Training camp kicks off next week for the New York Giants and the rest of the NFL, paving the way for positional battles and summer excitement. The Giants’ roster is hardly set in stone. Training camp should allow the coaching staff to get a better idea of how the team will be constructed by the time the regular season rolls around.
The Giants have a few young players who will be competing for roster spots and even starting jobs this summer. Of course, big-name draft picks like WR Malik Nabers and S Tyler Nubin will grab attention as projected immediate-impact players. But which under-the-radar youngsters could raise their stock this summer at training camp?
Could this Giants rookie running back steal the starting job?
The Giants’ revamped backfield is projected to be headlined by newly-signed veteran RB Devin Singletary. However, behind him is a pair of young running backs. Second-year rusher Eric Gray and fifth-round rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. are competing to be the next man up.
The buzz surrounding Tracy as camp nears has begun to intensify. He brings a unique skill set to the table as a former wide receiver-converted running and demonstrated elite tackle-breaking ability in college. Tracy forced 46 missed tackles in 2023, his first full season playing as a running back, despite getting only 132 touches.
If Tracy can string together a summer of solid practices, he could push for increased playing time as a rookie. He will be one of the most exciting late-round rookies to keep watch over during training camp.
This second-year wideout has unlimited potential
The Giants’ wide receiver corps is now loaded with talent after investing premium draft capital at the position over the last two years. Last offseason, the Giants traded up to select WR Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the NFL Draft. This year, they spent the No. 6 overall pick in the draft on LSU WR Malik Nabers.
Nabers and Hyatt, join veterans Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson to form a deeply talented room of wideouts. But behind the four playmakers are a few other intriguing talents who will be fighting for a spot on the roster — including second-year wideout Bryce Ford-Wheaton.
Ford-Wheaton is a freak athlete, playing inside of a 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and boasting a 4.38s 40-yard dash time and a perfect 10.0 relative athletic score (RAS). The West Virginia product flashed his potential as an undrafted rookie during last summer’s training camp but ultimately had his rookie season cut prematurely due to a torn ACL.
This summer, Ford-Wheaton will be back on the practice field, looking to make up for lost time. At his size and with his athletic profile, the 24-year-old has unlimited potential and could fight his way onto the roster with another solid summer of standout practice performances.
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A make-or-break third season for this offensive lineman?
The Giants’ offensive line has been the bane of the team’s existence for the last several years. Things went from bad to worse in 2023 as the unit surrendered a league-high 85 sacks on the season. General manager Joe Schoen made moves in free agency to improve the unit, signing veterans Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor.
Third-year right tackle Evan Neal has pressure on his shoulders to perform this season after a disastrous first two seasons to begin his NFL career. However, the 2022 seventh-overall draft pick is not the only young offensive lineman with something to prove in 2024. Fellow third-year offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu could also be entering a make-or-break season.
Ezeudu has gotten his fair share of playing time during the first two seasons of his career due to starters ahead of him sustaining injuries. He was on the field for 290 snaps at left guard as a rookie, then spent his 266 snaps last season aligned as the team’s left tackle. Unfortunately, the 2022 third-round pick has struggled to perform well when he’s seen the field and has dealt with a string of injuries to open his career.
Ezeudu needs to start performing at a higher level and needs to stay healthy if he wants to prove to the Giants’ coaching staff that he is worth keeping around to develop into a long-term starter. This season could be crucial for Ezeudu. The coaching staff had him training at right tackle during the spring practices to add another skill to his repertoire and give themselves insurance just in case Neal continues to struggle.
If Ezeudu sees the field at any point this season, he will need to prove he is a player capable of performing at the NFL level. As a former third-round pick, the Giants had hopes of Ezeudu developing into a starter in his career. So far, that development has not panned out, but there is still time for the youngster to prove he belongs this season.
