Setting Realistic Expectations for Each New York Giants Rookie Draft Pick

With the New York Giants facing an increased sense of urgency for the coming season, head coach Tom Coughlin is going to need every single player on the roster to contribute.

Yes, that includes the rookies who make the 53-man roster coming out of camp. While historically Coughlin has appeared squeamish about throwing rookies out there on the field right out of the gate, he might not have much of a choice if he wants to put an end to the Giants’ three-year slide without a playoff berth.

This slideshow looks at the rookie draft class, all of whom should make the 53-man roster barring any long-term or season-ending injuries, and sets a list of achievable expectations for each for the coming season.

OT Ereck Flowers

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Where He Fits In

Regardless of whether left tackle Will Beatty had been injured or not, Ereck Flowers, the team’s first-round draft pick, was penciled in as one of the starting five offensive linemen.

The problem for the Giants is that they had hoped to ease Flowers into the NFL at right tackle, where he could better become acclimated to the speed of the game and not necessarily have to line up across from the defense’s best pass-rusher.

Flowers mostly worked at the left tackle spot, taking additional reps with both the starting and second-string unit. There has been a heightened sense of urgency to get him ready for when things start to heat up.

What to Expect

The problem with spring practices is that it’s impossible to gauge how much progress an offensive lineman makes until the pads go on. However, some things can be recognized, specifically footwork.

In Flowers’ case, one of the negatives that Lance Zierlein of NFL.com noted about the former Miami (Florida) offensive lineman was his inconsistent footwork, something that is going to need to be pristine if he’s to remain at left tackle—otherwise he becomes a liability to his quarterback.

So the question is whether Flowers, who seems committed to learning and is a quick study, will stay at left tackle throughout the summer.

Interestingly, the coaches did work Justin Pugh, formerly the starting right tackle, at the left tackle spot during the latter part of minicamp. This isn’t necessarily an indication of Flowers struggling to adapt; rather, it would seem the concern lies with Marshall Newhouse at right tackle.

While it’s not the most ideal setup, it might make more sense for the coaches to move Pugh to left tackle—he did play it in college—and stick with the plan to ease Flowers in at right tackle.

That would leave the left guard open for an athletic offensive lineman who is able to run and pull as well as work in tandem with center Weston Richburg on combo blocks.

S Landon Collins

Steven Ryan-USA TODAY Sports

Where He Fits In

The Giants safety position underwent a massive turnover in personnel, as the team didn't re-sign veterans Antrel Rolle, Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps.

Instead, New York plans to field a defensive backfield that pays homage to the youth movement. That unit will include 21-year-old second-round draft pick Landon Collins in one of the starting roles and either 23-year-old Nat Berhe or 25-year-old Cooper Taylor in the other.

What to Expect

Collins is pretty much a lock to be in the starting lineup by opening day, barring injury, of course.

However, if you’re looking for him to settle in as either a box safety or as a center fielder, that probably won’t happen for a while yet, according to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

In the meantime, look for Collins to make his biggest statistical impact against the run, where it would not be shocking for him to finish the 2015 season in the top three on the team in tackles.

DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Where He Fits In

Owamagbe Odighizuwa, the Giants’ third-round draft pick, will complete a defensive end unit that is likely to have an unusually high six players as part of the depth chart.

One of those defensive ends is probably not going to get a game-day uniform unless there is an injury that necessitates an extra defensive end be active.

Will Odighizuwa be the odd man out? Coincidentally, the last three seasons have seen the team’s third-round pick not receive more than 500 snaps as a rookie. 

Last year, it was defensive tackle Jay Bromley seeing limited action—just 153 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

In 2013, defensive end Damontre Moore only saw 136 snaps as part of the defensive alignments, and in 2012, cornerback Jayron Hosley was limited to 465 snaps. 

Whether Odighizuwa follows this pattern remains to be seen; certainly his limited availability this spring due to knee soreness couldn’t have helped him in getting acclimated to the new defense New York is installing, but that doesn’t mean that with study and hard work the rookie can’t catch up.

What to Expect

Odighizuwa will get his opportunities to rush the passer, but those probably won’t come until at least the mid-part of the season, assuming there are no injuries.

Currently, Moore and George Selvie would be ahead of Odighizuwa as a potential pass-rusher on the outside (New York will probably use Robert Ayers inside as a pass-rusher).

