Assessing Every New York Giants UDFA's Chance of Making Final Roster
The New York Giants' recently completed rookie minicamp offered the media a first look at the draft picks as well as the undrafted free agents who will be competing for roster spots this summer.
The purpose of the camp was to introduce the organization and the basic football philosophies, with the coaches eagerly watching how well each player absorbed the endless amounts of information thrown at him in the classroom.
While the on-field workouts consisted of non-contact drills without pads or veterans, it was still a good first look for many of the undrafted hopefuls who aim to stick around for a while.
Let’s run down who has a chance to crack the 53-man roster, who could be headed to the practice squad and who has an uphill battle to climb with this early look from the recently concluded rookie minicamp.
RB Kenneth Harper
1 of 10
RB Kenneth Harper, 5’10”, 233 pounds, Temple
Kenneth Harper originally came in as a tryout candidate. He impressed the coaches just enough to earn an invitation to training camp this summer.
During his career at Temple, Harper rushed 269 times for 1,113 yards (4.1 average), racking up just two 100-yard rushing performances and 17 rushing touchdowns.
As a receiver, he caught 66 passes for 528 yards and four touchdowns.
Harper wasn’t much of a special teams contributor as far as being a return specialist, returning just one kickoff in his college career.
He is a stocky back at 233 pounds who looks like he is more of a downhill runner.
With the Giants already having downhill types in Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams, the odds might not favor Harper's chances.
TE Will Tye
2 of 10
TE Will Tye, 6'2", 262 pounds, Stony Brook
Tight end Will Tye is an interesting prospect who could surprise some people this summer.
Originally starting his college career at Florida State, Tye transferred to Stony Brook after not getting much of a chance to put his athleticism on display.
Per his Stony Brook college bio, he finished his Seawolves career with 79 passes for 1,015 yards and nine touchdowns in 23 games (18 as a starter).
According to Doug Kyed of New England Sports Network, Tye became such a handful to handle that he was double-teamed by the opponent once opposing defensive coordinators realized that he was a true threat in the passing game.
While Tye doesn't have the typical height the Giants look for in their tight ends, his jumping ability—he logged a 31 ½" vertical jump and a 9’4" broad jump during his pro day—contributed in part to him being a red-zone target.
A former team captain, Tye also returned punts for the Seawolves, finishing with 30 punts for 166 yards in his career. He's also versatile—per NFL Draft Scout, Tye can also play H-back and fullback.
There probably won’t be a roster spot for Tye this year, but don’t discount him as a potential practice-squad player who, if he doesn’t get snapped up by another team, could eventually compete for and win a roster spot as early as 2016.
OT Sean Donnelly
3 of 10
OT Sean Donnelly, 6’7”, 333 pounds, Tulane
There is little question that the Giants need to start developing some fresh, young talent at offensive tackle. To that end, Sean Donnelly of Tulane will be trying to be one of those young players who get that chance.
Donnelly, though, might have an uphill battle. During the 11-on-11 drills in rookie minicamp, he was beaten by third-round pick Owa Odighizuwa on more than one occasion.
Perhaps it was nerves, or maybe it was just a matter of Donnelly getting used to the speed of the game and the playbook.
Still, if he struggled that much against a fellow rookie, how is he going to do when he faces the next level of competition?
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
LB Cole Farrand
4 of 10
LB Cole Farrand, 6’2”, 229 pounds, Maryland
With the Giants having to eventually start planning for the future at middle linebacker, the team is taking a flier on former Maryland defensive star Cole Farrand.
According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Farrand lacks athleticism, something that was on display during the rookie minicamp.
The other thing he lacks is the size to potentially anchor against the run as an inside linebacker. Perhaps with some added bulk, Farrand could develop into a two-down middle linebacker.
Based on the initial eye test—and again this was in non-contact drills conducted in shorts and shells—Farrand has a ways to go before he’s NFL-ready.
WR Ben Edwards
5 of 10
WR Ben Edwards, 5'10", 197 pounds, Richmond
From the program that brought Giants fans defensive end Kerry Wynn last year and safety Cooper Taylor the year before, meet receiver Ben Edwards.
Edwards, a prolific college receiver, is a two-time First-Team All-CAA selection who, according to his college bio, etched his name in the Richmond Spiders’ annals in career receptions (208, second-most) career touchdowns (15, tied for sixth-most) and all-time receiving yards (2,202, sixth all-time).
A former high-school punter, Edwards isn’t big and appeared to have average foot speed at best.
He also comes with some injury concerns—per NFL Draft Scout, he missed “all or part” of six games in 2014, though he did manage to finish second in the NCAA in receptions with 74.
