The buzz of the NFL Draft has worn off. The New York Giants’ six picks have spent the past month integrating with their new team and establishing their initial spots on the depth chart.
To get a better sense of how the Giants’ picks project to the NFL, I spoke to an executive, an offensive assistant coach and two defensive assistant coaches from other teams. The individuals were granted anonymity to provide candid assessments of the players. Here’s a deeper look at the Giants’ six selections via Dane Brugler’s scouting reports, the evaluations from league sources and my projections for each rookie’s role this season:
WR Malik Nabers
First round • No. 6 overall
Height: 6-0 • Weight: 200
College: LSU • Age: 20
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Brugler’s scouting report (No. 2 WR, No. 3 overall)
A three-year starter at LSU, Nabers was the leading receiver in offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock’s spread scheme, splitting his snaps 50-50 between outside and the slot. Of all the talented wide receivers that have gone through Baton Rouge, Nabers stands alone in both catches (189) and receiving yards (3,003), and in 2023 he led the FBS in receiving yards per game (120.7). An explosive play creator (led the FBS with 34 catches of 20-plus yards in 2023), Nabers uses his gliding speed to consistently win on slot fades or one-on-one vertical routes. His favorite play in the playbook is the jet sweep (his 7 -on-7 highlights from high school are legendary). He also can win underneath as a snatch-and-run target and will continue to ascend as he develops his finishing skills and route discipline. Overall, Nabers has only average size/strength, but he offers dynamic potential, because of his ability to accelerate/decelerate on command and always make himself available with his athletic catch-point skills. He projects as a playmaking receiver in the NFL.
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Malik Nabers wants to 'destroy you,' and that's why the Giants wanted him
Executive’s take
The executive put Nabers, No. 4 pick Marvin Harrison Jr. and No. 9 pick Rome Odunze in the same cluster as the top three receivers in this draft class.
“I don’t really think you could have gone wrong. I think you could argue (Nabers) has the highest ceiling,” the executive said. “He’s got a chance to be that elite No. 1. A true ‘X’ receiver with run after the catch ability.”
The executive ranked Odunze over Nabers, but said that’s a personal preference toward more polished receivers with size and elite ball skills.
“Malik has to continue to develop,” the executive said. “There’s this raw, animalistic high-level talent, which is cool, especially the run after the catch — the ability to catch a slant, break a tackle or split the two (defenders), and score a touchdown. Upside is also another way of saying incomplete. He probably needs to continue to develop into a more nuanced route runner, but he’s a high-level physical talent.”
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Nabers’ extreme competitiveness is one of his defining traits. The executive wondered how that fire will be channeled if things aren’t going well.
“I think he’s got high-level self-belief,” the executive said. “Maybe this is unfair, but he comes across as a guy who, if the team is not necessarily performing and he’s not getting his targets, there could be some level of frustration exhibited in an obvious manner.”
Nabers gettin' going ♨️ pic.twitter.com/1iNzUw1m1b
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 30, 2024
Coach’s take
An offensive assistant drew a parallel between Nabers and the Giants’ last game-breaking wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr.
“Nabers is the most explosive, but a little bit more raw. Harrison and Odunze are polished, but they’re not like Odell and can catch a slant and run for 80 (yards),” the assistant said. “Nabers could be like Odell early. Throw him a hitch or a slant and he’s gone. He’s got that type of talent.”
Projected 2024 role
Beckham set the bar with 91 catches, 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games as a rookie a decade ago. Other LSU receivers have similarly exploded onto the scene in recent seasons. That’s how high expectations will be for Nabers, even if that’s unfair based on the offense he’s joining. Still, expect Nabers to be the Giants’ unquestioned No. 1 wide receiver as a rookie. It will be surprising if he’s not the Giants’ first 1,000-yard receiver since Beckham in 2018.
S Tyler Nubin
Second round • No. 47 overall
Height: 6-2 • Weight: 210
College: Minnesota • Age: 22
Brugler’s scouting report (No. 3 S, No. 68 overall)
A four-year starter at Minnesota, Nubin was an interchangeable safety (single high and split zone) in defensive coordinator Joe Rossi’s mixed-coverage scheme. A cornerback-turned-safety, he led the Gophers in interceptions in each of the last four seasons and collected his 13th career interception in his final home game, which set a new school record. Using his athleticism and awareness, Nubin keeps everything in front of him and can drive off the numbers in the deep half to overlap the seam or track and finish from the post. As an alley defender, he is fearless but controlled, and he comes to balance with low pads to finish tackles with authority. Overall, Nubin has conservative tendencies in coverage, but he is a four-down player with a coveted skill set, because of his split-field range, playmaking instincts and toughness versus the run. He is ideally suited for a quarters-based, Cover-2 scheme in the NFL and will be a core special teamer.
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Executive’s take
Nubin didn’t test well at Minnesota’s pro day after undergoing surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee. A pedestrian 4.59-second 40-yard dash didn’t prevent Nubin from being the first safety picked this year. The instincts that led to 13 career interceptions at Minnesota outweighed any perceived athletic limitations.
