Tag: 2024 nfl draft

New York Giants sign Darius Muasau to rookie contract

The New York Giants continued getting their 2024 NFL draft class under contract on Wednesday, signing sixth-round linebacker Darius Muasau to his rookie deal.

Muasau joins wide receiver Malik Nabers, running back Tyrone Tracy, and Andru Phillips as those who have signed.

The 6-foot, 225-pound Muasau joins the Giants as a depth linebacker and special teams player who embraces that role and prides himself on film study.

“One thing that I pride myself on is being the most instinctive and smartest player on the field every time I step on the field. I love to watch film. That’s what I do,” he said after the 2024 NFL draft.

“I spend most of my days in the film room and also on the field but mostly in the film room breaking down film, knowing tendencies, and little details of the offense and I feel that’s what I do best. That’s why I’m headed to New York, and I’m just ready to showcase my abilities there.”

With Muasau now under contract, the only remaining members of the rookie class without a deal are safety Tyler Nubin and tight end Theo Johnson.

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Theo Johnson believes he can be a ‘special player’ for New York Giants

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, got his first taste of East Rutherford earlier this week.

Johnson was among a horde attending the team’s annual rookie minicamp and the reality of his professional future finally set in.

“You know, you dream of playing for an NFL team, but actually having that ‘NY’ on your helmet, it’s a different feeling,” he told reporters.

As excited as Johnson is for the next phase of his career, he remains equally as confident. He believes he can adjust well to the NFL and develop into a “special” player for the Giants.

“It’s really exciting for me because I think I have a super high ceiling. I think I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I’m capable of. I’m really looking forward to proving every day that I’m out here,” he said. “I think I have tremendous room to improve. I think I can grow a lot more than where I’m at right now. I think that’s why I’m so excited.

“I’m coming in here with a learning mindset. I want to develop respect from my teammates and my coaches. I think that’s going to help me continue to grow and improve. But I’m super excited to get to work and get going here, because I think I have a potential to be a really special player here.”

How much of a role Johnson plays as a rookie will hinge on the future of veteran Darren Waller, who remains undecided about retirement two weeks after the draft.

Thus far, Johnson hasn’t heard a peep from Waller but would like to see him return to the tight ends room.

“At the end of the day, him being in the room is going to be good for everybody, so we’ll see how it shakes out,” Johnson said.

If Waller calls it a career, Johnson is ready to assume the additional responsibilities with an eye on doing “special” things within the offense.

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‘I’m here to play football’

The New York Giants entered the 2024 NFL draft seeking out players who could help them both build their roster and enhance their culture.

So when they selected Purdue’s soon-to-be 25-year-old everyman, running back/receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round, fans began to piece together the mindset.

“Some of these guys are older, too, relative to what people have been through the past few years, I would say, COVID and all those other things,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said after the draft.

“Some guys are a little bit older. He’s a former receiver. In terms of yards per carry, he’s been pretty good. He’s an athlete who has played receiver and then played running back and has some good production. We’ll throw him in the mix. Whether that’s in the kickoff return game or whether that’s at running back or the receiving part of it, we’ve got to do a good job of getting him in here and seeing where he’s at and then trying to fit him into the things that he can do well.”

Tracy was the first of the Giants’ six draft picks to sign his rookie deal, which was completed this week. He sloughed that off and revealed the real reason why he is here.

“I’m here to play football,” Tracy said. “I’m not really worried about the business side of it. If I do what I do on the football field, everything else will come.”

Tracy believes he could not have landed in a better place. The Giants are entering the post-Saquon Barkley era with a committee approach at running back. He feels he’s a good fit with his skill set.

“I think it’s a huge advantage,” he said regarding his versatility. “The league now is turning toward more of a passing league within the running back game. If you’re a running back in this NFL today, you have to be able to run the ball well and also catch the ball out of the backfield. So, it’s really good that I can do both and I have the receiver background.”

Tracy figures to help out on special teams, where he has extensive experience as a returner.

“It kind of added a little bit more value to me and really the rest of running backs because that’s something we can place in our bag and do on the field and add to our skillset,” Tracy said. “I was pretty happy, to say the least.”

All in all, the young man from Indianapolis is glad to be Giant.

“For me to actually be on an NFL team, be on a roster,” Tracy said, “it means more to me than people know.”

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Giants’ Darius Muasau says his ‘alter ego’ takes over on the field

The New York Giants selected UCLA linebacker Darius Muasau with their sixth and final pick in this year’s NFL draft (No. 183 overall) and are stoked about the energy and production he can bring to their defense and special teams.

“He’s a good football player,” Giants general manager Joe Schoen said after the draft. “He was actually with (Michael Ghobrial), our special teams coach, they crossed paths at Hawaii. 440 career tackles, hasn’t missed a game, smart, tough, dependable, instinctive. Our special teams coach, he’s coached him, has a vision for him on special teams.”

Muasau, speaking at the team’s rookie minicamp this weekend out at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, revealed that he has a split personality of sorts — one for public consumption and the other once he gets on the field.

