Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios for Each New York Giants Rookie
The New York Giants have added 16 rookies to the 2015 roster—six via the draft, 10 via undrafted free agency. There are specific expectations for this year's haul, as there are every year. Some members of the rookie class will exceed expectations; others will fall short.
If each player actualizes his own personal best-case scenario, the Giants could be a surprisingly difficult team to beat in 2015. On the other hand, if the class is laden with worst-case scenarios, New York could be one of the NFL's bottom-feeders yet again.
This slideshow will explore both possibilities for each of the draft picks and for the undrafted rookies as a whole.
OL Ereck Flowers
1 of 7
Best-Case Scenario
Flowers dominates from Day 1—at left tackle.
This scenario is unlikely with Will Beatty, who has been the Giants' full-time starter at left tackle since 2011, still in the fold. Yet at rookie minicamp, Flowers lined up exclusively at left tackle, according to Tom Rock of Newsday. It's the position he played in college, and it's probably his future position with the Giants.
If Beatty is sidelined for any reason, Flowers will be his likely replacement at left tackle. If Flowers impresses in an earlier-than-expected opportunity, there's little chance Beatty gets his job back.
Worst-Case Scenario
Flowers struggles through rookie growing pains at right tackle.
The more likely scenario has Flowers displacing Justin Pugh, who would move inside to guard, as the team's starting right tackle. Flowers could take time to develop into a reliable blocker, though. At 6'6" and 329 pounds, he's certainly big and athletic enough to hold his own on the edge, but there are concerns about his technique. Experienced defensive linemen will take advantage of even the slightest weaknesses in Flowers' game.
Athleticism will only get Flowers so far in the NFL, where everyone is a freak of nature. If he does not learn quickly and become a student of the game, it could be a long rookie year for the first-round pick.
S Landon Collins
2 of 7
Best-Case Scenario
Collins develops into a game-changing defensive back that opponents fear.
The Giants must have had the best-case scenario in mind when they traded up to the first pick in the second round to get Collins. There aren't many standout strong safeties left in today's NFL, but Collins could be the next Troy Polamalu. He displayed similar instincts and provided his team with a comparable impact while in college.
It's a foregone conclusion that Collins will play right away; the real question concerns his ceiling as a first-year starter. He probably won't build a Hall of Fame legacy during his rookie season, but Collins could solidify himself as a scary defender who must be mentioned in the opposition's game plan.
Worst-Case Scenario
Collins can't keep up with the speed of the NFL game and is beat deep repeatedly.
By now, Giants fans have heard all about Collins' ability to make plays in the box. He's a great playmaker when his target is in front of him, but there remains a concern about his ability to drop back into coverage. He's a big safety at 6'0", 228 pounds. A smaller, quicker pass-catcher could blow by him on his way to six points.
Collins will have fans cheering for his bone-crushing hits, but a few plays later, they could be cursing his bone-headed gaffes in coverage.
DE Owa Odighizuwa
3 of 7
Best-Case Scenario
Odighizuwa steals one of the starting defensive end jobs after a strong preseason.
Unlike the Giants' first two picks, Odighizuwa won't be gifted a starting role. He'll have to earn every rep he gets, but impressive play in training camp and the preseason could conceivably land him a job opposite Jason Pierre-Paul at defensive end. In order for this to occur, however, he'll need to outshine Damontre Moore, Robert Ayers and George Selvie.
It would require a seriously steep climb up the depth chart for Odighizuwa to find the starting lineup by Week 1, yet it shouldn't be completely ruled out. Maybe a more realistic scenario would involve him starting halfway through the season, when the rest of New York's D-ends are a little banged up.
Worst-Case Scenario
Odighizuwa's pass rush isn't refined enough for him to get on the field even in a situational role.
The easiest way for a reserve defensive end to find the field is as a pass-rush specialist. Unfortunately for Odighizuwa, his specialty is in run defense. If he doesn't display an ability to get after the quarterback, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will opt for a different set of fresh legs when opposing offenses are pinned back in 3rd-and-long situations.
If this ends up being the case, Odighizuwa would do a lot of standing around during his rookie season. That's not good for him or the team since the Giants need as many young contributors to chip in as possible.
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S Mykkele Thompson
4 of 7
Best-Case Scenario
Thompson emerges from a pack of fifth-rounders and wins the starting free safety role.
