50 yards in 12 plays, but lost a yard on their own 4th-and-1 conversion attempt at the Detroit 18-yard line, turning the ball over on downs.
After both teams exchanged punts, safety Dane Belton intercepted a deep pass from Sudfield at the New York 44-yard line and returned the ball 42 yards to the Detroit 14-yard line. Then on the first play after the turnover, third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito connected on a perfect strike to tight end Tommy Sweeney for the touchdown.
The Lions had the ball one more time before halftime and gained 71 yards down to the New York 4-yard line. However, on 4th-and-4, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott broke up a pass to cause another turnover on downs.
At the break, the Giants led 13-3.
A group of mostly third-teamers could not move the ball for the Giants in the second half. Four straight possessions resulted in a total of two first downs and four punts. Worse, one of those punts resulted in a 95-yard punt return that cut the score to 13-11 after a successful 2-point conversion. Detroit took the lead late in the third quarter after a 14-play, 46-yard drive set up a 28-yard field goal.
The Giants regained the lead 16-14 with just over eight minutes to play after a 6-play, 39-yard drive. But the third- and fourth-teamers on defense could not hold, allowing an 11-play, 69-yard touchdown drive that gave the Lions a 21-16 advantage with just under two minutes to play. The game ended when on 4th-and-14, DeVito’s desperation deep pass was picked off at the Detroit 29-yard line.
DeVito finished the game 15-of-24 for 155 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was also sacked five times.
INJURY REPORT…
WR Wan’Dale Robinson (ACL), DL D.J. Davidson (ACL), and CB Aaron Robinson (ACL) remain on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.
RB Gary Brightwell (leg?), RT Evan Neal (concussion protocol), OT/OG Tyre Phillips (unknown), OT Devery Hamilton (ankle?), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (groin), and DL Ryder Anderson (triceps) did not play. Neither did OL Marcus McKethan (knee) and DL A’Shawn Robinson (knee), who were both activated off of the PUP on Monday.
WR Collin Johnson (knee) and CB Cor’Dale Flott (abdominal) left the game and did not return.
POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Brian Daboll and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:
JAYLON SMITH SIGNS WITH SAINTS…
Unrestricted free agent inside linebacker Jaylon Smith has signed with the New Orleans Saints. The Giants made no effort to re-sign Smith. In 2022, for the second season in a row, the Giants added Jaylon Smith to the roster during the year. The Giants originally signed Smith to the Practice Squad and then 53-man roster in December 2021. He ended up playing in the last four games of the season with two starts, finishing with 18 tackles, one sack, and one pass defense. The new regime chose not to re-sign him during the offseason, but oddly did so in September. Smith soon entrenched himself as a starter, playing in 13 regular-season games with 11 starts. He finished the season with 87 tackles, three tackles for losses, one sack, two quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery. Smith was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media by Zoom on Saturday.
AUGUST 4, 2023 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their eighth summer training camp practice of the year on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The team was in full pads for only the second time this summer.
ROSTER MOVES…
The Giants have waived/injured WR Jeff Smith (knee) and signed free agent NT Donovan Jeter, who was released by Chicago Bears on Tuesday.
The Giants signed Smith as an unrestricted free agent from the New York Jets in March 2023. The 6’1”, 195-pound Smith was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Jets after the 2019 NFL Draft. In his four seasons with the Jets, Smith played in 36 regular-season games with seven starts, catching 34 passes for 426 yards an no touchdowns.
The 24-year old 6’3”, 325-pound Jeter was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Steelers (2022), Washington Commanders (2022), and Bears (2023). He has only played in one NFL game, with Washington in 2022.
INJURY REPORT – EVAN NEAL SUFFERS CONCUSSION…
WR Wan’Dale Robinson (ACL), OG Marcus McKethan (ACL), DL A’Shawn Robinson (meniscus), DL D.J. Davidson (ACL), and CB Aaron Robinson (ACL) remain on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.
WR Sterling Shepard (unknown), OL Jack Anderson (unknown), DL Leonard Williams (rest day), DL Ryder Anderson (triceps), and OLB Azeez Ojulari (rest day) did not practice. OLB Jihad Ward (unknown) returned to practice on a limited basis.
When asked about Ryder Anderson, who was injured in practice on Thursday, Head Coach Brian Daboll responded, “He won’t be out there today but he’ll work through it.”
Regarding Jack Anderson, Daboll said, “It’s not anything long term.”
RT Evan Neal (concussion) left practice early.
PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:
The team was in full pads for the second time in training camp.
First-team offensive line was LT Andrew Thomas, LG Ben Bredeson, OC John Michael Schmitz, RG Mark Glowinski, and RT Evan Neal.
Shane Lemieux received the bulk of the snaps as second-team center.
Darrian Beavers worked at inside linebacker next to Bobby Okereke.
The starting wideouts were Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell, and Isaiah Hodgins.
The starting defensive backs were CB Tre Hawkins, CB Deonte Banks, slot CB Adoree’ Jackson, S Xavier McKinney, and S Jason Pinnock. After a couple of snaps, Darnay Holmes subbed for Jackson.
The three-safety package included S Dane Belton again.
LT Andrew Thomas and DL Dexter Lawrence dominated 1-on-1 drills.
Ben Bredeson performed well on his 1-on-1 chances. Tackles Matt Peart and Korey Cunningham also did well on 1-on-1 reps.
In 7-on-7 drills, QB Daniel Jones hit TE Darren Waller a couple of times over the middle for good gains.
A deep pass to WR Parris Campbell from QB Daniel Jones was broken up by CB Cor’Dale Flott.
QB Tyrod Taylor hit WR Cole Beasley on an out route. Beasley then made the defensive back miss with a cut back.
RB Saquon Barkley scored on a run out of the wildcat formation, with QB Daniel Jones motioning before the snap.
OLB Oshane Ximines, who played with the first team with Azeez Ojulari out, made two plays, first stopping RB Saquon Barkley on a run and then getting to the quarterback on an untouched blitz.
In 11-on-11 drills, QB Daniel Jones scored a touchdown on a scramble to his right. Then off play-action, Jones scrambled to his right and hit TE Daniel Bellinger for the touchdown.
ILB Bobby Okereke stuffed RB Saquon Barkley in the hole on the goal line.
Wide receivers Collin Johnson and David Sills (twice) caught touchdown passes from QB Tyrod Taylor.
S Jason Pinnock broke up a pass from QB Daniel Jones.
QB Daniel Jones threw two touchdowns, the first to WR Parris Campbell against CB Darnay Holmes, and the second to WR Darius Slayton.
Matt Peart replaced Evan Neal at right tackle when Neal left with the trainers.
ILB Bobby Okereke knocked down a red-zone pass from QB Daniel Jones.
ILB Darrian Beavers was beat deep by RB Saquon Barkley and was flagged for a penalty on the play.
QB Daniel Jones found RB Saquon Barkley for a 5-yard score on a pass play.
CB Cor’Dale Flott broke up another pass intended for WR Collin Johnson.
CB Darren Evans broke up two passes intended for WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton.
WR Kalil Pimpleton scored against CB Gemon Green.
S Jason Pinnock was flagged for taunting. The defense was flagged a number of times in practice.
QB Daniel Jones faked a screen pass to RB Matt Breida and then ran into the end zone on a QB keeper.
A pass from QB Tyrod Taylor was tipped by LB Cam Brown and intercepted by LB Carter Coughlin.
In team 11-on-11 red-zone drills, QB Daniel Jones finished 6-of-9 with three touchdowns.
According to multiple reports, the run defense stood out.
After practice, QB Daniel Jones continued to work with RB Saquon Barkley and receivers Cole Beasley and Jamison Crowder on the field.
HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Friday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.
THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice Saturday evening (5:00-7:00PM). This will be the last summer training camp practice open to the public in New Jersey. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media earlier in the day.
With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: The offensive line was not a disaster in 2022, but it did not play as well as expected or hoped for. While Andrew Thomas continued to develop, becoming one of the best left tackles in the game and earning second-team All-Pro Honors, there was a revolving door at left guard due to injuries, and inconsistent play at center, right guard, and right tackle.
Rookie offensive linemen often struggle, but more was expected from the 7th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, Evan Neal, at right tackle. He missed a month with a knee injury and was seen favoring his left arm/shoulder in another game. Neal had issues in pass protection and was flagged with six false starts. He was replaced by Tyre Phillips for those four games. Phillips had issues in pass protection as well. Right guard Mark Glowinski was a bit too up-and-down for his 3-year, $18 million contract. The Giants also signed Jon Feliciano to a 1-year deal in March after he was cut by the Bills. They converted him to center, where he started 15 games. But he was also inconsistent.
The initial plan appeared to be to start Shane Lemieux at left guard, but he missed virtually the entire season with a toe injury that landed him on Injured Reserve twice. Ben Bredeson started the first seven games until a knee injury sidelined him for six games. Joshua Ezeudu started two games at left guard until he suffered a neck injury. Nick Gates then stunned everyone by returning to the starting line-up despite a career-threatening leg injury he suffered in 2021 that required seven surgeries. Including the playoffs, Gates started the last nine games at left guard.
Overall, this group did help the Giants become the NFL’s 4th-best rushing team, averaging 148 yards per game, more than the Eagles. On the other hand, the Giants allowed 49 sacks, which tied them for 5th-worst in the NFL. Daniel Jones was pressured on one-fourth of his drop backs, which was 4th worst in the NFL.
ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants re-signed Wyatt Davis and Jack Anderson as exclusive rights free agents. They also re-signed Practice Squad players Solomon Kindley, Devery Hamilton, and Korey Cunningham. (Kindley was waived in May).
However, both centers, Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates, somewhat surprisingly departed in free agency. Gates received a 3-year, $16.5 million contract from the Commanders and Feliciano a 1-year, $2.3 million contract from the 49ers.
The offseason additions were few, but one was significant, the drafting of center John Michael Schmitz in the 2nd round of the draft. The team also signed center J. C. Hassenauer from the Steelers. The team did not sign any rookie free agents after the draft at the position.
In short, the Giants stood pat at the position except at center where they exchanged Schmitz and Hassenauer for Gates and Feliciano.
TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: Most of the attention will be on Evan Neal. Some have lowered their expectations on Neal, saying he just has to play at an average level. Teams don’t draft right tackles with the 7th overall pick in hopes they will just be average. Neal is likely to still experience growing pains, but he needs to drastically cut down both pass blocking mistakes and penalties while becoming a stud in the running game. The better Neal becomes, the easier it will be for this team to run and throw the football.
That all said, the same could be said for each of the starters in the interior of the line. The Giants need Glowinski to become a steadier player at right guard. If he doesn’t, it will be interesting to see if Marcus McKethan or one of the other back-ups presses him for playing time. Assuming that John Michael Schmitz will start at center, he will have his hands full in a division loaded with stud defensive tackles. Expect rookie growing pains. The left guard position still is unsettled. The leading candidates are Ben Bredeson and Joshua Ezeudu. I would not discount Shane Lemieux. The now injury-prone lineman was an ironman in college, and had he not been hurt the past two seasons, he would have been the starter at left guard under two different coaching staffs.
One of the unexpected developments this offseason is how much the team stood pat at the position. No new tackles or guards were added to the roster. This at least partially suggests the team was not down on many of the lesser known back-ups. Tyre Phillips (former 3rd round pick), Wyatt Davis (3rd round), Jack Anderson (7th round), Matt Peart (3rd round), Devery Hamilton (undrafted), and Korey Cunningham (7th round) also factor into the competition and someone could surprise.