Muasau talked about his previous encounter with Ghobrial at the University of Hawaii, where Muasau played before transferring to UCLA.

“I only played special teams that year,” Muasau said. “That’s how I contributed to the team. That was my role there. I guess I was on every special team also at the time. I was on kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return. That is how I made my money out there. I just love running down, playing the ball, just making plays for the team. Any way to contribute to the team. That’s the way I did it.

“Now it’s a small world seeing Coach Ghobrial here now. Just a full circle moment having him here. Coming from the University of Hawai’i to now here in New York, it’s crazy.”

Muasau is a West coaster who is preparing for a career on the East Coast. He’s only seen snow once in his lifetime.

“I played in Wyoming, high altitude, and it was like light snow,” Muasau said. “But nothing really crazy. I’m also looking forward to a white Christmas. I haven’t seen anything like that in Hawaii, so I’m just really excited to be here.”

And the Giants are excited to have him.

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Malik Nabers sign rookie deal with New York Giants

The New York Giants have signed their top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, to his rookie contract.

Nabers was selected by Big Blue with the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft after a productive career in Baton Rouge with the Tigers.

From the Giants:

Nabers (6-0, 200 lbs.) earned unanimous All-America honors in 2023, when he led the nation with 120.7 receiving yards per contest. He also led the FBS in plays of 20-plus yards (34) and 30-plus yards (17). He finished No. 1 in the SEC in receptions (89) and receiving yards (1,569) and ranked No. 2 in the league in receiving touchdowns (14).

Nabers capped his LSU career as the school’s all-time leader in receptions (189) and receiving yards (3,003). He is one of only two players in LSU history to top the 3,000-yard mark in receiving yards, joining Josh Reed (3,001 yards from 1999-2001). He ranks No. 7 in LSU history in receiving touchdowns with 21 and led the SEC in receptions in back-to-back years. Nabers capped his career with at least one reception in 37 consecutive games.

The signing came right before the Giants began their rookie minicamp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Friday morning.

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Giants’ Andru Phillips best pick in third round of 2024 NFL draft

The New York Giants are widely regarded as having conducted a successful draft in late April.

General manager Joe Schoen made six picks and addressed multiple areas of need, most notably selecting a true No. 1 wide receiver with Malik Nabers in Round 1. But he’s drawn praise for several other picks as well.

Running back Tyrone Tracy has been the focus of much hype and tight end Theo Johnson has also warranted some attention.

Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently broke down his best picks from each round and honed in on cornerback Andru Phillips in Round 3 as a steal.

PICK 70. NEW YORK GIANTS: CB ANDRU PHILLIPS, KENTUCKY

The Giants drafted Deonte Banks in the first round of last year’s draft and now add more youth to that group early in the third round this year. His career-best 23 defensive stops led all SEC cornerbacks in 2023, and his 72.9 PFF coverage grade was also the best mark of his career.

The issue facing Phillips and the Giants is the uncertainty of where he’ll play. Schoen left the door open for him to play outside but also suggested moving him inside and allowing Cor’Dale Flott to swing out alongside Deonte Banks.

The Giants need another outside cornerback capable of locking down opposing wide receivers and if Phillips can become that player, Schoen did find himself a steal in Round 3.

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Did New York Giants misstep by passing on QBs in NFL draft?

This week on the Giants Wire Podcast, we recap the 2024 NFL draft and discuss the six selections made by New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen.

The Giants reportedly attempted to trade up for a quarterback but fell short. Did Schoen make enough of an effort? Was Malik Nabers over J.J. McCarthy the right pick at No. 6 overall?

How will the rest of the team’s draft class impact the 2024 regular season?

Additionally, former Giants general manager Dave Gettleman emerged from his hiding spot to throw some shade. What do we make of his “clown” comments? Did he have a point?

And then there’s Saquon Barkley… Upset that Giants fans boo the Philadelphia Eagles? It’s a strange issue to have.

Those topics (and more) are discussed in the latest episode of the Giants Wire Podcast, which is hosted by Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary on X) and joined by site editor Dan Benton (@TheGiantsWire).

The Giants Wire Podcast will air every week during the regular season and occasionally throughout the offseason. You can listen below

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Giants’ Malik Nabers projected to finish rookie year with 1,032 yards

When was the last time the New York Giants had an impact rookie on their roster? 2018 with Saquon Barkley? 2014 with Odell Beckham Jr.?

This year, with Malik Nabers — the LSU star receiver the Giants selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft — they could finally have another one.

Mike Clay of ESPN is predicting a productive season from the fleet rookie this fall.

Clay is projecting that Nabers and Marvin Harrison, Jr (taken fourth overall by Arizona) will both follow the path of several other wideouts taken in the top 10 and put up big numbers as rookies.

Clay predicts Harrison will post 1,116 receiving yards and Nabers will be right on his tail with 1,032 yards.

