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Giants general manager Joe Schoen has tried to downplay his interest in wide receivers during the pre-draft process. But it’s impossible to ignore the attention the organization has paid to the position.
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Boston College’s Zay Flowers, USC’s Jordan Addison and Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt were among the 30 prospects the Giants hosted for pre-draft visits, according to league sources. Additionally, Schoen and coach Brian Daboll reportedly had dinners with TCU’s Quentin Johnston and Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s before their respective pro days.
So the Giants shot-callers have done their homework on the five wide receivers ranked in the top 34 on Dane Brugler’s big board. Any of those players could be a target with the Giants’ 25th pick.
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To get a better handle on the group, The Athletic spoke with an NFL executive, an NFL assistant coach and an NFL scout. Each evaluator placed Hyatt a rung below the other four receivers, so here are breakdowns of Smith-Njigba, Flowers, Addison and Johnston from the experts, who were granted anonymity to speak freely about the prospects:
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Overview: The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Smith-Njigba is the No. 1 wide receiver in Brugler’s rankings (No. 18 overall). Smith-Njigba, 21, had a breakout sophomore season in 2021, with 95 catches for a Big Ten record 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. He finished the season with a 347-yard outburst in a Rose Bowl win over Utah. Some considered Smith-Njigba the best of the 2021 Ohio State wide receiver corps that included 2022 first-round picks Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. A hamstring injury limited Smith-Njigba to five catches in three games last season.
Smith-Njigba posted a 6.57-second three-cone drill and a 3.93-second short shuttle; both times led all combine participants this year. He ran a pedestrian 4.52-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
2021 Stats:
• 1,606 Receiving Yards
• 9 TDs pic.twitter.com/zwUcNN1g6H— Buckeye Highlights (@OSUBuckiHighlit) March 26, 2022
Executive: “He has good size. He has good speed. But he’s not an elite vertical stretch player. I think the route skills and the ball skills are how he’s going to win at our level.”
The hamstring injury and subsequent lack of multi-season production is a concern.
“You’ve got to be really careful with that coming off that injury, because you don’t want it to be an issue.”
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The executive thinks Smith-Njigba has enough size, speed and route-running ability to play outside, but thinks he’ll be most effective from the slot. That could hurt his draft stock.
“I guess that’s the question: Where do you take a slot receiver?”
Assistant coach: “I’m probably the low guy in the world on him because everybody else likes him. I don’t dislike him, I’m just not as high on him as you’d have to be to want to take him (as early as projected).”
The assistant said Smith-Njigba is smooth and a good route runner, but believes his upside is limited because, “he has to play in the slot. I just look at it like, ‘Do you really want to take a guy who’s going to play in the slot in the first round?’ And, ‘Do you really want to take a guy in the slot, who’s not a burner, in the first round?’”
The assistant compared Smith-Njigba to Jakobi Meyers, who signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Raiders this offseason after catching 67 passes for 804 yards and six touchdowns operating mostly from the slot last season in New England. Like Meyers, the assistant said Smith-Njigba isn’t the type of receiver that forces opponents to adjust their game plans.
“I think he’s going to be taken in the top 20, maybe higher. I’ve heard people compare this guy and say how good he is. I think he’s a good player, but he doesn’t do anything to light my hair on fire at all.”
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Scout: “He’s a good route runner, has great hands. He was the most productive Ohio State receiver when they had two first-round picks the year before. But he’s not the fastest of the three of those.”
The scout views Smith-Njibga as a slot receiver.
Jordan Addison, USC
Overview: The 5-foot-11, 173-pound Addison is the No. 2 wide receiver in Brugler’s rankings (No. 25 overall). Addison, 21, spent his first two years of college at Pittsburgh, winning the Biletnikoff Award in 2021 after recording 100 catches for 1,593 yards and an FBS-leading 17 touchdowns. Addison then transferred to USC, posting 59 catches for 875 yards and eight touchdowns despite missing three games with an ankle injury last season.
Addison didn’t post impressive speed and agility numbers in pre-draft testing, especially considering his size. He ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the combine, while posting a 7.05-second three-cone drill and a 4.19-second short shuttle at his pro day.