ON THE BUBBLE: There are currently 15 offensive linemen on the 90-man roster. The Giants will likely keep nine on the 53-man roster. The locks are Andrew Thomas, Ben Bredeson, Josh Ezeudu, John Michael Schmitz, Mark Glowinski, and Evan Neal. That leaves nine players fighting for three spots. The leading candidate for the swing tackle is probably Tyre Phillips. Bredeson’s flexibility to play both guard and center helps the team if they feel another guard is better than Hassenauer at center. Marcus McKethan was impressing before he got hurt last summer.
FROM TEAM GENERAL MANAGER/COACHES/PLAYERS: General Manager Joe Schoen on the center position before the draft: “We knew Jon (Feliciano) was on a 1-year contract last year at this time. We didn’t know if Nick Gates was even going to be able to play football again. Heck, we didn’t know that until midway through the season. We had contingency plans in place. We claimed Jack Anderson. He was with us in Buffalo. He’s been working at center. Ben Bredeson is a guy who we are very comfortable with playing center. Shane Lemieux was playing it as well before the injury… We’ll be patient. We’ll continue to look. But we have confidence in Ben Bredeson, Jack Anderson, and Shane.”
Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on why the Giants offensive line has struggled to form an identity in recent years: “You look at our line, before I got here and even now, it’s different. I’m like the sixth or seventh coach in the last five years. There have been just a line of (players) who have come through here. What we need to do is develop our identity… you need to continue to develop guys… the fans don’t know everything in house. Some of the guys we have on the roster they’ve never seen play. And so they assume they are not good enough, that’s why they haven’t played. Well that’s not necessarily the case… We only have three players that are older than 26 out of the 15. It’s a young room. There’s a lot of potential, a lot of room for growth. I see these guys getting better every day.”
Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on Evan Neal: “Evan’s a worker. So I have no reason to believe (he won’t improve) with the work ethic put in, the attention to detail, and pushing to be a really good player. We’ll see better results… Now it’s not new to him.”
Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on Josh Ezeudu: “He’s rehabbed very well from the injury, he’s another year in the system, he’s got confidence in what we’re doing. Some things we decided to work on from a technique standpoint he’s really worked hard at. I’m seeing good results. I expect to see even more when we get to training camp.”
Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on John Michael Schmitz: “He’s progressing quite well. He’s got all of the intangibles you look for. He’s got all of the physical traits you look for. We’ll find out more when we get to training camp… He’s progressing the right way… It will be an eye-opener for him when he has to block (Dexter Lawrence in training camp).”
Evan Neal on what he did this offseason to improve: “Really just everything. I want to get better across the board. I tweaked my stance. I got a lot healthier. I got a lot more flexible. I worked a lot on flexibility. Just being able to move throughout my lower body and my hips. Making sure that I am in a stance that I am comfortable in, that I can load up my front leg and press out of it and be explosive and also be balanced and under control at the same time… I’ve been doing a whole bunch of yoga.”
Marcus McKethan on his status: “Just trying to get healthy. That’s the main thing of my offseason so far. I’m pretty close, just getting over that final hump and I feel like that I’ll be there. My timeline right now is training camp… I (am still working at) guard and tackle.”
Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on what Giants fans can realistically expect this year: “You’re going to see an improved offensive line in a number of areas. We are going to start to show an identity and some consistency… I think for the first time in a long time the fans are going to be proud of their lineman… I think we’re going to put a product out there on the field that the fans will have pride in. Because I know the players that are going to put those jerseys on will have pride in that jersey.”
PREDICTIONS/CLOSING THOUGHTS: If you told Giants fans in January that the team would not add any tackles or guards to the roster this offseason, they probably would have freaked out. But the confidence in this front office and coaching staff right now is so high that given that now-known outcome, fans are not now panicking in June. Not adding a tackle or guard in free agency, the draft, or the rookie free agent signing period is pretty telling. It seems to suggest the team wants to develop players already on the roster.
Giants fans are all thinking the same thing… we’re set at left tackle with Andrew Thomas. Now we need Evan Neal to rapidly improve at right tackle and for John Michael Schmitz to show signs he will be a long-term answer at center. There is also hope that the two second-year, North Carolina guards will eventually press for starting roles.
Assuming Schmitz starts at center, the only training camp battle for a starting spot is at left guard. In the spring, Ben Bredeson and Josh Ezeudu were splitting snaps with the first team with Bredeson also receiving first-team snaps at center. Glowinski is probably entrenched as a starter at right guard for at least one more season, unless he falters and someone like Marcus McKethan presses him. I’m in the minority on this, but I still would not count out Shane Lemieux. He started his rookie season. He was set to start in 2021 and 2022 before training camp injuries ruined both seasons. In four years in college as a starter, Lemieux never missed a game. The last two seasons seems like flukes.
Andrew Thomas has not reached his ceiling yet. Keep in mind this is the first offseason he did not have surgery and this is the first time he will have the same offensive line coach for two years in a row.
This brings us to Evan Neal. We all know Neal struggled as a rookie. But too many fans seem to be focused on him and not the interior line spots that were also an issue last year. Neal needs to improve but the team needs better center and guard play just as much. Especially in this division. My prediction is Neal will improve as the year progresses, but he will be nitpicked to death by fans in September and October. That’s OK. I’m old enough to remember Giants fans being sure that Brad Benson, Jumbo Elliott, David Diehl, and Andrew Thomas were crappy players. Neal will be better but I think the real dividends will come in year three and beyond.
FINAL DEPTH CHART: Andrew Thomas, Evan Neal, Tyre Phillips, Mark Glowinski, Ben Bredeson, Josh Ezeudu, Marcus McKethan, Shane Lemieux, John Michael Schmitz
NEW YORK GIANTS OTAs BEGIN…
The New York Giants began the third and final phase of their offseason program on Monday, with veterans and rookie participating together. The Giants held their first two of 10 Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices on Monday and Tuesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. While these two practices were not open to the media, the Giants did provide the following practice reports:
The Giants will hold their third OTA on Thursday, with media access.
The Giants’ 9-week offseason program began on April 17. The three phases of the program break down as follows:
Phase One: Activities during this 2-week period are limited to to meetings, strength and conditioning, and physical rehabilitation only.
Phase Two: On-field workouts during this 3-week period may include may include individual or group instruction and drills, as well as “perfect-play drills,” and drills and plays with offensive players lining up across from offensive players and defensive players lining up across from defensive players, conducted at a walk-through pace. No live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills are permitted.
Phase Three: Activities during this 4-week period include 10 days of organized team practice activity (OTAs) and a mandatory veteran mini-camp. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.
Remaining offseason program schedule:
May 25: New York Giants OTA #3 (media access).
May 30: New York Giants OTA #4.
May 31: New York Giants OTA #5 (media access).
June 2: New York Giants OTA #6.
June 5-6: New York Giants OTAs #7 and #8.
June 8: New York Giants OTA #9 (media access).
June 9: New York Giants OTA #10.
June 13-15: New York Giants mandatory mini-camp.
GIANTS 2023 NFL DRAFT CLASS SIGNED…
The Giants have signed center John Michael Schmitz, their 2nd-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. All of the team’s seven draft selections are now signed, including CB Deonte Banks (1st round), WR Jalin Hyatt (3rd round), RB Eric Gray (5th round), CB Tre Hawkins (6th round), DL Jordon Riley (7th round), and S Gervarrius Owens (7th round).
NEW YORK GIANTS ROOKIE MINI-CAMP ENDS…
The second and final day of the New York Giants two-day rookie mini-camp was held on Saturday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. There were 73 players in attendance, including the team’s seven 2023 draft picks, nine signed undrafted rookie free agents, five players previously on the roster, and 52 tryout players (including a few veterans).
“You’ve got a tremendous amount of empathy for these guys that come out here and are doing everything they’re asked to do,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice, “and there’s only so many spots on an NFL roster, and those get taken away each few weeks here in training camp, but I told those guys I appreciate day one, and let’s go out here and have a good day two, and we’ll see how it goes.
“8:00 they come in, they meet from 8:00 to 8:55 with their position coaches or maybe Wink (Martindale) wants to meet with them for 10 minutes, or (Mike) Kafka does. We have a little team meeting, we go back out, they have another long meeting with their position coaches. We do a walk-through, then we come out here, then watch the tape, then we go back in at about 2:30 today and finish watching the tape. I’d say this camp they have a little bit more with their individual coaches because there’s a lot less install. Kafka is not up there for 40 minutes installing plays. It’s five plays a day here… They’re the ones meeting few hours a day. That’s why we don’t put in a whole lot in this type of camp because we want to see who can pick things up for call it five, six plays or a couple defenses, be really detailed. If they’re struggling with that, then that’s an issue.”
PARTICIPANTS…
Draft Picks (7):
CB Deonte Banks
OC John Michael Schmitz
WR Jalin Hyatt
RB Eric Gray
CB Tre Hawkins III
DL Jordon Riley
S Gervarrius Owens
Signed Undrafted Rookie Free Agents (9):
QB Tommy DeVito
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton
TE/FB Ryan Jones
OLB Habakkuk Baldonado
ILB Dyontae Johnson
ILB Troy Brown
CB Gemon Green
S Alex Cook
LS Cameron Lyons
New York Giants “Veterans” (5):
RB Jashaun Corbin
WR Kalil Pimpleton
WR Makai Polk
CB Leonard Johnson
S Trenton Thompson
Undrafted rookie and veteran tryout players (52).
GIANTS CUT TWO PLAYERS…
The Giants have waived offensive lineman Solomon Kindley and waived/failed physical safety Terrell Burgess.
The Giants signed Kindley to the Practice Squad in early October 2022. He did not play for New York in 2022. Kindley was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins waived him in August 2022.
The Giants signed Burgess to the Practice Squad in November 2022 after he was waived by the Los Angeles Rams. Burgess played in one regular-season game, exclusively on special teams. Burgess was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Rams.
GIANTS SIGN ANOTHER DRAFT PICK…
The Giants signed defensive lineman Jordon Riley, one of their 7th-round selections in the 2023 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team signed RB Eric Gray (5th round), CB Tre Hawkins (6th round), and S Gervarrius Owens (7th round).
Only CB Deonte Banks (1st round), OC John Michael Schmitz (2nd round), and WR Jalin Hyatt (3rd round) remain unsigned.
HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript and video of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Saturday are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com.
THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:
1) Draft Pick Number (round) : Name – Position / School – height/weight
2) NFL Comparison (Skill set and style of play – not future projection)
3) Summary from Report (from early spring) + Pre-Draft Giants focus (from early April)
4) Post-Draft focus and my perception of strategy, usage (short and long term), and value
1) #24 (1): Deonte Banks – CB/Maryland – 6’0/197
NFL Comparison: Kelvin Joseph / DAL
Senior entry. Three-year starter but two of those years summed to just five starts combined because of Covid-19 (2020) and a shoulder injury that kept him out of all but two games (2021). Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2022. Banks is a bit of an unknown because the lack of experience over that two-year span. That said, he did start as a true freshman in 2019 (11 games, 8 starts) and looked fantastic in 2022 (12 games, 8 starts). The movement traits are nearly off the charts and his aggressive playstyle will be attractive to defensive schemes that want to use a lot of man coverage. His rapid-fire footwork allows him to stay sticky and the long speed pairs with acceleration traits to stay on top of pro deep threats. There are not a lot of plays made on his tape and I’m not sold he completely understands what he is doing yet. Banks is a wildcard that could make a case to be the top corner in the draft because of talent and traits, but there are question marks in a few of the mental areas of the grade sheet.
