Early Look at 3 Undrafted Free Agents Who Could Make the New York Giants Roster

Everyone tends to like a good dark-horse story, a tale of a football player who initially appeared to be camp fodder but ends up making the 53-man roster after putting forth a solid effort.

Every year, the New York Giants are on the lookout for a player or two who falls into that category.

Why? Besides being needed talents for the roster, the undrafted free agents tend to carry a lifelong chip on their shoulder that helps raise their level of play.

Who has a good chance of being the next Victor Cruz at some point for this team? It’s still early in the process, and judging off the one rookie minicamp practice that the media was given access to, it’s far too soon to write any of these guys’ names down in ink.

However, there were a few prospects who drew some attention based on their showing in that first minicamp practice.

Before getting to a list of three who really stood out and discussing why they might have a chance of being more than just camp fodder, it’s important to preface the player observations by saying that the practice was held in shorts and shells with no contact involved.

Any and all observations gleaned were from drill work and from a limited amount of seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 snaps that, again, were minus the contact. 

Here’s a look at three names to watch moving forward as potential surprises to make the 53-man roster.

QB Josh Woodrum, 6’3”, 231 lbs, Liberty

The Giants historically don’t like to carry more than two quarterbacks on their roster. This year could be an exception if the injury situation at other spots permits it.

Why a quarterback? Two reasons.

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First, when head coach Ben McAdoo was in Green Bay, it wasn’t uncommon for the Packers to keep an extra quarterback around as a developmental project—after all, you never know when your starter is one hit away from being knocked out for the season.

Second, Giants backup quarterback Ryan Nassib is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

If he desires to one day be a starter—and while he hasn’t said as much, it wouldn’t be surprising if that is indeed his goal—the Giants might have a tough time convincing him to re-sign with them next year.

Enter Josh Woodrum. Of all the quarterbacks in the rookie minicamp, he looked to be the most polished with both the deep ball and the short and intermediate stuff, and he had a solid command of the huddle.

If Woodrum—who received $20,000 of his 2016 base salary guaranteed, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle—does stick around, he’ll be able to get a jump-start on learning the offense. That way, by the time Nassib moves on (assuming he does), the transition in backup quarterbacks should be smooth.

DE Ishaq Williams, 6’4”, 253 lbs, Notre Dame

On paper, the Giants might be set at defensive end with starters Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon.

That duo sure does look and sound good right now, but it’s the unproven depth behind those two that makes the Giants' decision to pass on drafting a defensive lineman almost as curious as their decision to not draft an offensive lineman. 

Mel Evans/Associated Press

The biggest question for the Giants is Pierre-Paul. He had another surgery earlier this year on his permanently damaged right hand to improve his grip and get him to the point where he might be able to play with a custom-tailored glove rather than the prohibitive club he was forced to wear last year.

There is optimism that this latest surgery did the trick and that Pierre-Paul will be fine moving forward—he even made it a point to flex his hand into a fist several times when he spoke to reporters during April’s voluntary minicamp.

So let’s say that everything does go according to plan and Pierre-Paul delivers on his goal of having a big season. Remember, he is only signed through this year, so would he continue to show loyalty to the Giants if they were to come in under his market value?

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

That’s something they won’t have to find out about until next year; in the meantime, let’s get back to the depth issue behind Pierre-Paul and Vernon.

There is Owa Odighizuwa, their third-round draft pick last year who lost his entire rookie season to injuries. Odighizuwa has been hard at work in the offseason and is looking to take that next step forward, but until he actually does it, nothing is set in stone.

Ditto for prospects such as Brad Bars and Stansly Maponga, both of whom are unknown at this level.

Kerry Wynn? He seemed to regress last year against the run (a strength as a rookie) while also struggling to show improved productivity in the pass rush.

Per Pro Football Focus, Wynn finished 2015 with a 7.2 run-stop percentage. That’s a notable drop-off from the 8.8 run-stop percentage he posted as a rookie the year before.

His pass-rush productivity also decreased from his rookie season, dropping from 4.4 in 2014 to 3.3 last year.

The bottom line is there’s a real need for additional depth at defensive end, preferably in the form of a pass-rusher who can play the run.

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

Enter Ishaq Williams, a local kid from Brooklyn, New York, who began the Giants’ rookie minicamp as a tryout. He impressed the coaches enough to earn a contract, the news of which he was only too happy to share via Twitter, after just the first day.

Williams, who missed the last two seasons due in part to an academic fraud case, accumulated 45 tackles (six for a loss), one sack and one forced fumble in three years for the Fighting Irish, per his college profile.

During the Giants' minicamp practice, there were a few things to like about the Brooklyn native. For starters, he moved smoothly during agility drills. In a drill where defensive linemen hit the ground and then pop up to make a “play,” Williams moved as though he had springs in his body.

During the seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, Williams demonstrated a quick first step off the snap and good instincts in identifying screens and snuffing them out. 

Williams isn’t a polished product—his pad level would rise at times, which will almost always translate into lost leverage—but he appears to have a solid set of skills that the coaching staff likes.

WR Darius Powe, 6’3”, 220 lbs, California

In his post-draft comments, Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross told reporters that a team always desires a receiver with size and length.

Well, of the four receivers who are pretty much locks to be on the 53-man roster—Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, Sterling Shepard and Dwayne Harris—none is listed taller than 6’0” (Cruz).

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

If Cal’s Darius Powe—who played his college ball with Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall draft pick—continues to perform as he did during that first practice, he could be among the first of the taller receivers vying for a roster spot in a group that includes Geremy Davis (6'2") and Anthony Dable (6'5").

During receiver drills, Powe was fluid and showed he had soft hands. He was also not afraid to go for the ball at its highest point and demonstrated a quick first step off the snap.

While not as crisp in his route running as one might like—and there is also some question as to whether he can handle the entire route tree—Powe, who had a predraft workout with the Saints, per Wilson, improved in each year of his collegiate career.  

As a senior, Powe recorded 47 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns—all career highs, according to his statistical profile. He started 21 of 46 games played, recording 104 receptions for 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns.   

If you’re wondering if there will be a place for Powe, who will compete with Myles White, Ben Edwards, Davis and Dable, just to name a few, the answer is yes.

In looking ahead, if Cruz is successful in returning to the field but ends up having a pedestrian type of year, there’s a good chance that he won’t be back next year, not with a $9.4 million cap figure for 2017, per Over The Cap.

Even if Powe doesn’t make the 53-man roster, to have him and perhaps Dable on the practice squad would give quarterback Eli Manning some much-needed depth that fits the Giants’ ideal criteria for receivers.

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.