I’m placing these two together because the evidence for why these prop lines are too low is roughly the same for both players. Take a look at the production of wide receivers who, like Harrison and Nabers, were selected with a top-six draft pick over the past decade: Amari Cooper (1,070 yards, 16 games), Sammy Watkins (982, 16), Ja’Marr Chase (1,455, 17), Corey Davis (375, 11), Jaylen Waddle (1,015, 16).

It’s a small sample, but four of the five wideouts produced at least 982 yards, with Davis (who missed five games) the only one to fall short. If we include all rookie WRs during the 10-year span, 16 reached 851 yards, and nine of them cleared 1,000. And several of those performances came prior to the league expanding to a 17-game regular season.

The eight rookie WRs picked in the top 10 who appeared in 12-plus games over the past decade averaged a 24% target share (seven of eight in the 22-25 percent range), which suggests both Harrison and Nabers — who have minimal target competition — will be heavily utilized right out of the gate.

Other analysts and experts are waffling on Nabers’ rookie production citing the Giants’ uncertainty at quarterback. Daniel Jones has not passed for more than 3,205 yards in a season and backup Drew Lock has not passed for over 3,000 yards in any of his four seasons in the NFL.

But Nabers could benefit from being the Giants’ top outside and deep threat as well as an increased number of targets with Saquon Barkley gone and tight end Darren Waller’s possible retirement.

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Is New York Giants’ receiving corps among the league’s most improved?

The 2024 NFL draft saw several teams upgrade their receiver rooms. Are the New York Giants among the teams that improved the most?

Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus believes so:

Darius Slayton’s ongoing contract discussions combined with the Giants having the worst receiving grade in the league last year left the team in need of some juice at wideout. The team got exactly that in LSU’s Malik Nabers, who led the FBS in receiving grade in 2023 (minimum 15 targets). A staple of Nabers’ game is slipperiness after the catch, as reflected by his 30 missed tackles forced last year.

If Slayton does remain in blue and red, he’ll form a potent one-two punch with the 20-year-old Nabers. Regardless, Nabers provides real insurance, given the inconsistent production of Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, who each tallied less than 530 yards in 2023.

Beyond Nabers, general manager Joe Schoen was proactive in finding a new tight end. Veteran Darren Waller continues to seriously mull retirement, so the Giants snatched Penn State’s Theo Johnson at 107th overall. Not only did Johnson test incredibly well — with a 9.93 Relative Athletic Score — but he was also a red-zone weapon for the Nittany Lions. His seven touchdowns in 2023 tied for a team high.

Daniel Bellinger projects as TE1 for New York, but Johnson should feature in 12 personnel, which offensive coordinator Mike Kafka ran on 23% of plays in 2023 — the 12th-highest rate in the NFL.

Assuming quarterback Daniel Jones remains under center, both the explosive Nabers and Johnson should augment a poor group from the year before. Both could go a long way in returning the Giants’ offense to its efficient 2022 form.

New York went into the 2023 season with one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL. It was highlighted by Darren Waller, Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell and Wan’Dale Robinson.

Waller was in the back end of his career and not very productive, and it was clear that Slayton, Campbell and Robinson should not be top receiving options on the team. This resulted in the Giants passing for only 3,351 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The deficiency was clear, and the front office decided to address it with a premium draft pick by selecting wide receiver Malik Nabers sixth overall.

In his collegiate career, Nabers totaled 189 receptions for 3,003 yards and 21 touchdowns (14 in his final season). Nabers should be an instant winner on the outside as he is an elite space creator and is electric with the ball in his hands.

The Giants also drafted tight end Theo Johnson, who racked up 77 receptions for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns (seven in his final season) in his collegiate career.

The two rookies totaled more touchdowns last season than the Giants’ entire receiving corps. Only time will tell if the team has really turned the receiving corps around but as of now, it looks good.

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The hype train continues for New York Giants rookie RB Tyrone Tracy

The New York Giants made six selections in the 2024 NFL draft. Some of the choices were obvious and filled immediate needs and others were based on value and guilty pleasures.

One pick — fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy Jr., a wide receiver turned running back from Purdue by way of Iowa — is being called a sleeper pick by some experts.

Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team has also identified Tracy as a rookie who can make an instant impact.

Tracy started his career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, appearing in 38 games as a wide receiver. But after modest production, he transferred to Purdue and started five games at receiver (2022). Ahead of the 2023 season, Tracy transitioned to running back, which likely saved his career. In his first year playing the position, Tracy led the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.3) and scored eight rushing touchdowns.

While Tracy isn’t ready to be a full-time running back (146 career carries in college), he is an incredible athlete who is a threat to score on any play. He posted a 9.78 RAS score, which ranks 42nd all-time (out of 1,903 running backs) after posting a 40-inch vertical jump at 209 pounds.

Tracy will be in a mix with veteran Devin Singletary and second-year back Eric Gray in a committee that will try to help Giant fans move on from Saquon Barkley.

“Now, he’s not going to fill Saquon’s shoes for that offense, but Tracy is an ultra-smooth runner with good vision,” writes Frank Cooney of NFL Draft Scout. “He’s going to surprise and impress the more touches he gets and can be a nice piece for this offense.”

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