The New York Giants‘ receiving corps has been completely rebuilt in the 2019 NFL offseason. The Giants traded away their best wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., then replaced him with Golden Tate. They also extended Sterling Shepard, solidifying Shep and Tate as their primary receivers.
With those two receiver positions solidified, the Giants need to figure out their third receiver position. They have a plethora of options to choose from, including Corey Coleman, Darius Slayton, and Cody Latimer.
Coleman was picked up midseason by the Giants in 2018. He is young and unproven but has a ton of untapped potential. Slayton was selected by Big Blue in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has looked solid in camp so far, but might not be ready for a starting position.
The Giants’ third option, Cody Latimer, was with the team all of 2018. He dealt with some injuries but flashed potential when he was on the field.
Cody Latimer Stats And Highlights
Cody Latimer played in 6 games for the New York Giants in 2018. Cody dealt with injuries that kept his playing time extremely limited. Latimer suffered a hamstring injury on Thursday Night Football against the Eagles in week 6, placing him on injured reserve. However, Latimer flashed his abilities as a deep threat playmaker when he was on the field.
Latimer was targeted 16 times in 2018. He hauled in 11 of those receptions for an impressive 17.3 yards per reception. This high yards per reception number demonstrates Cody Latimer’s big play ability.
Cody Latimer had 190 yards on those 11 receptions. He also added 1 touchdown. This touchdown was an impressive one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone versus the Dallas Cowboys. Check it out:
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1079457472228675584
This was one of several acrobatic catches that Latimer made in 2018. That catch came in week 17, ending the season on a major high note for Latimer. According to Pro Football Focus, his 93.9 overall grade against Dallas in Week 17 was the 3rd highest overall single-game grade for any WR in the 2018 regular season (min 15 snaps).
In that game, Cody totaled a season-high 72 yards. He was targeted 6 times and recorded 4 receptions, plus that incredible touchdown catch. This is what lead to his high PFF grade. Here is another one of Cody’s previously mentioned acrobatic catches:
Cody Latimer, what a catch ?https://t.co/vbdbFRPqE4
— LeadingNFL (@LeadingNFL) December 30, 2018
Cody Latimer has also had a solid spring and summer. He has performed well in OTA’s and is looking to get in a strong position battle during training camp. Here is a clip of Cody Latimer and rookie quarterback Daniel Jones connecting on a touchdown during practice:
https://twitter.com/PirateLifeFF/status/1136009655682027526
Injuries are a major concern with Cody Latimer. However, Latimer has shown enough potential and a strong enough understanding of the Giants’ offense to be the front-runner for the third wide receiver position. If Cody Latimer can stay on the field for 16 games, he could be the playmaking outside wide receiver that the New York Giants need.