Jordan Addison adding to his highlight reel 😎@Espn_Jordan | @Pitt_FB
📺 ACCNX | @ESPNPlus
📱https://t.co/YpcLhnq7Jh pic.twitter.com/PifLwqiiqK— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) September 25, 2021
Executive: “He’s probably the best blend in his ability to play all three (wide receiver spots), because he’s a better route runner than Flowers; he’s got more vertical stretch than JSN. He’s got more catch range than Flowers because he’s kind of rangy, even though he’s only 5-11.”
The executive views Addison as the most NFL-ready of the receivers and the best fit within the Giants’ wide receiver corps.
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Assistant coach: “He’s going to go high. He’s very smooth, very good route runner, has very good hands, can track the ball, can make really tough catches. He does a lot of really good things. But I don’t think his speed is scary at all. He ran 4.49, but he doesn’t play explosive.”
The assistant compared Addison physically to Eagles wide receiver Devonta Smith, who was 6-foot, 170-pounds when he was picked 10th in the 2021 draft.
“The difference is Smith plays faster and stronger. They both run really good routes; they both have really good hands, but when you watched Smith, you were like, ‘This guy is explosive.’
The assistant thinks Addison can play outside and in the slot, and will need to be moved around pre-snap to avoid press coverage.
“You’ll move him and find ways to get him off the line. But if he gets press coverage, it could be an issue because he’s not strong or explosive. So you’re going to have to motion him and find ways to keep him away from that. But you don’t see as much press coverage in the league anymore.”
The assistant also labeled Addison as the most NFL-ready receiver in this group.
Scout: “He’s a good route runner, has good hands and has punt return capabilities. But he’s very skinny.”
The scout believes Addison can play outside and in the slot.
Zay Flowers, Boston College
Overview: The 5-foot-9, 182-pound Flowers is the No. 4 wide receiver (Hyatt is No. 3) in Brugler’s rankings (No. 32 overall). Flowers, 22, capped his four years at Boston College with career-highs in catches (78), yards (1,077) and touchdowns (9) as a senior. Flowers had multiple six-figure NIL offers to transfer after his junior year, but he stayed at BC for his final season.
Flowers ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the combine. He didn’t test in the three-cone drill or the short shuttle during the pre-draft process. His 29-1/4 inch arm length ranks in the second percentile among wide receivers.
Walking Highlight.
Zay Flowers goes over 1,000 yards on the season, becoming the fourth Eagle to break 1,000 receiving yards in a single season 🦅 pic.twitter.com/NFoPIdsWRp
— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) November 27, 2022
Executive: “He’s more of an elite vertical stretch player. He also has the short area quickness. I think he can play all three (receiver positions). He’s just undersized.”
The executive believes Flowers has the highest upside of any receiver in this draft class.
“I don’t think he’s as polished yet as JSN, but he’s probably got more upside because of his ability to get vertical and his true home-run speed. There’s clips of JSN getting hawked down; Flowers scores touchdowns.”
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Assistant coach: “I like this kid. I think I’m the high guy in our building on him. I think he’s the one who has some explosive qualities. He’s fast in and out of cuts. I really liked him with the ball in his hands. He’s got really good short-area elusiveness, so you see him make guys miss with quick cuts in a phone booth.”
Although he’s two inches shorter, the assistant said Flowers is “built thicker” than Addison.
“You compare him and Addison, I like Flowers better because I see the explosion and the initial quickness. I think Addison is a smoother, more polished receiver, but I think Zay could be more productive.”
The assistant said Flowers is a better, more athletic version of Elijah Moore, who was 5-foot-9, 178 pounds when he was picked in the second round by the Jets in 2021.
“You could put him outside, but he’s really a slot. If he gets in the right offense who uses the inside receivers, I think he’d be dangerous. He would be a really good fit for the Giants.”
The assistant thinks Flowers could be lowest pick of the top four wide receivers because of his size, but sees him as the best in the group.
