New York Giants’ Matt Peart might end up the steal of the draft

New York Giants, Matt Peart
New York Giants, Matt Peart

If the New York Giants have done anything right this off-season, it is that they’ve brought in multiple players to compete for positions. Going into the preseason with cemented players can sometimes be a negative thing, especially oppositions with a void. When Nate Solder opted out of the 2020 season, the offensive line got a little more interesting in terms of development and progression.

When the Giants drafted Matt Peart in the third round of the NFL draft, nobody expected him to be competing for a starting job right away. It was known that he needed a bit of refinement and more muscle mass to aid in his development.

However, this off-season, Peart put on 9-pounds of solid muscle mass. He physically looks more built and has the strength to hold his ground against NFL level pass rushers. Of course, there’s plenty of more work to be done in the fundamentals and technique categories, but having the size is undoubtedly part of the equation.

Peart has a long road ahead to crack the New York Giants’ starting team:

Peart will compete with Cameron Fleming, Andrew Thomas, and Nick Gates for a starting tackle spot, which puts him at the back of a long line.

Nonetheless, he finished in the 90th percentile of all tackles during the 2020 NFL combine. He had the longest reach at 36 5/8 inches and stands at 6-foot-6.

In his senior year in 2019, he allowed just two sacks, one quarterback hit, and four quarterback hurries over 415 pass-blocking snaps. He’s never missed a game due to injury and simply has elite athleticism, which promotes his upside in the NFL.

I believe the Giants will take a more monitored approach with Peart, who still needs time to gain his sea-legs in the NFL. Nonetheless, he has plenty of potential and giving him some starting reps later in the 2020 season might benefit him.

Specifically, the Giants have a game against the Cincinnati Bengals that would match up well for him and his first action. The first nine games of the season and more are littered with elite talent and pass rushers. Andrew Thomas will certainly have his hands full to start his young career. Nonetheless, Peart should be eased into action and given a more simple match up to test his development.