Giants Hope Lightning Strikes Twice, Sign Undrafted UMass WR Julian Talley

The Giants created one of the most unlikely stars of the 2011 NFL season in WR Victor Cruz. Cruz went undrafted out of the University of Massachusetts in 2010, but the Giants signed him has an undrafted free agent. After a season on injured reserve, Cruz was one of the breakout players of the 2012 campaign. The Giants have gone back to UMass to see if the Minutemen have another diamond in the rough.

The team agreed to sign undrafted free agent WR Julian Talley, who played Cruz's slot position at UMass and is also a good friend of Cruz's. Tom Rock of Newsday reports that Cruz called Talley late in the draft to tell him to worry about going undrafted. Talley told Rock about his feelings upon agreeing to join his college teammate's NFL squad:

"

"It's going to be fun reuniting with him. That was always something that we all talked about . . . I mean, I've been to a couple of Giants games and watched him play and now I'm going to potentially have the opportunity to get in there and step on that field with Victor. It's unreal."

"

On the scouting front, National Football Post's Wes Bunting liked Talley's size at 6'1, his burst, and his ability to separate. Pro Football Weekly said Talley had an "athletic build", "smooth movement" and quickness in and out of his breaks. His 41.5 inch vertical (also reported by Pro Football Weekly) is probably his biggest asset, although both Bunting and PFW weren't thrilled about his hands and tendency to body-catch.

Talley can return kicks and punts and provide depth at slot receiver with potential to line up outside. If 2011 third-round pick Jerrel Jernigan doesn't have a good camp, Talley's time with Cruz could continue into the 2012 season and beyond.