*Banks tore it up at the Combine and this is a position that everyone wants to see traits at, then gamble. Banks’ movement ability shows up on the film, there is no denying his ability to play against NFL speed. The question will be how quickly he adapts mentally. He simply did not play a lot in college, and he was not challenged often enough. Like a lot of these other corners in the group, this will be a big swing for the fence and his shortcoming centers around size/length.
*A quick note on what I mean by a lack of experience and him not being challenged. Of the first six outside corners taken, Banks played the lowest number of snaps and was targeted the least (by a lot). It is not a negative, and I did not hold it against him in the grading process. I simply believe it should be known there is a rawness to him, a few boxes unchecked. That lengthens the spectrum of what he could evolve into over time. It seems rather clear to me that this was the corner Martindale wanted. He fits the mold of the Baltimore corners that were drafted when he was calling the shots there. Blazing speed, easy turn and run ability, play strength, and ball skills. I expect him to start in year one, possibly as soon as week one if he has a strong camp and preseason. Let’s use Marlon Humphrey as an example. He was a first-round pick in 2017 (16th overall) while Martindale was the linebacker coach (Martindale was also considered assistant DC and took over the DC role a year later). Humphrey, who had a very similar profile to Banks both as an athlete and amount of college experience, began his rookie season in a rotational role. They eased him into more and more playing time and then he ended up starting the final four games. He has been essentially their number one or two ever since. That is where I see Banks heading.
Prior to the draft, I was asked on multiple platforms where NYG would go in round one. My answer was always corner or receiver. Sure, a value could have fallen at another spot but if was going bet money on it, the CB/WR was always option A. Hearing Schoen discuss the mindset as two corners and four receivers came off the board from picks 16-23 caused the trade up one slot with JAX. The value of the trade, by the way, was completely within market value. It was not an overpay. NYG had reason to believe that pick was going to be traded regardless because they likely had intel JAX was going for a tackle (which could be had later in round one). JAX ended up taking Anton Harrison at 27 following another trade down. Year one of this regime was about starting the rebuild of the trenches and enhancing the quality depth. Year two was about getting the explosive playmakers and preventing explosive plays by the opposition. Macro-level, this is the right approach. Micro-level, Banks was the right fit considering what Martindale wanted and the untapped upside Banks has.
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2) #57 Overall (2): John Michael Schmitz – OC/Minnesota – 6’3/301
NFL Comparison: Ted Karras / CIN
Sixth year senior. Four-year starter from Flossmoor, IL. Named All-Big Ten three straight years including a first team honor in 2022. Also named a first team All-American in his final season. Schmitz is the point guard of the offensive line, fully capable of making all the calls and directing traffic. He does all the little things right and it adds up to consistent, reliable play. He excels in the running game with his combination of heavy contact and excellent footwork. While he is not the most natural athlete, he makes up for a lot of the shortcomings with proper angles, spacing, and timing. Schmitz has a great feel for when to peel off to the next man and his hands do a lot of damage. The shortcomings as a pass blocker on an island and occasional lapse in body control can cause some concern, but the floor is high for him. Schmitz has the mental capacity and reliable run blocking to fit into any situation right away and compete for a starting job, but this is a low ceiling, high-floor kind of player.
*Want a plug and play center that will immediately become the mental leader of your line? Schmitz is your guy. Want a high-upside athlete that is going to eventually be one of the top players at the position in the league? Look elsewhere. Schmitz is a classic “is what he is” type prospect. You know what you are getting, you know what you are not. One negative I could see NYG having on him is the fact he never played a position other than center. In addition, the already-24 year-old simply lacks more area to chew up on the progression curve. Will he provide the best OC play this team has had since…O’Hara? Probably. The question is about positional value, and everyone has an opinion on that. I like Schmitz, as do many in the league. But he only becomes an option for me in round 3, and I think he is gone by then.
This just seemed right. That was the thought that immediately came to mind when the pick was made. Round 1 for Schmitz would have been way too high. Round 3 for Schmitz probably would not have been possible. Schoen opted to stay put, not trade up, and get a starting center that will be in the league a long time. Regardless of what is said by Daboll, I fully expect Schmitz to be the starting center week 1. This locks in four spots along the line with a competition for the left guard job that will be incredible to watch throughout camp/preseason. Schmitz will improve the run blocking and eventually the overall cohesion of this line. While he may not be a star, he is going to be the guy for four to five years, at least. That alone improves chemistry and chemistry alone raises the bar of an offensive line.
As stated above and as I said leading up to the draft, the process of building the offensive line was not over and it had to be addressed in this draft with the mindset of getting a starter in the building. Center was a hot topic, as it was the lone spot where the team did not have a set starter (a case can be made for left guard as well). This prompted many to bang the table for a center in the first round and that is a move we may have gotten used to with the previous three General Managers. This is yet another sign things really have changed inside those walls. The lone question that can be asked here is, what is the gap between Schmitz and another center that could have been had later? Not always a fair question, I know. But Olu Oluwatimi (Michigan) went in round 5, Luke Wypler (Ohio State) went in round 6, Jake Andrews (Troy) went in round 4, Ricky Stromberg (Arkansas) went in round 3. Was the value of Schmitz right? In a vacuum? Sure. When considering the big picture while also knowing they passed on the likes of WR Marvin Mims and OG O’Cyrus Torrence, it can be questioned. But to repeat myself from earlier, NYG seemed to value him and there was not shot he would have been there round 3. He likely would have come off the board to Houston or Buffalo just a few picks later.
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3) #73 (3): Jalin Hyatt – WR/Tennessee
NFL Comparison: Will Fuller / RET
Junior entry. One year starter from Irmo, SC. First Team All American and SEC honors in addition to winning the Biletnikoff Award. Hyatt was one of the country’s breakout performers in 2022, leading the power five conferences with 15 touchdowns. Coming into the year, he had just 502 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He nearly tripled that in his junior season alone. This is the kind of speed that changes how an opposing defense plays. There is a lot of unknown in his game, however. He is inexperienced in contested situations, he rarely lined up outside, and the route running on anything besides vertical-routes needs a lot of refinement. While the speed is next-level and he will immediately become one of the best deep threats in the NFL early in his career, there is a lot that needs to be gained for Hyatt to be considered a formidable number one threat.
*The one prospect in this group that I would label THE swing for the fence is Hyatt. If you can recall my comparison for him, Will Fuller, and what he did for the Houston offense pre-injury (#1 in NFL in yards per target in 2020, #3 in 2018) you may want to consider taking him in the first round. Even though he is such a one-dimensional guy, his ability within that dimension is potentially special. And that dimension is also what every team in the league wants on offense and fears defensively. Credible deep speed that can get over and stay over the top of the defense. Throw in the fact he tracks and catches the ball at a high level and yes, he could easily end up a first rounder. Personally, I struggle with number of boxes that remain unchecked. The route tree, strength against contact, sudden change of direction, yards after contact. There is a lot to unwind here but I would be lying if I said he doesn’t excite me.
How does a guy like this fall out of the first two rounds? If you asked me to bet on him being taken in round one or round three, all my chips would have been put on the former. While almost all of his production in college came in one season and there are several boxes unchecked, speed kills in the NFL. Everyone wants it. Hyatt’s elite movement was the easiest thing to scout in the world. Watching him separate vertically in such a hurry and then lengthen that space with each step against SEC defenses really was something. He has a standout trait that nobody in this NYG position group has. Sure, Campbell and Slayton can get downfield, but Hyatt is on a different level. In addition, the trait he has but very few talk about because they are obsessed with the speed centers around his ball skills. Hyatt can track the ball over his shoulder, and he snags it with his hands. It is one thing to be a burner that gets over the top, but not everyone can track the ball with balance while maintaining speed. That is why I am optimistic about his upside.
The trade value chart I use says this was a dead-even exchange. NYG gave up their 3rd and 4th to move up 16 spots. This is an evaluation I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for. I discussed (and so has everyone else) the upside and element he brings to the table. Hyatt truly is the most exciting player in this NYG draft class. But there is no denying the risk. Hyatt has been thrown the ball 151 times over his career. Jordan Addison was targeted 144 times in 2021 alone. Zay Flowers, 124 times in 2022 alone. Just 14 career starts for a kid that played in an offense that almost never had guys change sides of the field or alter alignments. There were passing plays where he did not even have to run a route because of the half-field concept. The 176-pounder rarely dealt with contested situations. According to PFF, he had a grand total 13 of them his entire career. Addison? 49. Flowers? 41. Johnston? 54. Mims? 30. Tillman? 39. Now, perhaps it is unfair to throw some of those names in there because all of them besides Tillman were taken way ahead of Hyatt, but the point is that Hyatt is such an unknown. After a year of the Daboll/Kafka offense, however, I feel optimistic this is going to work out. Hyatt can change this offense. Both the trade up and selection were undoubtedly warranted.
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4) #172 (5): Eric Gray – RB/Oklahoma – 5’9/207
NFL Comparison: Mark Ingram / NO
Senior entry. Three-year starter from Memphis, TN. Spent two years at Tennessee before transferring to Oklahoma for his final two seasons. Second team All-Big 12 in 2022. Ended his career with almost double the usage and production of any other season in his career, finishing with the ninth most single-season rushing yards in Oklahoma history. Gray brings a tremendous physical profile and body to the table. He looks like he is manufactured in a running back factory and has the quality tape to back it up. He can fit into any running scheme but will be best suited for action between the tackles. There is where he can truly maximize the plus-burst, balance, and strength. Gray also has proven to carry a pair of elite hands as a receiver. While he may not end up with the best long speed in the group, Gray will create explosive plays with how decisive and violent he can run downhill while always maintaining the ability to abruptly stop and change direction. Gray is an ideally-built, versatile team player that fits into the every down role at the next level.
*Gray was a favorite of mine when it came to the surface level scouting. He is not a very big guy, but he is huge in the right places. His lower half is put together almost like Saquon. His short limbs work well with the kind of movement we need to see out of running backs. Short, choppy, balanced movements that can get in and out of small spaces in a hurry. When he reaches the open field, he can be caught from behind but do not overlook just how much his burst can create initially. Gray is a guy that, if he hooks up with the right team (SF, PHI, BAL) – he is going to be a 1,000-yard rusher. An overlooked attribute in his game shows up as a receiver. He was targeted a lot (102 times last three years combined) and dropped just two of them, a very good number for anyone let alone a back with power.
It was a long start to day three for NYG. Because of the two trade ups, they had to watch 99 players come off the board before selecting again. Because of the difference in values from team to team, this is the area of the draft where players “drop” frequently. It must have been hard for Schoen to see so many guys go, some of which I am sure they had high value on. #128 overall and #160 overall formerly belonged to them but they had to watch other teams make those picks because they wanted Banks and Hyatt. Many speculated NYG taking a running back at some point in this draft. In a 7-round mock I did with one of the other scouts from Ourlads for the Draft Guide, I took Jahmyr Gibbs for NYG in round two (who ended up going #12 overall Thursday). I bring that up because I think the position was on the table all weekend. The long-term status of Saquon Barkley is very much an unknown. My gut is leaning toward 2023 being the final year we see him in blue.
