Why Markus Kuhn Has Everything to Prove in New York Giants Training Camp

If a seventh-round draft pick doesn't surprise right away, he's usually forgotten rather quickly.

That's sort of been the case for defensive tackle Markus Kuhn, the New York Giants' seventh-round pick in 2012. Although he has appeared in 29 games over the last three seasons, he hasn't made much of a splash.

Name	Age (Exp.)
Johnathan Hankins	23 (3)
Cullen Jenkins	34 (12)
Markus Kuhn	29 (4)
Jay Bromley	23 (2)
Kenrick Ellis	27 (5)
Dominique Hamilton	26 (1)
Carlif Taylor	N/A (R)

Still, there is hope—and opportunity—for Kuhn to finally make an impact in 2015.

Kuhn, who was born and raised in Germany, came into the league as a 26-year-old rookie out of North Carolina State. He had all the necessary physical attributes for an NFL defensive lineman, including size (6'4", 299 lbs), quick feet and tireless effort.

However, coming out of college, Kuhn was a terribly raw talent. He only started one season at N.C. State, so he was labeled a project as a draft prospect.

His NFL.com scouting report read like this:

"

Kuhn is a big interior defensive lineman who only started for one year at North Carolina State. He showed good effort in that year in all areas of his play, is good to run down plays from the backside and will be a force working from within. He struggles against double teams and doesn't play very instinctively yet, but he is a developmental project and has late-round value to a team that can afford to wait on his development.

"

Coming off their second Super Bowl in five seasons, the Giants were considered a team that could "afford to wait on his development" at the time and decided to draft Kuhn with the 239th pick in the 2012 NFL draft. As we now know, that's when the epic collapse began.

In the three seasons since Kuhn was drafted, the Giants have posted an overall record of 22-26 and have not qualified for the playoffs once.

Although Kuhn showed some early promise with four deflected passes through the first 10 games of his rookie season, his campaign was cut short by a terribly timed ACL injury. His rehabilitation bled into the following season, and he only appeared in five games down the stretch.

Games	Tackles	Sacks	Misc.
10	8	0	4 Pass Def.
5	1	0	--
14	19	1.0	1 Fum. Rec. TD

Kuhn couldn't have been dealt a worse hand, but his focus never wavered.

"Just get out there and perform every day, show the coaches and show myself what I can do," Kuhn said last summer, via Zach Braziller of the New York Post. "Be a great part of this team. Right now, I think we have an opportunity to do well at our position and it’s up to everybody to step up and show we’re a great defensive line unit."

The developing defensive tackle persevered and played in 14 games last season. He started to come along late in the year, too.

In Week 14 versus the Tennessee Titans, Kuhn recovered a fumble and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown—the NFL's first by a German. Then, in the season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, he recorded his first career sack.

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

While his steady progress to date is encouraging, it's time for Kuhn to step on the gas. He's going into a contract year, and he's already 29 years old.

In other words, Kuhn's NFL career is in danger of coming to a close before it ever gets going.

So far, Kuhn has responded well to the situation. He's up to 320 pounds and his body-fat percentage is the lowest it's been since joining the Giants, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Defensive line coach Robert Nunn was "very impressed" with him during early offseason workouts.

Nunn said the following, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post:

"

He’s got to continue to do what he’s doing. He's given us some quality reps last year. I've been very impressed with him during the OTAs. The thing he’s got to do is produce when he gets in pads. The same with Jay [Bromley] and Kenrick [Ellis], that group right there. We've got to have somebody to come through when we get in pads. When the live bullets start being fired, production is going to tell us a lot about who’s going to be playing and how the rotation is going to work.

[Kuhn] needs to increase his production. But he’s a steady hand, a very good leader in the classroom. This year will be a big year in front of him.

"

Kuhn can earn a starting job with the Giants this year. Johnathan Hankins is the only lock New York has at defensive tackle.

Cullen Jenkins, who started 11 games at tackle last year, is aging and may be needed at end with Jason Pierre-Paul's future uncertain. Mike Patterson, who started eight games, is no longer with the team.

Kuhn's biggest competition will come from Jay Bromley and Kenrick Ellis.

Bromley was a third-round pick who barely played as a rookie last year, and Ellis is a former New York Jets reserve who was signed in free agency this offseason. Neither player has a significant advantage—if any—over Kuhn for the starting job next to Hankins.

The only thing that may dissuade the Giants from starting Kuhn and Hankins together is their similar strength—stopping the run. Fielding a more refined pass-rusher next to Hankins would be more dynamic, and that's where a player like Bromley, for example, would come in handy.

Last season, however, Hankins proved his pass-rushing ability with 7.0 sacks—the second-highest total on the team. If Kuhn can anchor the defense like a nose tackle, Hankins can let loose as a 3-technique.

Besides, after finishing last in the league in terms of yards per carry allowed (4.9) in 2014, the Giants could use two big bodies in the middle.

With opportunity calling and so much at stake, Kuhn has everything to prove in Giants training camp.

Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants at Bleacher Report.