“I love his attitude. He was my favorite of all the interviews we had. He could have left for money, but he stayed at BC. I think there’s a lot to be said for that. I think there’s a lot of things about his personality and character that will carry over.”
Scout: “He’s small, fast and a playmaker with the ball in his hands. The cons are he’s small and has a small catch radius.”
The scout believes Flowers can play outside and in the slot.
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Quentin Johnston, TCU
Overview: The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Johnston is the No. 5 wide receiver in Brugler’s rankings (No. 34 overall). Johnston, 21, exploded for 60 catches, 1,069 yards and six touchdowns last season as a junior. He was second in FBS with 8.9 yards after catch per reception last season.
Johnson ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. His 7.31-second three-cone drill and 4.28-second short shuttle were predictably slower than his smaller counterparts. But he blew the other receivers away with his arm length, wing span, vertical jump and broad jump.
#TCU WR Quentin Johnston consistently made the first man miss on today’s Kansas tape.
His play strength and elusiveness is such a unique combination for a 6-4, 215 lbs. athlete. pic.twitter.com/rsNIXjvEpv
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) October 9, 2022
Executive: “He has the best size of the four. It’s a big man’s game, so he wins in that regard. But what’s rare for someone his size is his ability to drop his weight and get small at the top of the route. He can drop his weight and get in and out of breaks. That’s pretty special. Usually receivers his size are slant/post/go/comeback. He can drop his weight and really get in and out of breaks at the top. So he’s got the ability to have more of a tree than a standard X receiver.”
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The executive compared Johnston to Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, who was 6-foot-3, 228 pounds when he was picked in the second round of the 2019 draft.
“Maybe he doesn’t always play to his size. But that’s something you can develop. I don’t think he’s always a body catcher. I think it’s just in contested situation he doesn’t use his entire frame and catch range.”
Johnston has to overcome the spotty track record of receivers translating from the wide-open Big 12 offenses to the NFL.
“That’s college football. Addison is playing in an offense that was in the Big 12 a short time ago. You have to make your own assessment. Sometimes there’s limited route exposure in those attacks. That’s why I’d say Addison’s tape is better last year in Pittsburgh.”
Assistant coach: “I think he has issues with route running and hands. I think he’s going to be very limited in a route tree. He is fast and he is tall. I didn’t like his tape. I had a tough time getting past things of his that are fatal flaws — the hands. He does make some big catches, even some that are out of bounds slightly. But then, overall, he’s not a natural catcher. To take a receiver as high as you’re going to have to take this guy, that’s not natural at that, that just seems like a risk.”
The assistant has questions about how Johnston will transition to an NFL offense.
“I don’t think he’s a savvy, instinctive football guy from watching him play and from what I hear from the interviews.”
The assistant also compared Johnston to Metcalf.
“He’s different than Metcalf because he’s not as big and strong. I would compare him to a slighter-built Metcalf, because the comparison is going to be the routes he runs. If he does catch it, he can catch and run. I think he’s a little bit looser running (than Metcalf). He’s not quite as strong, but he’s got that big catch radius, which is comparable.”
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The assistant thinks Johnston will be the first wide receiver selected because of his combination of size and speed. The assistant views Johnston as having the highest upside of the receivers despite his flaws.
“If Johnston could get the hands right and get more polished, he’s the guy you’d have to really game plan to account for. He’s the one guy you’d say, ‘We have to give help over the top for this guy.’ That helps everything offensively.”
Scout: “He’s big, fast and quick. He moves like a little receiver even though he’s very big. His hands are inconsistent.”
The scout thinks Johnson has the highest upside of these receivers.
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This isn’t like recent drafts when the Giants had top-10 picks and it was obvious they would target a particular position (offensive tackle in 2020 and 2022). There are so many variables involved when picking 25th. Some, and possibly all, of these receivers, could be off the board before No. 25. Or the Giants could take a position other than wide receiver with their first-round pick.
Missing out on this imperfect group of receivers may not be the worst outcome.
“Overall, I’m not a huge fan of these guys,” the assistant coach said. “I think as a whole, the class is slow and the couple of guys who are fast, aren’t that good.”
(Top photo of Quentin Johnston: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