Three years in a row now, the Giants have selected a safety in the fifth round of the draft. Assuming Landon Collins snags one of the starting positions, Thompson's main competition will be Cooper Taylor (2013) and Nat Berhe (2014) for the role opposite him. Berhe is probably the favorite after starring on special teams last season, but Thompson could have a leg up on Taylor, whose 6'4", 228-pound frame is ill suited for a free safety.
Starting Collins and Thompson together wouldn't be a sudden realization for those within the Giants organization. Head coach Tom Coughlin talked about pairing the two up, per Nick Powell of NJ Advance Media, with Thompson manning the "centerfield position."
Worst-Case Scenario
Thompson shows exactly why he wasn't expecting a team to draft him.
The Giants selected Thompson in the fifth round, even though the defensive back didn't expect to be drafted, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ Advance Media. Thompson played both cornerback and safety reliably in college but stood out at neither position, intercepting just two passes through four seasons. Versatility is only valuable at the next level if you're outstanding at the positions you can play.
At 6'2" and only 191 pounds, Thompson's somewhat lanky build is cause for concern. He better be fast, because if his tackling is suspect, there's no way he's cut out for the NFL.
WR Geremy Davis
5 of 7
Best-Case Scenario
Davis becomes New York's special teams ace and a reliable No. 4 wide receiver.
The best way for a late-round draft pick to prove his future value to the team is to stand out on special teams, and Davis is already well on his way. Davis recently told Giants reporter John Schmeelk that he has long been compared to David Tyree, who made the Pro Bowl in 2005 as a special teamer before he became a household name for his infamous helmet catch.
At 6'2" and 216 pounds, Davis could also get into the mix on offense in four-wideout sets, so long as he's able to fend off another big-bodied receiver in Corey Washington, among others.
Worst-Case Scenario
Davis is too slow for the NFL game and sinks to the bottom of the depth chart.
The biggest knock on Davis coming out of college is his speed. NFL Media's Lance Zierlein wrote that Davis "simply falls well below the NFL standard for functional play speed at the wide receiver position" in his pre-draft scouting report. He could easily be overshadowed by New York's 11 other receivers currently on the roster.
There's no place for slowpokes on a team in search of playmakers. Even if Davis is solid on special teams, it wouldn't be wise to keep a receiver on the roster who's worthless on offense.
OL Bobby Hart
6 of 7
Best-Case Scenario
Hart holds a hurting offensive line together when he's called on to start late in the season.
OK, so this isn't the best-case scenario for the team because it would call for the O-line to be decimated with injuries, but it's probably the only way Hart finds the field as a rookie. If both starting guards go down and Hart's transition from tackle goes well, the seventh-round selection could be the Giants' last hope to keep the unit afloat. Perhaps he's hailed as a hero, if his efforts help save the team a spot in the playoffs.
It would be a long shot for Hart to rise that far in his first season, especially since he's playing a new position. Making the active roster might not be best-case, but it would still be a pretty solid scenario for Hart.
Worst-Case Scenario
Hart doesn't make it out of training camp and fails to make the practice squad.
Although Hart and Ereck Flowers were both starting tackles in the same collegiate conference last year (ACC), there are worlds between them in terms of athleticism. He might not have what it takes to make an NFL roster, and the Giants may find that out the hard way this summer.
If Hart's transition to guard is a complete flop, he might not even be a candidate to make the practice squad. It all depends on how much potential, if any, the Giants see in him during training camp and the preseason.
Undrafted Rookies
7 of 7
Best-Case Scenario
An undrafted rookie rises from the depths of the roster to play a major role.
It's an unlikely scenario, but one of the 10 undrafted free agents New York signed could beat the odds, make the team and end up contributing in a large capacity. Akeem Hunt and Kenneth Harper are both candidates to make some noise at running back, even though they're built in completely opposite fashions. Both backs are 5'10", but Harper (233 lbs) has 50 pounds on Hunt (183 lbs).
Tight end is another position in which the Giants could be looking to add some undrafted talent. They have two intriguing options to choose from in Matt LaCosse and Will Tye.
Worst-Case Scenario
No undrafted rookies make the final 53-man roster.
Few players are as lucky as Victor Cruz and Henry Hynoski, both of whom have carved out respectable NFL careers after joining the Giants as undrafted rookies. Those who do make the team rarely make a noticeable impact during their first season in the league; it can take a while to overcome the setback that is going unselected in the NFL draft.
Though not a back-breaking scenario, it'd be disappointing if this year's crop of undrafted rookies yielded no winners.
Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants at Bleacher Report.
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