Regardless, the Giants are loaded at receiver with room for no more than six at best. Victor Cruz, Odell Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle and Dwayne Harris all figure to occupy four of those six spots.
Edwards, meanwhile, might have his best chance of sticking on the practice squad if he can run crisper routes at this level.
DT Carlif Taylor
6 of 10DT Carlif Taylor, 6'2", 319 pounds, Southern Connecticut State
Another position where the Giants will eventually have to restock some depth is at defensive tackle, particularly at the plugger spot.
Southern Connecticut State's Carlif Taylor hopes to draw some consideration in that regard.
A team captain, last year, Taylor finished with 73 tackles in 11 games, eight of which were for a loss, and one sack. He fared well in agility drills but doesn’t look to be quite as big as one might like for a plugger role.
In reviewing highlights from his college career, which you can see here (warning: lyrics are NSFW), Taylor didn’t really draw many double-team blocks. He also doesn’t seem to have a quick first step off the snap, though he did appear to shed solo blocks well.
Still, if Taylor’s future in the NFL is as a plugger, he’ll probably need to add some bulk.
If his future is as a penetrator, he might have a longer wait where the Giants are concerned, given they have young depth at that spot.
TE Matt LaCosse
7 of 10
TE Matt LaCosse, 6’5”, 261 pounds, Illinois
Most young players dream of racking up the stats.
While former Illinois tight Matt LaCosse hopes to get his share of the numbers if he makes it to the NFL, he also is one of a rare breed of offensive skill players who dream of laying a licking on a defensive end.
That mentality just might give him an edge in the tight end competition this summer. LaCosse, whom the Giants wanted so badly that, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, they gave him a $5,000 signing bonus and guaranteed $5,000 of his base salary this year, didn’t disappoint during the two rookie minicamp practices.
Per Inside Football’s rookie minicamp report:
"In the first practice, LaCosse lined up as the in-line blocker, where he showed decent technique in squaring up his man, sinking his hips and bursting forward to gain the leverage into his “block.”
LaCosse, who lined up wide and in the slot for the Giants, put his receiving skills on display on the second day of the minicamp, hauling in every catchable ball thrown his way, and wowing the coaches and his teammates by making a diving reception on a ball thrown by former Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova.
"
With more plays like the above, LaCosse could find himself on the 53-man roster, at either the expense of Daniel Fells or Adrien Robinson, both of whom are not locks to survive this summer.
S Justin Currie
8 of 10
S Justin Currie, 6’2”, 214 pounds, Western Michigan
What a difference a month makes.
After having paper-thin depth at the safety position, the Giants not only added veteran Josh Gordy via free agency and Landon Collins and Mykkele Thompson in the draft, but they also added undrafted free agent Justin Currie to the mix.
Let’s focus on Currie, who recorded five interceptions, but where he really excelled was in tackling, recording 300 tackles (184 solo) over his four-year college career.
Named to the 2015 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society thanks to his qualifying 3.55 GPA at Western Michigan where he majored in criminal justice, Currie is a smart player with a good understanding of angles and being patient.
He also showed good pursuit of ball-carriers and hustled on special teams, showing a taste for that part of the game.
With that all said, his best opportunity to stick is probably going to be as a practice-squad player this year while continuing to further refine his coverage skills.
RB Akeem Hunt
9 of 10
RB Akeem Hunt, 5’10”, 190 pounds, Purdue
Undrafted free agent rookie Akeem Hunt averaged 5.5 yards per carry in four years and 8.4 yards per reception as a receiver out of the backfield.
That kind of production is tantalizing, but what remains to be seen from Hunt is how well he can pass-protect.
Remember, head coach Tom Coughlin is not going to put a running back on the field unless he shows he can pass-block. Hunt didn’t show a lot of that during the rookie camp, but he will get his chance during the summer and preseason.
What Hunt did show is quick feet and little hesitation in hitting the hole. At times, he ran too upright, but overall his rookie camp as a running back was promising to warrant additional looks this summer. He will compete with Orleans Darkwa for that final spot in the running backs room.
DE Brad Harrah
10 of 10
DE Brad Harrah, 6’5”, 265 pounds, Cincinnati
Brad Harrah is an interesting prospect who possesses the type of size the Giants typically look for in their defensive ends.
Harrah, whom Mat Opper of SB Nation’s “Down the Drive” notes made a position switch as a senior moving from defensive end to defensive tackle, is too light to be a full-time NFL defensive tackle.
Whether that switch set him back in his quest to catch on somewhere at the next level remains to be seen, as does whether Harrah can hasten his first step once the ball is snapped.
Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand for this article unless otherwise sourced.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