This selection gives NYG a solid year to find out what Gray can be at the next level. I have long viewed him as a pro back, a guy that will outlast multiple running backs drafted ahead of him. Seeing him on tape and you think he is a 225 pounder. The lower body is thick, almost Saquon-thick. But the lower-than-perceived weight stems from the fact he is not a broad guy at all. In fact the sub 72” wing span was the fifth smallest of all the backs at the Combine. He has short limbs and a specific body type. It helps him with power production and short area burst but will cap his long-stride speed and ability to pass protect and keep tacklers away from his frame via the stiff arm. Very similar body type to Ahmad Bradshaw. Gray can take Gary Brightwell’s spot on this depth chart by the end of 2023, but it will not come easily. His receiving skill set is an overlooked component to his game but then again, those short arms will pop up on third down the most. And Brightwell will not be giving anything up without a fight. I see Gray as the second-best pure runner on this team and even if he isn’t THE guy long term, I trust his skill set and its ability to translate to the league a lot. NYG fans will love the natural ability to see and cut like a classic ideal zone runner. Great value here at the end of round five.
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5) #209 (6): Tre Hawkins III – CB/Old Dominion – 6’2/188
NFL Comparison: Greedy Williams / PHI
Fifth year senior from Temple, TX. Spent two seasons at Trinity Valley Community College before transferring to Old Dominion. Had his first season there canceled due to Covid-19. He started two years on the outside and produced across the entire stat sheet. He puts together an impressive blend of tools catapulted by elite vertical speed and burst. Once he diagnoses the route, his reactionary skill are sudden, twitchy, and explosive. He does not hesitate against the run and will attack the ball carriers hands, forcing fumbles (six over his career). Hawkins III lacks the feel in zone coverage and is late to notice underneath routes, but the tools are all there to develop him into a quality backup down the road. PFA.
*I did not write more than that on Hawkins III leading up to the draft. I had three Old Dominion tapes, and I left the scouting process with a PFA grade on him. His name came back across my email after an alert that comes from a certain echelon of Pro Day workout performances. I gave the numbers a look and while they did boost his overall grade on the stack, it kept him below the mark. Apologies if that isn’t enough on him.
There was something interesting I noted, however. The 4.40 surprised me. One of my game notes says “Potential move to S”. The school at him listed at 6’3”. The scouting list I get over summer had him as a projected 4.60 forty (that is from a pro scout). His tape then showed some lack of lateral fluidity, but he was obviously a physical kid that played downhill with violence. He was good tackler, and I trusted his ability to catch up to receivers vertically. All of that and his name was introduced as a “defensive back”. This has me wondering if he is the guy they play to move into the hybrid CB/S role or even someone they will try to develop as a straight safety. On paper, it makes sense to me. The film backs it up, too. Regardless, this was a traits-led selection that also brings a physical/aggressive approach to the table. Remember that day three is also about building special teams (returners and coverage units). That is where Hawkins III will start off and he has a path to the 53-man roster.
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6) 246 (7): Jordon Riley – DT/Oregon – 6’5/338
NFL Comparison: Jonathan Ford / GB
Sixth year senior from New Bern, NC. One year starter that arrived at Oregon (his fourth stop) after stints at North Carolina, Nebraska, and Garden City Community College. Riley is a mammoth-sized interior defensive lineman that played his best football in his final year of eligibility. The natural bender shows an accurate punch with quality lockout. The ball location skills need work, and he does not have much of a pass rush repertoire. He is overly reliant on the bull rush because of past knee issues, there is not much drive behind it. He is a long-term project that is older than the average prospect and will not offer a lot of versatility. The lack of baseline athleticism will limit the ceiling beyond a camp body.
*I can see what NYG liked in Riley. He is a massive body in every direction. He will fit right in next to the likes of Dexter Lawrence and A’Shawn Robinson. The initial hand strike and lockout strength will look good, and he is simply a hard guy for linemen to get movement on. This is a classic 3-4 nose tackle all the way. Remember last year’s 5th rounder DJ Davidson was the emerging backup interior run defender before he tore his ACL. Riley could be a safety net for that role, but my guess is he will stick to the practice squad while this defensive staff tries to enhance his pass rush repertoire. Where is the upside? It will stem from the power, length, and technique because his athletic ability is bottom of the barrel.
Fifth year senior. Four-year starter from Moore, OK. Spent three seasons at Houston after transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M where he also started and was a JUCO All-American. Owens was a cornerback for a year before transitioning to safety in 2020. His size and movement traits better with what we see in the middle but there is enough speed and fluidity to occasionally play a corner role here and there. Owens is an explosive, well-built missile from the back end that can really put his foot in the ground and go. His closing speed gets him to where he needs to be in a blink. Owens will flash big play ability but he also flashes big mistake potential. He sells out on his initial read and will get caught by looks-offs and double routes routinely. The missed tackle rate also strengthens the “all or nothing” feel to his game. If he can channel some of the aggression and improve his ability to finish plays, Owens can be a starting caliber safety. If not, he will be a special teamer and quality backup. 4th-5th round.
*Owens is a guy I remember first watching in November. As I have said a few times, my focus had to be majority offense this year and I was forced into playing some catch up on the defensive guys. Anyway, I watched two plays of his and immediately put him in the draftable tier of the my safety stack. Two plays. I think he could have gone a lot higher than this too but the numbers game caught up to him. Owens could have easily been a 5th round pick. The trait I like the most is ball tracking and it is easy to see the former receiver/corner in him. The safety group now has a lot of competition and I would say Owens will fit right into the tier of the guys that hope to be backups and special teamers. He is just as talented. This will breed the best results from these guys throughout preseason.
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Overall, this seven-player draft class was simply the next step in their rebuilding plan. As I said earlier, this is a front office and coaching staff with a real plan. Both from the personnel side and player development side. They came into the draft knowing they would not be able to solve every issue. This was and is a roster with several holes and it was not realistic, considering the resources available, to patch them all up with a few picks. They have had two drafts together so far and it included 8 draft picks in rounds one through three combined. 3 offensive linemen. 2 wide receivers. 2 cornerbacks. 1 outside linebacker. Assuming their key picks pan out, expect year three to continue the trend of those premium positions (pass rusher would be next). Start prepping for the 2024 Draft!
FINAL DAY OF 2023 NFL DRAFT; GIANTS SELECT FOUR MORE PLAYERS…
On the third and final day of the 2023 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected:
5th Round: RB Eric Gray, 5’10”, 207lbs, 4.55, University of Oklahoma
6th Round: CB Tre Hawkins III, 6’2”, 188lbs, 4.4, Old Dominion University
7th Round: DL Jordon Riley, 6’5”, 338lbs, 5.31, University of Oregon
7th Round: S Gervarrius Owens, 6’0”, 195lbs, University of Houston
Sy’56’s Scouting Report on Eric Gray: Senior entry. Three-year starter from Memphis, TN. Spent two years at Tennessee before transferring to Oklahoma for his final two seasons. Second team All-Big 12 in 2022. Ended his career with almost double the usage and production of any other season in his career, finishing with the ninth most single-season rushing yards in Oklahoma history. Gray brings a tremendous physical profile and body to the table. He looks like he is manufactured in a running back factory and has the quality tape to back it up. He can fit into any running scheme but will be best suited for action between the tackles. There is where he can truly maximize the plus-burst, balance, and strength. Gray also has proven to carry a pair of elite hands as a receiver. While he may not end up with the best long speed in the group, Gray will create explosive plays with how decisive and violent he can run downhill while always maintaining the ability to abruptly stop and change direction. Gray is an ideally-built, versatile team player that fits into the every-down role at the next level.
*Gray was a favorite of mine when it came to the surface level scouting. He is not a very big guy, but he is huge in the right places. His lower half is put together almost like Saquon. His short limbs work well with the kind of movement we need to see out of running backs. Short, choppy, balanced movements that can get in and out of small spaces in a hurry. When he reaches the open field, he can be caught from behind but do not overlook just how much his burst can create initially. Gray is a guy that, if he hooks up with the right team (SF, PHI, BAL) – he is going to be a 1,000-yard rusher. An overlooked attribute in his game shows up as a receiver. He was targeted a lot (102 times last three years combined) and dropped just two of them, a very good number for anyone let alone a back with power.
Sy’56’s Scouting Report on Tre Hawkins III: Fifth-year senior from Temple, TX. Spent two seasons at Trinity Valley Community College before transferring to Old Dominion. Had his first season there canceled due to Covid-19. He started two years on the outside and produced across the entire stat sheet. He puts together an impressive blend of tools catapulted by elite vertical speed and burst. Once he diagnoses the route, his reactionary skill are sudden, twitchy, and explosive. He does not hesitate against the run and will attack the ball carriers hands, forcing fumbles (six over his career). Hawkins III lacks the feel in zone coverage and is late to notice underneath routes, but the tools are all there to develop him into a quality backup down the road. Priority free agent.
Sy’56’s Scouting Report on Jordon Riley: Sixth-year senior from New Bern, NC. One-year starter who arrived at Oregon (his fourth stop) after stints at North Carolina, Nebraska, and Garden City Community College. Riley is a mammoth-sized interior defensive lineman who played his best football in his final year of eligibility. The natural bender shows an accurate punch with quality lockout. The ball location skills need work and he does not have much of a pass rush repertoire. He is overly reliant on the bull rush because of past knee issues, there is not much drive behind it. He is a long term-project who is older than the average prospect and will not offer a lot of versatility. FA/Camp Body
Sy’56’s Scouting Report on Gervarrius Owens: Fifth-year senior. Four-year starter from Moore, OK. Spent three seasons at Houston after transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M where he also started and was a JUCO All-American. Owens was a cornerback for a year before transitioning to safety in 2020. His size and movement traits better with what we see in the middle but there is enough speed and fluidity to occasionally play a corner role here and there. Owens is an explosive, well-built missile from the back end that can really put his foot in the ground and go. His closing speed gets him to where he needs to be in a blink. Owens will flash big play ability, but he also flashes big mistake potential. He sells out on his initial read and will get caught by looks-offs and double routes routinely. The missed tackle rate also strengthens the “all or nothing” feel to his game. If he can channel some of the aggression and improve his ability to finish plays, Owens can be a starting caliber safety. If not, he will be a special teamer and quality backup.
*Similar to a player discussed above, Owens passes the initial test but once you watch a lot of his tape, it is easy to tell there is a lot of guessing in his game. If he can truly process the information and play at his highest rate of speed, he can be a player. Watch out for guys like this coming from a program that does not exactly invest in defensive resources. First exposure to high quality coaching could turn a light on. Owens has that kind of untapped upside. I like him a lot as a day three prospect.
Media Q&A with General Manager Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll (Video):
Q. Talk about the guys you picked today.
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, so Eric Gray is a guy we liked. He was at the Senior Bowl. Played at Oklahoma and transferred from Tennessee. Super productive. Really good hands out of the backfield. Also has some elusiveness to him inside. Like what he brings. He also has done some returns in his past; he did some at Tennessee, comfortable catching punts at Senior Bowl. So again, he’ll come in and compete with our group. Tre Hawkins, we took him late in the sixth. From Old Dominion corner, height, weight, and speed prospect that has high upside. He’s a physical kid, not afraid to tackle. You see a trend with some of these guys that we took at that position. Good developmental prospect for Wink’s defense and projects well to special teams due to his physical traits and toughness. Jordon Riley, again, big body guy. It’s hard to find these guys. When you get into the 7th round, you are looking for guys that maybe it will be hard to get at different areas. And another guy we spent time with, big run stopper in there, 6’5, 330. He’ll compete for a depth role there. Gervarrius Owens, another guy we like, a tall, long, athletic safety from the University of Houston, was out at the East-West Game. Another physical kid. Projects well to special teams and also compete for a depth role. Excited about the group of guys we have got. All have very good traits. Competing for different roles but excited with the group. Then get the text here soon that the draft is over, and now we’re working on the second draft with free agency, college free agency, which is an exciting time for us.
