The New York Giants’ draft class has been widely praised after they added talent that should immediately contribute on both sides of the ball. But the Giants’ undrafted rookie class has not received as much of the spotlight, mainly due to the lack of top free-agent talents brought in. However, Pro Football Focus has identified one undrafted rookie wideout that the Giants signed who might be worth keeping an eye on.
PFF says to keep an eye on Giants’ UDFA rookie WR Ayir Asante
In a recent article highlighting one undrafted rookie to watch for each NFL team, PFF’s Thomas Valentine identified Wyoming wide receiver Ayir Asante as the player to keep an eye on for the Giants:
“Asante transferred to Wyoming and made the most of his limited options in 2023,” PFF’s Valentine wrote. “The former Holy Cross receiver caught just 21 of his 40 targets but converted six of those catches into touchdowns and averaged 16.9 yards per reception. Asante’s 67.8 grade in 2023 was solid, and his dynamism presents an interesting chess piece for the Giants offense.”
The Giants kicked off their rookie minicamp on Friday. All eyes will be on another rookie wideout, first-round pick Malik Nabers, but Asante could fly under the radar and generate some buzz.
Could Asante make the Giants’ roster?
Asante is a 6-foot, 178-pound receiver who played a fifth year at the University of Wyoming in 2023 after playing in 40 games for Holy Cross from 2019 to 2022. He totaled 1,718 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns at Holy Cross before graduating and playing for Wyoming.
At Wyoming, Asante hauled in 21 receptions for 372 yards and six receiving touchdowns, while also adding one rushing touchdown as well. He was a solid playmaker in his lone season with the Cowboys, having a nose for the end zone.
Making the Giants’ roster will be a challenge for Asante, though, as they have a pretty crowded wide receiver room already. The team recently brought in veteran wide receiver and former Pro Bowl talent Allen Robinson, adding more competition for a roster spot. But stranger things have happened and the Giants have hit on undrafted gems before, like Super Bowl champion Victor Cruz. It’s never fair to rule out any UDFA rookie, including Asante.