Kerry Wynn, meanwhile, showed last year that he can hold up against the run—if he has shown progress as a pass-rusher, he could see his game snaps increased. 

When it’s all over, Odighizuwa will likely have more snaps than Bromley did in his rookie season, but it would be surprising if he exceeds 500 snaps on defense.  

S Mykkele Thompson

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Where He Fits In

The feedback from Giants safeties coach Dave Merritt about fifth-round draft pick Mykkele Thompson was reassuring.  

“He came here and he is a cerebral kid, that is for sure. He is going to take what I say literally and take my word for it and go out and try to execute it,” Merritt told reporters during the minicamp.

“I am starting to see that the kid actually has some football awareness, where I didn’t think he had much of it when we first started off. The [missed alignments] that started at the beginning of rookie minicamp and OTAs have drastically gone down. Mentally, he has excelled past my expectations.”

Yes, talk is cheap, and yes, the players didn’t work in pads this spring. But half of making an impact in football is having a good grasp of the mental part of the game.

That Thompson—who mostly worked as the deep cover safety during the spring until a hamstring strain popped up at the end of the minicamp—was able to close in on receivers, make the calls with the second-string defense and break up passes bodes well for his chances of finding a spot on the 53-man roster.  

What to Expect

Unless there is an injury, Thompson is not going to be a starter this year. However, he has shown potential as a third safety should the Giants wish to use the old three-safety package.

He will also probably become a staple on special teams and might even get some random looks at the slot cornerback spot.

That kind of versatility is something that a team shouldn’t readily discard when filling out its 53-man roster.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo hasn’t been afraid to use inexperienced players at safety in the past—Michael Johnson, a seventh-round draft pick in 2007, became a starter at free safety for the Giants’ 2008 defense.

That unit finished sixth overall and eighth in pass defense. 

Thompson, the 2015 draft pick that no one saw coming, might just emerge as the contributor whom no one saw coming as a deep cover safety, where he should be good for a pick or two in that role. 

WR Geremy Davis

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Where He Fits In

The Giants will enter training camp loaded at receiver—their roster page lists 12 players at this position.

Of those, New York is likely to keep no more than six, and that’s with veteran Victor Cruz, who is still rehabbing from a torn patellar tendon and hopes to be ready for Week 1.

So who are the projected six players? Cruz, Odell Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle and Dwayne Harris should all be locks, while the final two spots are projected to go to Corey Washington and sixth-round pick Geremy Davis.

What to Expect

The Giants have an interesting dilemma in that they only have so many passes to spread around to the various receiving targets.

Those who are likely to see more than their fair share of the passes include Beckham, Randle, running back Shane Vereen and tight end Larry Donnell, with Cruz and Harris also likely to be targeted a few times per game.

Receivers like Davis, who caught 165 passes for 2,292 yards and seven touchdowns for UConn, probably won’t see the ball all that much when the Giants insert them into the game on offense.

Instead, special teams is where the very physical play of the 6’2”, 217-pound Davis is likely to make the most impact. 

OL Bobby Hart

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Where He Fits In

According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, former Florida State offensive tackle Bobby Hart’s best position in the NFL is at guard, the spot where Hart took snaps for the Giants this spring.

Such a conversion rarely happens overnight, as Hart will probably need to work on his technique, his footwork and his pad level—the latter being too high at times—as he makes that transition inside.

Once Hart becomes fully acclimated to playing guard, his versatility—he will be able to be a swingman at guard and tackle—should allow the Giants to move on from John Jerry, who currently holds that swingman role at guard and tackle.

What to Expect

Because Jerry already fills that guard/tackle swingman role, there is a very good chance that Hart won’t see many, if any, snaps with the starting offense unless there is a wide-scale injury epidemic that affects the offensive line. 

Depending on the overall health of the team, the Giants will keep at least eight offensive linemen—Will Beatty won’t count toward that allotment if the Giants move him to the physically unable to perform list at the start of the season.

If they go with eight, Hart should end up with a spot on the roster. As for what role he might play on those days when he gets a uniform, the most logical starting spot would be as a jumbo tight end on short-yardage and goal-line situations, a role that would be a nice way for the youngster to gain experience.

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes, observations and information were obtained firsthand. Follow me on Twitter.