The New York Giants are getting the most out of some players who were considered draft busts before the 2022 season began. We are seeing what quality coaching can do for individual performers like Dexter Lawrence, Daniel Jones, or even Saquon Barkley.
However, there is one underrated player on the Giants that has made a tremendous impact early in the season, especially with a defense battling injuries in the trenches.
The value of Oshane Ximines:
Oshane Ximines, formally drafted out of Old Dominion back in 2019, hadn’t left a significant mark for the Giants as a third-round selection. His metrics were rather disappointing over the first three seasons of his career, but he has resurrected himself in 2022 under the leadership of Wink Martindale and Andre Patterson, the Giants’ coordinator new defensive line coach.
Ximines was considered a fringe roster candidate before this season began, so to see him make such a big impact across six games is certainly exciting.
“I knew I was going to work my tail off coming into camp just to get a spot on the team,” he said. “I really didn’t wonder about playing time and other things. I just tried to come in and maximize every day I had, every opportunity that I had. That’s been working for me. I’m just trying to stick to that and not worry about the other things I can’t control.”
The New York Giants are winning games thanks to the elevation of players:
The Giants currently sit 5-1 on the season, and Ximines has played a big role in some of those games. Across 189 total snaps, he’s tallied 10 total pressures, two sacks, four quarterback hits, four hurries, six tackles, and six stops. He’s also contributed one forced fumble, which came against the Green Bay Packers in Week 5.
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Seeing what the coaching staff has done for guys like Oshane gives some perspective into why the team has defeated all odds. In fact, they are one win away from tying their win total since the 2016 season. The Giants won six games back in 2020 in Joe Judge’s his first year as head coach, but Big Blue is already preparing to reach that feat in just seven games of a 17-game season.
There is hope that second-year pass rusher Azeez Ojulari will return for the Giants in Week 7 against Jacksonville, which would push Ximines into a reserve role. However, he’s made an impact when called upon, which is exactly what you want from a rotational guy.