“I thought that was a good pick. Anytime you can align need with what they perceive as value, I think that’s a good thing,” the executive said. “He’s not a high-level athlete by any means, but he supplements with football instincts and ball skills. I would compare him to (Ravens safety) Marcus Williams. (Williams) didn’t run as anticipated, but he’s overcome that.”
"I feel like I got one of my favorite foods on discount. He can become an alpha of alphas."
Brandon Brown shouts out scout Hannah Burnett when talking about why the Giants targeted and drafted Tyler Nubin: pic.twitter.com/tpUO6d2Krv
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) May 30, 2024
Coach’s take
The first defensive assistant was most impressed by Nubin’s versatility.
“He was a guy we thought had football intelligence and had some versatility,” the assistant said. “He was the one guy I thought was a deep-safety type. They don’t all have those skills — the range and the things to play in the deep half. But he was the one guy I thought was pretty good at that. A lot of the safeties you get out of college now, they can do one or the other. Either they’re in the box or maybe they’re deep. I thought this kid did a little bit of both. I’m always looking for the guys who can play the ball deep. I thought he could do that.”
Projected 2024 role
Nubin hasn’t been immediately inserted into the starting lineup this spring, but the expectation is he’ll unseat third-year veteran Dane Belton during camp or at some point this season. If Nubin isn’t a Day 1 starter, he still should have a role in sub packages while being a core special teamer.
CB Dru Phillips
Third round • No. 70 overall
Height: 5-11 • Weight: 180
College: Kentucky • Age: 22
Brugler’s scouting report (No. 9 CB, No. 61 overall)
A two-year starter at Kentucky, Phillips was an outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Brad White’s zone-heavy scheme, moving inside to cover the slot in sub packages (37.6 percent of his career snaps came inside). Although his production won’t jump off the page, his coverage tape improved each of his four seasons in Lexington — and that continued with a strong week during Senior Bowl practices. With his lower-body quickness and agility, Phillips can drive from zone or stay within arm’s length downfield in man. He prefers to play a physical brand of football, which is refreshing. However, his handsy tactics needs more subtlety, and his tackling requires better finishing control. Overall, Phillips falls short in a few categories, which leads to in-game volatility. He is battled-tested, though, with the athletic instincts and feisty toughness that will translate to any level of football. He won’t be a fit for every team but offers inside-outside versatility with immediate special-teams value, similar to Roger McCreary.
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Executive’s take
The executive thought it was a reach for the Giants to take Phillips with the sixth pick of the third round.
“I thought that was high,” the executive said. “You’ve got an undersized corner that’s a bad tackler. But he is a good athlete.”
Phillips has the versatility to play in the slot or outside. The Giants plan to play him in the slot. The executive had major questions about how Phillips will fare inside.
“I don’t know how you play him in the slot when he can’t tackle because he’s going to be in the run fit,” the executive said. “It’s not like it’s a toughness issue. It’s just an execution issue. He just misses tackles. It’s not like he’s not throwing his body around. He doesn’t lack intent or effort or physicality. It’s more of an execution issue. He just misses.”
Dru Phillips on why he likes playing the nickel role
Watch: https://t.co/h30ZaYZmLo pic.twitter.com/ZE3kLoFK3Y
— GiantsTV (@GiantsTV) May 10, 2024
Coach’s take
The first defensive assistant had a far more positive review of Phillips.
“I really liked him,” the assistant said. “He’s a guy I thought could play inside and outside. I had an eye on him playing inside. I thought he was a pretty versatile nickel. An instinctive guy. I like those guys inside who have instincts. He was a kid that impressed me with the football intelligence part of it. I think he’s pretty smart. I would have targeted him somewhere in the third or fourth round.”
Projected 2024 role
Like Nubin, Phillips has been working with the second-team defense in the early stages of the offseason. But Phillips also has a clear path to a starting job by Week 1. If Phillips fails to win the slot corner job, he still should have a role in the defensive back-heavy sub packages deployed by defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. Phillips also should be a special teams contributor as a rookie.
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TE Theo Johnson
Fourth round • No. 107 overall
Height: 6-6 • Weight: 264
College: Penn State • Age: 23
Brugler’s scouting report (No. 3 TE, No. 80 overall)
A three-year starter at Penn State, Johnson was a versatile tight end in former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s RPO-based scheme, splitting his time between inline (47.9 percent), slot (38.8 percent) and wide (9.8 percent). A wide receiver in high school in Canada, he faced a steep transition moving to tight end at State College and didn’t have a 100-yard receiving performance in 45 college games (and reached 75 yards just once). But his production steadily climbed each season, and he led the Nittany Lions in touchdown grabs in 2023. Johnson is quick off the ball and builds his speed downfield, giving his quarterback a big target with his size, strong hands and athletic catch radius. As a blocker, he doesn’t embarrass himself but needs to better understand leverage and develop more of a glass-chewing mentality. Overall, Johnson has inconsistent college tape and production, but he has A-plus measurements and smooth athletic tools that could allow him to continue developing and become a better pro than a college player. Although he is a work in progress, he is a worthy long-term investment for an NFL team.