Q. Can you talk more about Riley? He was not somebody that was listed by too many.
JOE SCHOEN: He’s at Oregon. You walk out to practice and there’s this 6-5, 330-pound guy, who piques your interest right there. Again, some of these guys in different schemes may not have the production, the tackles, the sacks. But for what Wink looks for in terms of size, length, knock back, he possesses those traits.
Q. Can you talk about the whole thing overall, did you fill all the needs you want or are there still things out there?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, we are always going to be looking to continue to improve. We’ll never be satisfied. We’ll continue. Again, right now is another opportunity to add players and depth in competition with the college free agency process. Then we’ll have a rookie mini-camp next weekend, so we’ll have some players that will be here for that. Ideally, we have a bunch of 53 Pro Bowlers, but that’s impossible. We’ll continue to find where we need to add depth or maybe light on a starter or whatever it may be, but we’ll continue to add depth and competition at all times.
Q. As part of the off-season, you talked about how you wanted to add depth along the defensive line, which you’ve done. Do you feel like you have enough depth among edge rushers?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, and that’s something, again, we can continue to look for that. Again, I think we have Elerson (Smith) — showed promise but had an injury last year. (Tomon) Fox is a guy we like. So those guys have all played snaps, and we’re excited about them, and we may add a couple tonight or again, we continue to look at our emergency list. We are all weighing those two things, what’s available post-draft based on how teams drafted over the weekend. There may be a surplus of players that become available next week. We’ll continue to look at all positions and measure where we are if we like our group or not, and again we don’t play until September in terms of the regular season, so if we’re devoid of something somewhere, we’ll continue to look.
Q. Gray was saying he feels he has natural hands. How important is that for you for a running back, for your offense, that seems to project that he could potentially be a 3-down guy?
BRIAN DABOLL: We’ll see. Again, I just go back to — I think the question you asked, we always look to add and improve all the way through the season, from Tuesday when we have off. In terms of Gray, he’s a very mature young player that’s had some production. Does have good hands. How that sorts out, that will be up to him. The cool thing about it is after the rookie weekend, they come back, and we’ll finally have an auditorium full of seats. Coaches will be standing on the side and finally have a full auditorium to start working with.
Q. I wanted to ask you about your process in terms of the trades the first two days because I thought it was interesting. Sometimes you see GMs who might not have the trust of other teams, guys you talked to; you mentioned the deal you have with Trent Baalke. You guys obviously exchanged information. For you how important is that to build relationships where you’re sharing some of your plans, some guys don’t want to give away too much information and feel like it may come back and burn them, but do you feel like that has helped your process?
JOE SCHOEN: Trent and I were area scouts back in the day. We have a long relationship or some of the new GMs, Kwesi (Adofo-Mensah), in Minnesota, and we have become fast friends through this process. We were first-year GMs together. You always try to cultivate those relationships throughout the league because when you’re thinking about, hey, I may trade Player X, my name comes to him first that they are going to call me, whatever it may be. You always want to be in the mix if a team trades a guy. It’s always important to have relationships with the general managers and personnel staff of the other teams because it can lead to deals or maybe it’s easier to get a trade done or whatever it may be.
Definitely in that group where we were picking in specifically Thursday night, I had a good relationship with a lot of those guys. They were easy conversations. We could shoot each other straight and luckily it worked out.
Q. Are you ever fearful of giving up too much information?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, you definitely have to be careful of that. But if a trade was contingent on you giving up the information, you might as well — that’s your only chance to get there. There’s some risk involved if you do that.
Q. Looking back compared to maybe what you thought coming into the Draft, what would you have thought if I told you were going to get Banks, Schmitz, and Hyatt in the first two days of the Draft?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, I would have liked to know how you’re going to do that, probably. You never know how it’s going to fall. We went through a million scenarios. We didn’t know who was going to be there at 25 or we ended up trading up to 24, so you really don’t know. Once you get into that second round, everybody sees things differently and has different flavors for the type of players they like. You may have a guy in the fifth round, he goes in the second; beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As you go through the entire draft, usually the first round goes as planned, the group of players you think are going to go. But I’m thrilled with those guys, and I’m thrilled with some of the prospects we got today. We’ll see. And the coaching staff is motivated to work with all the guys that we drafted, and they are going to come in and assimilate into our culture and work hard and see what happens. Everybody is going to compete for their spots. I’m happy with where we are and it’s a good group of guys to work with and continue to build.
Q. Don’t know when the next time we’ll talk to you will be, do you plan to reengage with negotiations with Saquon?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, we’ll have conversations with him. We have; we had conversations last week.
Q. Would you like — going by the assumption Saquon is going to be here, to play this year, would you like to draft a running back and decrease his snaps? Do you find that sustainable for a running back to play eight plus percent of the snaps, is that part of the reason why you wanted to add to that position?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I’d say it’s probably a better question during the season. It’s not April 17th, what is it, April what? 29th. So we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
Q. Was it important to you that you drafted a running back that could catch?
BRIAN DABOLL: Look, what I tell Joe and the scouts is find good players. You don’t always necessarily agree, whether it’s scout-to-scout, coach-to-scout, coach-to-coach. But you sit down, and you talk about these players. I’m excited about all these players. I think there were a lot of good discussions, and I think you just find good players. And then your job as a coaching staff, I’ll say this until I’m done coaching is to get good players and find a way to use them. You have a playbook, but our playbook really isn’t finished quite yet. We just added some players, and we have to do a good job as a staff of going out there on the practice field and trying different things, seeing how people respond, running different routes, or doing some different blocking schemes. Again, every playbook for me, I’d say the last five or six years has just been a little bit different and that’s based on the players that you have. So as a coach, I tell Joe, find good players, man. These guys have been working their tails off since the start of the last draft at the end of it, and the coaches have been working hard to try to evaluate them. Again, you don’t know what you’re going to get until they are out there doing it, too. So that’s why we’re big on competition. We’re excited about the players we have but we’ll throw them in the mix and let them compete it out.
Q. Where does Gray’s skill set lend the potential to be a passing down option early in his career?
BRIAN DABOLL: We’ll see. Start looking at him in rookie minicamp. Again, I think they all have a good skill set and we have spent a lot of time watching tape and talking to some of these guys. But until they are out there doing things on the grass in front of you; you can tweak things. There are times when you thought you were getting something, one draft with a player, and then all of a sudden, you’re like, man, this guy can do this a little better than I thought, so you start doing that more. They will all have a fair opportunity to go out there and prove what they can do to see if they can help us.
Q. Would you characterize your conversations with Saquon as negotiations or touching base?
JOE SCHOEN: Touching base again. We’ll circle up after the draft. See if it makes sense or not, through dialogue.
There was the contract that was offered originally, the contract was off the table. Would you plan on offering another revised extension to Saquon in the coming week?
JOE SCHOEN: We’ll talk this coming week now that the draft is over. We’ll reconvene and see if it makes sense or not through dialogue with his representative.
Q. Salary-cap-wise, do you need to make a move? Are you good, just to get through, now that the Draft is over?
JOE SCHOEN: If we need to, we have moves that we can make to free up cap space. So yeah, we are working through some things over the next couple of weeks.
Q. Since we’re on the topic of contracts, where do things stand with Dexter and those negotiations?
JOE SCHOEN: Same deal. Let’s get through the draft. His representation had a lot of prospects in the draft, and we were focused on the draft in our meetings. Next week, things will calm down a little bit and we’ll circle back up with everybody.
Q. From your vantage point how unusual is what the Eagles are doing leaning so hard into one program? Can you think of any other time that a team has done this, drafting so many players and acquiring so many players from one team and does that come with risks?
JOE SCHOEN: Well, if you’re going to do it, that’s a good program to do it from. You have to ask them that. I’m not really sure. Sometimes your board just falls that way. They have a lot of Georgia players down the road. I don’t know if they necessarily consciously are doing that, or again, I’m assuming their board fell that way.
Q. Do you feel good about this draft?
JOE SCHOEN: I do. I do. Yeah, it’s not just this draft. This is one piece of the off-season puzzle. I think you tie in free agency and you tie in the draft and I’m excited to go upstairs and see where we are on some undrafted free agents. And kind of how I started, it never stops. We are always looking to upgrade and add depth and competition. Where we are now, I feel good, but again, we still have to get these guys on the field. And all these guys are young. All these draft picks are young. They have come from various spots. Some of them have not been to New York City and some of them have. They are pros. There’s a human element, too, as these guys develop. We are not going to put a lot of pressure on them to be plug-and-play. We’ll let them develop and learn and continue to let them grow in our culture. But yeah, right now I feel good about where we are, and as a staff, we have continuity amongst the staff this off-season, which along with the roster building I think was very important.
Q. There was so much publicity with the draft, how do you feel about the “he killed it” narrative?
JOE SCHOEN: That lasts about two days. You don’t win games in April. The social media rankings and everything like that, you know, it’s about what we do this fall and how we go out there and compete when it matters and how we continue to build this off-season and get bigger, faster, stronger, through our strength program and then how we prepare and execute in August, I think there’s a process. And do I like some of the guys we drafted? Yeah. But still, like Dabs said, you know, in this press conference, every year is different, and the team has got to gel, and we have got to build chemistry. We have to stay healthy. There’s a lot that goes into it.
Q. You’re in this for a long time. When do you think you’ll be able to look at the sheet and look back and say, yeah, I think we killed it?
BRIAN DABOLL: The minute after of that? Are you talking about the minute after the draft?
Q. When would you think you would be able to look back at a sheet?
JOE SCHOEN: I think it’s three or four years when you look back, you look at the play time. But you’re never — you can’t get complacent in this business, ever. You’ll have a lot of trouble if you do that. So again, we are always looking to get better regardless of where it is. We’ll never be complacent. We’ll always strive and there will be a standard of excellence and we’ll continue to strive for that.
Q. You think back to last year —
BRIAN DABOLL: Pick 25 and not five, didn’t want it to carry the magnets around — begged the owners for a new draft room.
Q. Setting it up, you obviously wanted things a certain way and you had ideas last year, I’m curious now after this Draft, one of the things I noticed was it looked like you guys had FaceTime’s with the entire room on screens with your prospects, was that part of it you wanted to make it more of a team thing for everyone in that room?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah it’s a really neat feature and we could use that pre-Draft because you could Zoom with a prospect, so if there was ever a scenario where Dabs, myself, Wink, Jerome wanted to get in there, hey, let’s Zoom with this prospect and talk ball, and we could all be in there and have those type of meetings; and it’s a universal room that we can use for free agency draft, medical meetings, Zooming prospects.
So just trying to upgrade the technology the best we could and make it multi-faceted in terms of how we could utilize it. We did that, and one of the cool things we wanted to do was FaceTime the prospects afterward in the draft room and congratulate them one or time oncoming to the team. Just a cool feature. Nice touch for the players.
