CB Gemon Green Facing Uphill Battle to Stick

Green fits the way the Giants want their corners to look, but does he fit the way they want them to play?

Author:
Gene Clemons
Publish date:
Jun 3, 2023 1:34 PM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

Gemon Green, Cornerback

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 186 pounds
2022 Stats: GP 13, 20 Tackles, 4 PBU

*College stats at Michigan

After 42 games in the Maize and Blue, Gemon Green decided to forego his final season of eligibility (and another season to play with his twin brother German) to enter the NFL draft.

He was invited to play in the International Bowl but did not receive an invitation to the NFL Combine. At his pro day, he showed great athleticism, recording a 4.53 in the forty, a 4.44 20-yard shuttle, a 7.08 3-cone drill, a 37.5-inch vertical, and a 10'6" broad jump.

He had meetings with several teams throughout the process but went undrafted. The Giants, however, signed him as an undrafted free agent.

Green was a member of one of the best defenses in college football, but over the past two seasons, injuries have limited his ability to produce at his optimal level.

The one thing that stands out about his game is even with his slight frame, he had always been willing to go downhill and hit a ball carrier. His physicality is his best attribute. He knows how to get his hands on receivers and displace them.

He did not get his hands on the ball much in his career at Michigan. He had 15 pass breakups and only one sack in his Wolverines career. That lack of aggressiveness on the ball probably caused him to go undrafted.

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Best Case Scenario

Green does fit the mold physically for a cornerback, and if some of the cornerbacks on the team don't perform well early in the summer, he has a chance to become a feel-good story.

Injuries could also cause Green to have a bigger factor on the defense. Hopefully, Green can provide quality reps as a special teams member to show his worth. Long, athletic defensive backs usually make great special teams contributors. That would be the best bet for Green.

Worst Case Scenario

There are just too many defensive backs on this team, so making it as a special teamer in the defensive backfield would be a difficult undertaking.

Green will not stand out in stature or athleticism, and he will not separate himself with his speed. He does not possess a quality that someone in the cornerback group does not possess. Therefore it may just be a value play, and if that is the case, it is difficult to see a route for him to get to the practice squad and practically no chance to grab a roster spot.

What to Expect in 2023

This is an extremely deep group for a guy who has not shown the ability to take the ball away. The Giants have employed many of them in the past, and it seems like they are trying to get more turnover production from the cornerback position.

Green is one of many, and he has to get beyond the late-round draft picks to even have a chance at the practice squad. He will need to impress in OTAs and early training camp to give himself the best opportunity to get on the radar.