Theo Johnson gettin’ after it pic.twitter.com/VpHJx0YJcy
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 31, 2024
Executive’s take
The Giants can’t expect a Day 3 rookie tight end to replace Darren Waller, who is expected to retire. But Johnson adds upside to a group with limited NFL receiving production.
“That’s a good pick. From a size and physical ability standpoint, good value,” the executive said. “Good upside there. Not a dynamic 12 personnel with (Daniel) Bellinger, but capable. Helps alleviate the loss of (Darren) Waller if he doesn’t come back.”
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Johnson had exceptional measurements and physical test results at the combine. His physical tools didn’t translate into much production at Penn State, but it’s not uncommon for tight ends to blossom once they reach the NFL.
“I don’t think he’s a dynamic athlete, but he’s a good height/weight/speed prospect,” the executive said. “He’s just solid. Probably a solid No. 2 in the NFL, and they got him in the fourth round.”
Projected 2024 role
There will be a major opportunity for playing time if Waller retires. The Giants have veterans who will log snaps in blocking roles, but Johnson should rival Bellinger for the most targets at the position. Johnson still needs significant development for his production to match his athletic profile. His production will likely be inconsistent as a rookie as he builds toward reaching his potential in the future.
RB Tyrone Tracy
Fifth round • No. 166 overall
Height: 5-11 • Weight: 210
College: Purdue • Age: 24
Brugler’s scouting report (No. 11 RB, No. 119 overall)
A two-year starter at Purdue, Tracy played a “WideBack” position in offensive coordinator Graham Harrell’s scheme, which utilized his skills as both a running back and wide receiver. After four seasons as a receiver at Iowa, his versatility as a ball carrier blossomed in West Lafayette, and in 2023 he led the Big Ten in rushing yards per carry (6.34). Displaying natural instincts with the ball in his hands, Tracy runs with the dynamic agility and elusiveness to slip tackles from different angles (21.9 percent of his carries in 2023 resulted in a 10-plus-yard run, which ranked top five in the FBS). However, his inexperience at running back shows in his sporadic tendencies when choosing run lanes. Overall, Tracy needs to improve his decision-making at the line of scrimmage, but he can create with his quick lateral cuts and contact balance — and he can stay on the field on passing downs. He is a multi-dimensional threat as a rusher, receiver and special teamer, which increases his chances of commanding an NFL roster spot.
Executive’s take
The executive didn’t study Tracy closely enough to offer an evaluation.
Projected 2024 role
There’s an opportunity for a young running back to claim a larger role after Saquon Barkley’s departure. Reliable veteran Devin Singletary is atop the depth chart, so Tracy will compete with 2023 fifth-round pick Eric Gray for the No. 2 role. The young backs will likely rotate in relief of Singletary, at least initially. Tracy’s biggest contribution as a rookie could come as a returner.
"I've been working for this for 20 years"
Tyrone Tracy Jr. talks about the "special moment" of being drafted by the Giants: pic.twitter.com/SeWcYxeEGI
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) May 11, 2024
LB Darius Muasau
Sixth round • No. 183 overall
Height: 6-0 • Weight: 234
College: UCLA • Age: 23
Brugler’s scouting report (No. 16 LB, No. 214 overall)
A two-year starter at UCLA, Muasau played Mike linebacker in former defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s 4 -2-5 base scheme. After three productive seasons at Hawaii, he led the Bruins in tackles in both of his seasons in Westwood and has an impressive collegiate resume — he played in every game the last five years and compiled 440 tackles and 40.0 tackles for loss. A quick-reacting defender, Muasau has the vision that gives him a head start on the play, which expands his lateral range and helps him make stops near the line of scrimmage. He is aware in short-zone coverage, although he lacks the movement skills to stay connected to backs or tight ends in man coverage. Overall, Muasau might not be elite in any one area, but he is a well-rounded linebacker with the play recognition and tackling skills that will translate to any level. Similar in ways to Sione Takitaki, he projects as an NFL backup who can hold his own when he sees the field.
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Executive’s take
Teams have different priorities at this stage of the draft. The selection of Muasau seemed to be about adding a quality depth piece rather than taking a gamble on a player with more intriguing traits.
“Really instinctive football player,” the executive said. “He’s going to give it his all. A little bit limited physically, but a good depth player, and he’s going to give it hell on (special) teams.”
Coach’s take
Muasau’s consistent production carried more weight than his size and athletic limitations with the second defensive assistant.
“I thought he was an explosive kid. Good hitter,” the assistant said. “The physical element of the guy you really like. He’s just a tough kid. Some guys are very instinctive, and they just see it really well — like they don’t miss a lot of fits. I thought he really did a good job fitting the runs. He’s a good player. I think some people might think he’s a little undersized, but guys like that who have the instincts, that’s what really makes them good players. I liked him a lot.”
Projected 2024 role
Muasau eventually could push for the starting inside linebacker spot next to Bobby Okereke, but it would be surprising if he’s ready for that role as a rookie. More likely, Muasau’s path to a roster spot on game day this season is by establishing himself as a core special teamer.
(Photo of Malik Nabers: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