Q. Just a couple of you guys that would get a chance to interact with the prospect, scouts, and ownership, is that important to you to make sure that this entire aspect of it is the full team?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, absolutely. Like Dabs was just saying, the scouts are away from their family a lot during the year, a lot of miles on the road, a lot of hotel points and All-Star games and then being here for weeks at a time away from their family. A lot of hard work that goes into it from the medical staff and all the guys that they look at the combine, the calls they make for us, go on and on about it’s really all hands on deck in a true team effort to put this together.
Q. I assume in the next 48 to 72 hours, you get the free agents signed. When do you guys decompress?
JOE SCHOEN: When you come in in the morning and there’s like nothing going on, you’ve got to take advantage of it, because sure enough, something comes through the door at some point, and the day you thought you were going to have all this free time turns into three or four things you’ve got to deal with.
I think now that I’ve actually thought about this, hopefully, next week at some point I can. But it’s a different process for me. I’ve kind of been full circle now, because when I got here, I had already seen 500 prospects, I had a really good feel for the Draft. This year, I had not been through a season as a general manager and trying to watch film and see prospects and all that stuff. Now that I’ve been through the whole thing full circle, I think next week would be a good opportunity for me, I think I’ll be able to decompress a little bit.
Q. Like you said, this year you had other things to worry about. Do you find yourself relying on others on your staff more heavily?
JOE SCHOEN: Oh, absolutely, yeah, you have to be able to delegate in this position and get the right people in the right chairs and let them do their jobs. We have got a good group throughout the building in a lot of seats.
Media Q&A with Eric Gray:
Q. How much do you know about (Head Coach) Brian Daboll and the Giants’ offense and what do you think you can bring as?
ERIC GRAY: I just bring — I’m just going to bring a lot to the offense and be able to run in between the tackles, run outside zone, inside zone, being able to catch the ball out of the backfield. I think I just bring another threat to the offense.
Q. How much contact did you have with them during the pre-draft process?
ERIC GRAY: A pretty good amount. I had a workout with (Running Backs) Coach Nixon, the running backs coach, going into the draft. Early on in the process I had a workout with him, so I would say a pretty good amount of contact with them.
Q. What do you think it’s going to be like to soon be a teammate of (Running Back) Saquon Barkley?
ERIC GRAY: I’ve watched a lot of Saquon, me playing, I’ve watched a lot of his games, so just being able to learn from him, things that he did as a rookie being successful in the league, that’s going to be very important.
Q. Did you play with (Wide Receiver) Jalin Hyatt at Tennessee?
ERIC GRAY: I did. He was a freshman when I was a sophomore.
Q. What can you tell us about him?
ERIC GRAY: Just a great, fast receiver. Very productive. You see what he did this past year bursting on to the scene. Great receiver.
Q. What does it take to be a good receiver out of the backfield? What qualities do you think that you have that make you accomplished in that area?
ERIC GRAY: Being able to, one, just having those natural hands to be able to catch and being able to route run. Me personally, I have a good feel for knowing coverages coming out of the backfield, knowing if it’s man or zone or if I need to break it this way, setting crisp routes, getting to my depth. I would say I’ve been blessed to be a pretty good route runner out of the backfield.
Q. I saw you did some punt returns. Did they talk to you about that?
ERIC GRAY: Yes, I did, I did do some of that in my college years. I did, so that’s just adding more value for myself.
Q. What would you think about early in your career being like a third down, passing down running back?
ERIC GRAY: I’ll do what it takes for the team. I’m a ‘we guy’ not a ‘me guy’ – I’ll do what it takes for the team.
Q. What Giants have you heard from already?
ERIC GRAY: I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to any Giants yet. I’m sure (Wide Receiver) Sterling (Shepard) will call me soon, just him being in Oklahoma, but I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to him yet.
Q. What’s your relationship with him?
ERIC GRAY: I have never talked to Sterling, but somebody just sent me his number — would be a good chance to talk to him.
Q. What does today mean to you to hear your name called and end up in New York?
ERIC GRAY: It’s a dream come true. It’s a dream come true. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time, and for it to be the Giants, it just means a lot to me, being able to, like I said, to learn from the guys that are already in the room, I’ve got a good feel for the coach when he had the private workout, Coach Daboll, I just love the Giants offense. I’m stoked about it. I can’t wait to get to New York.
Q. When you say you got a good feel in that private work out what did you learn from him or why do you think you would mesh really well with Nixon?
ERIC GRAY: Just his mentality in the running back room. He wants guys that are good for the room, that are good fits for the room. He wants guys that are going to work hard and that are going to come in there and give 100 percent every day and not take a day off, and that’s the kind of guy that I am. I’m going to go in there every single day and do as much as I can to help the team win.
Q. Where did you watch the Draft and where did you spend the day? When you got the call from the Giants, can you tell us about the reaction? Seemed like they have been videoing guys, doing FaceTimes. When you have experience with that?
ERIC GRAY: I’m in Nashville with my family. Me and my friends actually went for a drive when I got the call. Trying to just get out of the house for a minute, me and my friends went for a drive, and I got the call. We rushed home, everybody ran out of the house yelling. I got a chance to talk with the entire organization over FaceTime. Just a great FaceTime, for me just an unbelievable moment.
Q. What have the last few days been like for you? What did you think the likelihood that maybe you could get picked in the day two range yesterday and take us through your emotions of this whole thing.
ERIC GRAY: Definitely tried to stay level-headed though, but it was definitely a little roller coaster, thinking I could go – like you said – in day two, but ended up going today. But it’s all a blessing. Now it’s time to get on the field and work.
Q. I was looking at your stats. Did you carry like 549 times and never fumble?
ERIC GRAY: Yes, sir.
Q. What do you attribute that to? What is that about you that you think you have such good ball security?
ERIC GRAY: Just having awareness of the ball, knowing when you get in traffic, put two hands on it, having awareness of the defenders, where the defenders are, knowing that when you’re running, defenders are trying to knock it out. Just having that awareness.
Q. Going to test your memory. When was your last fumble, do you remember?
ERIC GRAY: My last fumble, I don’t know that one.
Q. Will you come with a chip on your shoulder given that you slipped to the third day?
ERIC GRAY: 100 percent. 100 percent going to come with a chip on my shoulder. I feel like I have to go prove it and be the player that I want to be in the league.
Q. Are you going to tell Daniel you know how to throw passes, too?
ERIC GRAY: (Laughs) I’m going to let him throw passes. I’m just going to take my hand offs and catch for him.
Q. What happened on your pass this year?
ERIC GRAY: (inaudible) throw my first touchdown, the route kind of got bumped off if I threw it, but at least I would have made the tackle.
SATURDAY PRESS CONFERENCE WITH JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ…
Center John Michael Schmitz, who the Giants drafted on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, held a press conference at the team’s facility on Saturday. The transcript and video are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube, respectively.
SATURDAY PRESS CONFERENCE WITH JALIN HYATT…
Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, who the Giants drafted on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, held a press conference at the team’s facility on Saturday. The transcript and video are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube, respectively.
NEW YORK GIANTS DRAFT JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ AND JALIN HYATT…
On the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected:
2nd Round: OC John Michael Schmitz, 6’4”, 301lbs, 5.35, University of Minnesota
3rd Round: WR Jalin Hyatt, 6’0”, 176lbs, 4.4, University of Tennessee
The Giants traded up in the third round, moving from the 26th spot to 10, giving the Los Angeles Rams their 4th-round selection.
Sy’56’s Scouting Report on John Michael Schmitz: Sixth year senior. Four-year starter from Flossmoor, IL. Named All-Big Ten three straight years including a first team honor in 2022. Also named a first team All-American in his final season. Schmitz is the point guard of the offensive line, fully capable of making all the calls and directing traffic. He does all the little things right and it adds up to consistent, reliable play. He excels in the running game with his combination of heavy contact and excellent footwork. While he is not the most natural athlete, he makes up for a lot of the shortcomings with proper angles, spacing, and timing. He has a great feel for when to peel off to the next man and his hands do a lot of damage. The shortcomings as a pass blocker on an island and occasional lapse in body control can cause some concern, but the floor is high for Schmitz. Schmitz has the mental capacity and reliable run blocking to fit into any situation right away and compete for a starting job, but this is a low ceiling, high-floor kind of player.
*Want a plug and play center that will immediately become the mental leader of your line? Schmitz is your guy. Want a high-upside athlete that is going to eventually be one of the top players at the position in the league? Look elsewhere. Schmitz is a classic “is what he is” type prospect. You know what you are getting, you know what you are not. One negative I could see NYG having on him is the fact he never played a position other than center. In addition, the already-24 year-old simply lacks more area to chew up on the progression curve. Will he likely provide the best OC play this team has had since…O’Hara? Probably. The question is about positional value, and everyone has an opinion on that. I like Schmitz, as do many in the league. But he only becomes an option for me in round 3, and I think he is gone by then.
Sy’56’s Scouting Report on Jalin Hyatt: Junior entry. One year starter from Irmo, SC. First Team All American and SEC honors in addition to winning the Biletnikoff Award. Hyatt was one of the country’s breakout performers in 2022, leading the power five conferences with 15 touchdowns. Coming into the year, he had just 502 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He nearly tripled that in his junior season alone. This is the kind of speed that changes how an opposing defense plays. There is a lot of unknown in his game, however. He is inexperienced in contested situations, he rarely lined up outside, and the route running on anything besides vertical-routes needs a lot of refinement. While the speed is next-level and he will immediately become one of the best deep threats in the NFL early in his career, there is a lot that needs to be gained for Hyatt to be considered a formidable number one threat.
*The one prospect in this group that I would label THE swing for the fence is Hyatt. If you can recall my comparison for him, Will Fuller, and what he did for the Houston offense pre-injury (#1 in NFL in yards per target in 2020, #3 in 2018) you may want to consider taking him in the first round. Even though he is such a one-dimensional guy, his ability within that dimension is potentially special. And that dimension is also what every team in the league wants on offense and fears defensively. Credible deep speed that can get over and stay over the top of the defense. Throw in the fact he tracks and catches the ball at a high level and yes, he could easily end up a first rounder. Personally, I struggle with number of boxes that remain unchecked. The route tree, strength against contact, sudden change of direction, yards after contact. There is a lot to unwind here but I would be lying if I said he doesn’t excite me.
Media Q&A with General Manager Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll (Video):
Q. You’re not shy about making these trades. Can you give us your thought process behind it?
JOE SCHOEN: It was a good player that we liked that was kind of sticking out on our board, so at a position that we thought he could help us at receiver. He ran 4-3 and some change, and you could feel his speed on film. That’s legit. Just a player we liked, and we spent some time with, and we thought the value was good for what we had to give up to go get him.
Q. How much of a priority has it been this off-season to make this offense more explosive?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, I would say both sides of the ball, just team speed in general. O(ffense), d(efense) and special teams. I think we did that with some of the free agents we signed: Parris Campbell can roll, Jeff (Smith) can roll, (Bobby) Okereke runs well. We’ve upgraded the speed in general; (Darren) Waller. So yeah, that’s definitely something watching our team last year, we just felt we needed to get faster in all three phases.
Q. Every time you make a pick, you know that means you might have to not get another guy, right. So when you look at the totality of today, you got a center, who we assume will challenge for a starting job, and one of the fastest receivers in this draft, did you think that was feasible to get these two players today?
JOE SCHOEN: Not really. One of those deals, we were joking around after we took the center (John Michael Schmitz) and were like, hey, wonder if we can get them both. I told the guys, just start making calls when it looks like we’re going to do it for our four, when it comes into range, and we made a couple phone calls and some teams were interested in doing it. We’re ecstatic to be able to get him.
