Training camp for the New York Giants will be used to iron out multiple positions that don’t have an established player present. Most of the position battles will occur in secondary/reserve spots, like at CB2 and WR4.
With DeAndre Baker being placed in the Commissioner’s Exempt list and Sam Beal opting out of the 2020 season, the Giants brought in Ross Cockrell to compete for a starting spot. However, that shouldn’t take away from their youth options in Julian Love, Darnay Holmes, Chris Williamson, and more.
The final wide receiver spot on the roster is expected to go to Corey Coleman, who suffered an ACL tear during last year’s training camp. Coming off another significant injury, the Giants have added plenty of UDFA players to compete alongside Coleman. Ultimately, the final wide receiver spot also has to contribute on special teams, which makes kick returning an influential part of the pending position battle.
Here are four undrafted free agents the New York Giants will look to at WR4:
1.) Binjimen Victor
Victor started for the first time during his senior year in 2019. At 6-foot-4 and 198 pounds, he’s a bit undersized to be a power receiver, but he can utilize his lanky frame and wingspan to act as a security bank blanket on intermediate routes.
Having posted 573 yards and six touchdowns of the 12 games last year, Victor brings over decent production. While I don’t expect him to become a significant player on the Giants in year one, he could act as a solid back and option to supplement injuries. Surprisingly, he has great post-catch abilities and can make defenders miss in the open field.
2.) Austin Mack
Austin Mack, who stands at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, is a decent route runner as a boundary option. He has solid strength and balance in his routes, but he only tallied 361 yards and three scores last season. Having experience at a Big 10 school is a positive factor, but a foot injury derailed his campaign last season, which indicates there could be more value behind the scenes.
If given a more extensive opportunity, Mack could prove to be a solid option for the Giants at WR4. He is pretty balanced across-the-board in terms of the skills.
While he is a technical route runner, he fails to create ample separation against man coverage. That will be the point where he focuses on with the Giants.
3.) Derrick Dillon
Derrick Dillon is an exciting young player out of LSU. As an undrafted free agent, you would think there is something wrong with his style of play. At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, he is purely a speed receiver. Considering how talented the Tigers were in 2019, Dillon was simply buried on the depth chart. However, he has fantastic speed, running a 4.29 40-yard dash at LSU’s Pro Day.
He could be a valuable kick returner, increasing his influence in the NFL. His quickness and agility at the forefront of his abilities, and his background playing special teams only gives him an advantage in his quest to earn a roster spot with the New York Giants.
4.) Cody White
The Giants signed UDFA Cody White of Michigan State on Saturday. White posted 922 yards and six touchdowns over 13 games last season. He was originally signed by the Chiefs as a UDFA, and with three players opting out for the Giants, and opened up a roster spot for him.
At 6-foot-3 and 217 pounds, White plays more of a possession receiver role than a speedy and elusive one. His 4.66 40 yard dash was not impressive, and his athleticism does not open any eyes. However, he is a solid route runner with smooth brakes, he just lacks the agility and quickness to be an elite threat at the NFL level.
Nonetheless, his 12 career touchdowns over 26 starts is a solid number, and something the Giants undoubtedly looked at when they decided to bring him in for training camp.