Q. How much of a deep threat guy is (Jalin) Hyatt?
JOE SCHOEN: He can roll. I was at that Alabama game. I can’t remember why I came in late, but I was a little bit late. But I was on the field for the first half. I was coming from another game, landed there, and first half I was on the field, and you could really feel his speed. It’s legit 4-3.
Q. Do you typically watch games from the sideline?
JOE SCHOEN: No, but again, sometimes flight delays and everything else. I had some issues with my travel. I was able to get there for pregame but not enough time to see the body type. So I stayed down there and kind of looked at the guys physically and went up to the press box after that. Yeah, you could see more from the press box. I could see it better.
Q. Why do you think he fell as far as he did?
JOE SCHOEN: I’m not sure. I’m glad he was there, though. Josh Heupel, the head coach at Tennessee is a good friend of mine. We go way back. Oklahoma was my area a long time ago when he was a quarterback coach. I’ve known him for a long time, and he was the head coach at Central Florida when we took Gabe Davis, when we were in Buffalo. There’s some history there. I called him at some point today and just checked on Hyatt. We had him in on a visit. Again, I’m not sure why he was there, but we feel good about him and glad he was.
Q. What’s your impression of Hyatt and how important was it to you to get more of that speed around Daniel (Jones)?
BRIAN DABOLL: I think he’s a good player. I think he runs some of the routes that we run here. You can see, a little bit like Gabe, how it might translate. But again, everything is new for him. He’s a young guy. We’ll throw him in the mix with the other receivers and let those guys compete it out. A good visit here. Definitely has some qualities that you like when you’re watching him. Good young man. So, happy we have him.
Q. Quick follow, everybody always is happy with their draft, nobody walks away saying it sucked, right, but when you look at just what you’ve done so far, you’ve kind of hit on three needs in these three first picks here. Is that something you anticipated being able to accomplish going into this?
BRIAN DABOLL: Well, you never know. We have a lot of meetings, I would say, leading up to the draft and then these last few days and you go through a lot of different scenarios. It’s not an inexact science but I’d say there’s a lot of preparation. I think Joe does a fantastic job working the phones and being prepared, along with, I’d say, Tim (McDonnell) and Brandon (Brown) and Dennis (Hickey), rest of the scouts, they have done a great job. So again, you draft these players. You put grades on them. You come in; you coach them up. But you let them compete it out. That’s what we’re all about. So, it’s just adding new pieces just like we did in free agency. We’ll get them out there on the field and see how they do,
Q. Did what the Eagles did yesterday on their defensive line make the center position that much more of a focus for you today?
JOE SCHOEN: Not really. You know, it was a position we were looking, the entire offensive line. Again, we looked across all of them. You’re always look the in the division, it’s important how you match up. I go back to when he was at New England, and they had the two really good tight ends. You are always trying to figure out who can cover Gronk or whoever it may be. You’re always looking at it. But I think being strong in offensive and defensive line, regardless is always going to be a priority of ours. Schmitz is a great guy, I know we haven’t talked about him, but smart, tough, dependable, played a lot of ball. Had a great Senior Bowl. He’s a good player and a great kid.
Q. What do you like about the pairing of Daniel and — those two together?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, we’ll see how it works out. I know we’ve spent time with him. He’s a great kid and he embodies what we want to be about. He’s a good football player. Again, everybody is going to come in here, compete, earn their spot, and, you know, we’ll see how it falls, but he’s wired the right way.
Q. A couple of the knocks on Jalin, a little bit slight, what people are saying. When you look at the frame and his body type what gives you the confidence that maybe he can grow into it, or he can play with that body type in the NFL?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, I think he’s still young. There’s a similar body type down the road that we play twice a year, that’s a good player. (He) was drafted much higher. But again, you look at it, you look at the group, you know, how tall they are, how long they are, thick they are, and you know, I know the offensive staff and Dabs, they do a great job of putting the guys in the best position to succeed; and what are the routes they run best, how can we accentuate what they do well, and then they will kind of formulate the offense around that. I think he’ll be fine.
Q. Schmitz was the one guy you didn’t trade up for. Is that because you felt he was going to fall?
JOE SCHOEN: I wish. I wish. Yeah, I wish I had a crystal ball. It’s hard. Patience, I wouldn’t say is one of my strengths, and I often get tested this time of year because it’s like anything, if you want it and you have the resources to get it, go get it. I’ve been on the other side that when you’re sitting there kicking yourself for not doing something you and don’t like the subsequent result from not doing what you could have done and you were okay with, you know, what it was going to cost you. So yeah, I mean, Chicago jumped up from us, and you thought, okay, who knows what they are going to take. There were a couple of players there that we liked, but you’ve got to be at peace with that if it happens and say, hey, let’s just stay patient and we did that. You know, any type of move-up would have cost us another pick and maybe you don’t end up with Jalin. So, you know, I’m glad it worked out the way it did.
Q. When you say that last year you couldn’t do this to the level you did this year, you needed for picks last year. Is it fair to say you can cherry-pick a little bit more?
JOE SCHOEN: No, that’s a good question. I think we had a little more resources in free agency and so we were able to add more depth pieces in March and April, you know, along with maybe some of that’s practice squad guys we had last year that had developed, or the Isaiah Hodgins’ of the world, so had a little bit more depth. We added some starting pieces in free agency, guys that will compete for starting spots. So maybe you don’t need the depth and the numbers that I felt like we needed last year.
Q. Was Hyatt a guy you considered where you took Schmitz?
JOE SCHOEN: He was in the range.
Q. Just in terms of the complicated nature of the routes you guys run in this offense, for Jalin, I would imagine, he has a diverse game to be able to run what you guys run at different spots in this game?
BRIAN DABOLL: I’d say this: With all the players, particularly, the young ones that come in, you evaluate them on tape, and then you get them here, and you try to do what they do well. You have a good idea watching the tape, but sometimes they come in and they can do a few more things maybe you didn’t want to do as much as you thought you would do with one of them. Our job as a coaching staff, our offensive coaches, whether it’s receivers, tight ends, running backs, is let’s figure out what these guys do well. We have a pretty expansive system, which I’m sure most people do. But once you pare it down and find out who is going to be running those things, you make sure you adapt and make sure there are things your players can do well whether it’s quarterback, receivers, blocking schemes with the line, defensive players. That’s the job of a coaching staff. But yeah, and our other third-round pick was Waller, so we tried to do what we can do with him, too.
JOE SCHOEN: It’s true. Pick’s coming up probably.
Q. I’ll give you the offensive line question then. When you have a young guy coming in like Schmitz, how much of it is, can he handle the physical load but also the mental capacity to be able to do this job?
BRIAN DABOLL: Regardless of if it’s this offense or any other offense, you’re come in from college and you’re playing against grown men up front. I’d say there’s a learning curve mentally, but there’s also a physical curve, too, and we won’t find that out until August. But this guy’s tough. He’s smart. He’s got a good frame. Former wrestler. Good leader. We’ll throw him in the mix, let him compete it out with the other guys and see how it ends up.
Q. Both guys on the offensive line, on Schmitz, when he had him in the conference call, he described himself as “nasty” and he sounded like a polite young man on the telephone. Is that something you have seen on film or noticed when you took him to dinner what’s your take on that?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, you see it on film.
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, you see it on film. Not when you’re sitting across from him but when you turn on the film, you see it.
Q. Nothing bad happened during dinner or anything like that?
BRIAN DABOLL: No. We did a Face Time with him, the whole group and he basically wanted to put his helmet and shoulder pads on that instant, standing with his parents. He loves the game of football and just another good offensive lineman to work with.
Q. So you saw a lot of things where Schmitz and (Joe) Tippmann were almost interchangeable; one could go in front of the — did you like Schmitz more than Tippmann?
JOE SCHOEN: There’s a lot of offensive linemen we liked in this draft, and we went through — I won’t get into how we have them ranked or something. They are both good football players, both in New York and I think they will both have successful careers.
Q. Yesterday we saw Wink (Martindale) give a pretty aggressive hug to the general manager after the cornerback. As the head coach, are you allowed to express that when you get a 4.3 receiver?
BRIAN DABOLL: Sure, I did it with the Tae (Deonte Banks), too. Joe does a great job, like I said, of leading the entire draft. These scouts that are busting their tail and they are gone for six months, they might have, you know, however many people that they want to select, and we don’t select any of them from their area, if you can imagine that, they are gone from their families and working their tails off. They do a great job of setting up the board, communicating with the coaches. It’s a really good process but I’d say this guy leads it up and he does a great job of it.
Q. Asked the wrong question. How did (Mike) Kafka respond to the pick of receiver?
JOE SCHOEN: He’s jacked up, too. Yeah, him, Mike Groh, everybody is excited. Kafka is excited about the center, too.
Q. Schmitz is a center and you guys had talked about maybe having Ben (Bredeson) play a little center, so how does that work? Will Ben compete with Schmitz as center, or do you want Ben as your left guard? How do you see that that? How do you see Ben’s role shaking out now?
BRIAN DABOLL: We’ll find out. Throw them all out there. And again, we haven’t had practice yet. We have selected some new players and some free agents, and we’ll start phase two on Monday, which is a little bit different from phase one, but can’t get out in front of each other until we get to phase three and that’s really a teaching type of camp, if you will.
I don’t think you want to put too much on the rookies early on because, you know, let’s be honest, they have been on the road. Tae has been on the road, however many visits. They have to re-acclimate themselves and you want to be smart with them, and slowly integrate them into the system. But that’s what you do every year. You try to build as much competition for your roster as you can, and that’s what we’re trying to do.
Q. How much of a mind game is it when you’re in the draft room and you are picking second round, saying, well, if I take the center now, am I still going to get the wide receiver or how do you play that? Do you just take the best player or what?
JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, in that case we did. We weren’t even really thinking about that. We weren’t thinking about the subsequent pick. There’s something out there that you want, or you desire, and you’re waiting and waiting, don’t know if it’s going to be there, it’s tough, and it can be stressful. So that’s why again, sometimes you are aggressive and sometimes you move back. Last year in the second round, we moved back twice. Based on the situation, who is there, where you are as a roster, you’re always taking that into account. We met extensively today and went through different scenarios and the roster and kind of wants and needs on the roster, and you know, I think it worked out well for us this evening.
Q. When you’re talking to so many different teams like you were tonight, looking into trades, how many different people are on the phone at once? Are you on the phone? Is Brandon making some of the calls? How is it all working?
JOE SCHOEN: Last night, the first round, it’s a little bit slower. You get more time to turn in your pick. There are so many different scenarios, especially last night. So that was more myself. Then today, it’s a group effort. Dabs, actually, executed his first trade. He initiated the trade with the Rams; so, I congratulate him on that. But no, if you know somebody, hey, why don’t you shoot the Rams a text, or you know, give them a call and again, hey, this is what it looks like it would be, does it make sense and we just call and say, hey, when you’re on the clock, let us know.
Q. Was that a FaceTime trade then?
JOE SCHOEN: That was a test.
BRIAN DABOLL: That was not a Face Time trade.
JOE SCHOEN: We had to type it in his phone for him. He said, “Here, just type it in for me.”
BRIAN DABOLL: I’m a Face Timer, that’s about it.
Media Q&A with John Michael Schmitz:
Q. Do you like being called John Michael? John? What do you prefer?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: Well, I kind of just went along with the flow, but I was always John Michael growing up because I’m a junior and my dad was always John. The name just kind of stuck with me.
Q. John Michael it is. What’s tonight been like for you? What does it mean it get drafted by the Giants?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: Yeah, I mean I’m still shocked right now, just taking it all in with the people that you love and family and friends – it’s been amazing.
Q. What was your experience with (Offensive Line Coach) Bobby Johnson? I know he was at your pro day. What was your vibe with him and your interaction with him in the process?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I love Coach Johnson. Spent a lot of time with him, obviously with the pro day and a dinner before that. It was amazing to connect with him. He’s a good coach and just what he’s doing with that offensive line, I’m so excited to be a part of it.
Q. What do you feel like your greatest strength is at the position? Do you feel like you’re better at the run, protecting? According to PFF, you only had two sacks allowed in your career.
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I would just say, my mentality as a whole, my toughness, my grit, the way I finish plays is what sets me apart from other people, so that’s what I’m going to go with.
Q. What did you think when you heard you were going to land with the Giants and how likely did you think it was throughout the process?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I always thought it was definitely a possibility to go with the Giants, and I’m so happy to be a part of this team. I’m ready to get to work, that’s what I told the coaches when we first talked. I’m so excited.
Q. Were you in Minnesota at all to pay attention to the Giants playoff victory?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I was actually at the game. That’s the best part, I was at the game.
Q. And? Who were you rooting for?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: You know, I was at the game just watching football, that’s all I’ve got to say (laughs).
Q. Did you know they lost both centers to free agency?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: You know, that’s something that I didn’t really look at. I’m just excited for the 2023 Giants football team and I’m excited to be a part of it and get to work.
Q. (General Manager) Joe Schoen has said recently that this is a complicated offense. What makes you confident that you can come in right away as a rookie and dictate terms on offense?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: Honestly, it’s just my mentality, coming in. (inaudible) good enough, I would just say, I love a challenge, so learning the game even better than I have, and I can’t wait to work with Coach Johnson, pick his brain. I mean, he’s going to help me out a lot. I’m so excited.
Q. How much did you go through some of the intricacies of this offense during your visit with Bobby and the talks that you’ve had with the coaches up until this point?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: They just throw basic things at you here and there, nothing too crazy. So yeah, that’s all I’d say.
Q. Is there anybody you admire at the position?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: What I always said in my interviews with the teams, I really like how (Buccaneers Center) Ryan Jensen plays the game. I mean, he’s one of the nastiest people on the field and just the way he plays, his mentality, you know that he’s going to bring it every play. He’s a tremendous leader, also.
Q. Would you describe yourself as “nasty”?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: Yes, yes, that’s the biggest thing I would say. The nasty, tough, grit factor, definitely.
Q. Has (Quarterback) Daniel Jones reached out to you yet?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I am not sure if he has.
Q. What do you think that relationship will be like, will you come in here and attach yourself to him at the hip a little bit?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: Yeah, it’s definitely important to have a great relationship with your quarterback, and you guys have to be on the same page. The quarterback and the offensive line, the running back, especially in pass pro, they have to work together. It’s very important to have a great connection with your quarterback.
Q. Some of the scouting reports describe you as, “strong, tough, dependable, his footwork needs work.” How do you respond to that?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: You don’t really listen to everything that’s always out there. You focus on what the guys that I’ve been working with (Guard) Alex Boone, Jeremiah Sirles, my agent, Coach Johnson, and I mean, I’m a very hard ‘critiquer’ of myself. I always want to get better. There’s always stuff to get better at, at the end of the day.
Q. The Giants obviously do need a center. Do you intend to come in here and grab that starting job immediately?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: That’s not my decision. I’m going to be coming in to work and earn the coaches’ and players’ trust to take that role. But that is the coaches’ position to do that.
Q. There was a lot of talk about how you and Joe Tippmann were the top two centers in this draft. What did you think when you saw him get drafted by the Jets and does that — how do you sort of take that in and what’s the thoughts about playing in the same city as him now?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: You always look at other people that got drafted in front of you. I mean, honestly at this point, I’m just focused on the New York Giants and focused on this team and doing everything I can to make this team better and bring it a Super Bowl. I’m so excited.
Q. This division has a lot of strong defensive lines, Eagles, Washington, Dallas. From your vantage point as a center, what does it take to handle an elite defensive line for four quarters?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I would just say setting the tone from the start. You’ve got to be physical. You’ve got to set the tone from the start, first quarter to fourth quarter. It’s not going to happen right away. We always used to say, if you are going to run the ball, you’re going to have body blows and the body blows turn to like 25, 30-yard touchdowns, and I mean, you just continue to wear those guys down, the defensive linemen, and eventually they’ll break.
Q. What about your personality through the years, it can be intimidating for a rookie to step into a center with a lot of veterans, especially in a big city. Do you relish that opportunity to be able to have that voice in the huddle, have that command when you basically have guys around you who have been in this league and who have done some things in this league, won a playoff game in this league? What’s your expectation from that level?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I’m very excited to connect with this offensive line group. Just get to know these guys and I feel like I’m a really good leader, a communicator. As a center, you have to be a really good communicator, and a leader position sometimes comes natural to that position because you’re the first one to the line, and you set the calls, you set the protections, and you’re in control of that offense, especially as the center-point of the offensive line. I would just say that.
Q. Do you ever run into (Inside Linebacker) Micah McFadden lately?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I have not, no.
Q. Where are you, where were you when you found out about the pick?
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ: I was at home in Homewood, Illinois. We’re just with family and friends, about 20-25 people. It was special.
Q. What was this draft experience like for you? Did you expect to still be on the board in the third round? What have the last two nights been like?
JALIN HYATT: Yeah, you know, definitely something where you’re just waiting for your name to be called. Really for me, I don’t care where it was, what round, what team. I just wanted to be on team. New York came and they really blessed me and my family and I’m forever grateful for it and I just can’t wait to do what I have to do when I get there and meet my new teammates. Get there and be competitive and do what I have to do.
Q. Given your speed, how dangerous of a deep threat are you?
JALIN HYATT: Yeah, I feel like I’m probably the best deep threat receiver in the draft. I really do believe that, and Giants they really got a playmaker, they got a dynamic playmaker, an explosive playmaker – and that’s what I want to bring and add to the team.
Q. Is there part of you that always spends time wanting to show that you’re more than what the speed game is in your arsenal?
JALIN HYATT: Oh, yeah, yes, sir. Yes, sir. I mean, I love it when I’m counted out and the Giants, they took a chance on me. So, I’m forever grateful but at the same time, I know now it’s time to put in the work and now I know it’s time to go. Like I said, I was never picked first for anything. I’m grateful for the Giants giving me an opportunity and I can’t wait to go and show and do what I have to do.
Q. Some scouting reports have mentioned your size and slender build as a possible concern and can you hold up in the NFL, is the question. What’s your response to that?
JALIN HYATT: Like I said, that’s something that I feel comfortable in. Now I’m around 188, 189, getting to where I want to get to my goal weight of 190. I still have a lot of things to work on but at the same time, definitely work on that with the Giants and I definitely know what I can do and what I’m capable of it and what type of player that I am. I really believe the Giants added somebody who can change the game and I can’t wait to do that and show that.
Q. What do you think you can get up to weight-wise?
JALIN HYATT: Yeah, I want to play at 190. I want to play at 190 this year, something I’m now feeling comfortable around just gaining weight and being in the weight room and doing a lot of work after the pro day. I’m really pleased with where I am now as far as training and I can’t wait to go to the Giants, I can’t wait to move and get the show moving.
Q. What did you play on last year?
JALIN HYATT: I played at around 175, 176.
Q. How much do you know about (Quarterback) Daniel Jones and how do you think your game will mesh with his?
JALIN HYATT: Yeah, Daniel, he already texted me. I can already tell he’s the leader of the team. Like I said, by the time I get up there, that’s one of the first things I’m going to meet with to understand what he does, what he likes in games, what his best throws, what’s he wants me to do for him. I think when you build that connection with a quarterback, you can go as far as you want to go.
Like I said, I’m going to be consistent, I’m going to be consistent in the facility and meeting with him and doing what he wants me to do for him, because I’m here to help him out. That’s why I can’t wait to do it.
Q. One of the questions is how the offense you play in college for wide receiver, the transition to the NFL, like when you look at NFL games or what you’ll be asked to do, how different do you think it will be?
JALIN HYATT: We did run a little different things offense, but at the same time, I played in pro-style offense before. It’s not like I always play spread my whole – I’ve played pro-style offense. I understand what I have to do and the roles to it.
But you know, that will be something that I will consistently learn from the playbook, from my old playbook, and I just can’t wait for the journey.
Q. What does it take to score five touchdowns in a game against Alabama and what do you think that did for you?
JALIN HYATT: Yeah, you know what it takes for that, you have to be consistent. You have to be consistent getting open and I really believe that’s one thing I’m very consistent on. When I get to the league, I want to be consistent in getting open and be consistent in the quarterback trusting me and making plays. That’s what I’m here for, so just here to show consistency, show a guy that’s willing to work, show a guy that’s hard worker but at the same time ready to prove his moment.
Q. Were you aware the Giants GM Joe Schoen was at that game?
JALIN HYATT: He told me. I wasn’t aware at first. I think when we went out to dinner or something, he told me about. It’s just crazy, you know how much Tennessee brings and a lot of people that comes to the games. I never thought a person, a guy like that will be at the game and later on down the road he’ll draft me. It’s crazy how things work but like I said, I’m blessed.
Q. What did Daniel say to you in his text?
JALIN HYATT: Yeah, he just said, “Are you ready to go”? Like, are you ready to go. Obviously, the Giants, we already are a playoff team and know what we have to do. I’m just here to add that other asset to it, and I just can’t wait to do what I have to do and meet with him and understand what he likes and what he wants to do. I’m just going to be there with him.
Q. You came up here for your visit, meeting with them, what was that like coming in the facility and everything?
JALIN HYATT: Oh, yeah, it was amazing. Never been to New York before in my life. Came up, my first time in New York was to meet the Giants and I really loved the coaching staff up there. Love everything that they are doing. I just love what they are doing and what I can be a part of, so there are already great players there. I’m here to learn and develop and at the same time prove why the Giants drafted me. I’m ready to do what I have to do.
Q. The Giants fans have looked at the receiver room and said, we don’t really have a target No. 1 receiver here. Do you think you can be an elite No. 1 receiver in the NFL and what gives you that confidence?
JALIN HYATT: Oh, yeah, 100 percent. My confidence comes from my hard work. It doesn’t matter what pick, what round it was going to be; and when I saw the Giants called me, I knew what I had to do and I knew what I’m capable of; I’m going to be learning from the players there, the receivers there, developing a bond with them, understand their style of football, getting plays down, understand the playbook, but at the same time I’m there to show my opportunity and show why I should be here.
Q. Did you mostly play in the slot in college and do you believe you can play outside, or do you think of yourself more as a slot?
JALIN HYATT: Yeah, I played slot in college mostly just based on what we did, a lot of motions and me going left to right side. I’m comfortable wherever they want to put me at. If that’s outside receiver, then that’s something I’ll be comfortable with. If it’s slot, that’s something I’ll be comfortable with.
I’m here for the team. I’m here for the coaches. I’m here for Daniel Jones and what he wants to do. They brought a great asset and I’m just here to prove why I’m here.
FRIDAY PRESS CONFERENCE WITH DEONTE BANKS…
Cornerback Deonte Banks, who the Giants drafted in the 1st round on Thursday, held a press conference at the team’s facility on Friday. The transcript and video are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube.
