Five Rookies We Can't Wait to See During Giants Rookie Minicamp

The Giants rookies hit the field this weekend. Here are five, both drafted and undrafted, we can't wait to see.

The New York Giants walked out of Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft with Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, players once considered the top prospects in the draft.

While there is reason to be excited about those two players, Giants general manager Joe Schoen did a great job of adding prospects on Days 2 and 3 of the draft and via undrafted free agency that should be cause for excitement.

But how will these players fit in specific to the schemes being run by the coaches? Let's break it down.

EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux

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From the moment he committed to the Oregon Ducks, the expectations surrounding Kayvon Thibodeaux have been short of astronomical.

Nothing has changed after becoming the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. It’s rare to find a player that offers the same speed, power, and explosion that Thibodeaux possesses, let alone finding that outside of the top three picks in the draft.

Since his freshman year, Thibodeaux has been one of the elite college pass-rushers, and he looks to continue that success at the next level. Racking up 35.5 sacks in three seasons was impressive, not just because that’s a great output, but because he did it as the only legitimate pass-rushing threat on the field for offenses to focus on.

Thibodeaux posted a 17.5 percent pass-rush win rate in college, well above the average of 9.8 percent. This is even more impressive because of the attention offenses paid him through 2021.

For the Giants, Thibodeaux will be part of a three-man wrecking crew alongside veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams and sophomore pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari. Ojulari is coming off a season in which he led the New York Giants in sacks, and he was third on the team in total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Thibodeaux has said that he’s ready to play all over the defensive front if he’s asked to, and he just might be if the new defensive coordinator deploys Thibodeaux in the same manner as he did Odafe Oweh, theRavens' first-round pick last season. Athletically, Thibodeaux is more comparable to Tyus Bowser, the Ravens' leading pass-rusher from last season who played exclusively at outside linebacker.

Regardless of where he lines up on Sundays, expect Thibodeaux to become an instant playmaker for this Giants defense.

OT Evan Neal

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes it's hard to get excited over the addition of an offensive lineman. Still, it's easy to get excited when looking at the body of work that Evan Neal put together at Alabama, coupled with what was known about the Giants' offensive line in recent years.

Neal was a three-year starter that played both left tackle, right tackle, and left guard at the most prestigious program in college football. Nick Falato, in his pre-draft scouting report on Neal, noted:

Overall, Evan Neal is a mountain of a man with two redwood trees attached to his torso. He is explosive, with quick feet, excellent power, and strong hands to grip. He is fundamentally sound with his hand technique with a devastating punch to stun, and he’s a good overall run blocker.

According to Pro Football Focus, Neal allowed 36 pressures on 1,496 pass-blocking snaps throughout his college career. Put another way, Neal allowed pressure on just 2.4 percent of all pass-blocking snaps, which is rather impressive.

Neal is more than just a pass-blocker, though, as he was arguably the best run-blocker on that Alabama offensive line. Pairing him with Andrew Thomas, who has made significant strides as a blocker since joining the New York Giants, and the Giants just might have the best pair of offensive tackles in the NFL.

That all being said, Neal isn’t a perfect prospect--that doesn't exist--but he has all of the tools to become an elite player along the offensive line. Giants fans will likely see a slimmer version of Evan Neal than everyone saw at Alabama, as he’s cut some weight since the end of the season, perhaps in an attempt to add muscle for what lies ahead.

WR Wan’Dale Robinson

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

One of the more surprising picks by the Giants in the 2022 NFL Draft was their selection of receiver Wan’Dale Robinson out of Kentucky in the second round.

Wan’Dale Robinson is one of the shortest and lightest players in the NFL now, but he’s also one of the most dynamic playmakers. Robinson consistently showed the ability to create something out of nothing throughout his college career, whether at Kentucky or Nebraska, picking up 55.6 percent of his career receiving yards after the catch.

With Robinson's kind of vision and elusiveness, he’s a home run threat every time he touches the ball. Robinson had 141 career carries in college, turning 18 of them into runs of 10 yards or more, with 33.5 percent of his total yardage coming off of his six longest carries.

Robinson is not Deebo Samuel--nobody is. But he could still play a wide receiver/running back hybrid role. While Robinson is just 178 pounds, he still runs with the physicality of someone significantly heavier, picking up 50.3 percent of his career rushing yards after contact.

While it will be interesting to see how head coach Brian Daboll utilizes both Kadarius Toney and Robinson, it’s clear that Robinson is a dynamic playmaker that has the potential to excite Giants fans this fall.

TE Daniel Bellinger

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Tight end was a clear need going into the offseason for the Giants, both at the top and bottom of the depth chart. The Giants' tight ends last season accounted for just 715 yards and 20.6 percent of the total receiving yards for the team. To put that into perspective, nine individual tight ends had more receiving yards than in 2021.

Giants fans should prepare to see a solid amount of multiple-tight end sets this season, with Mike Kafka joining the team as offensive coordinator. Kafka is coming over from the Kansas City Chiefs, who ran multiple-tight end sets on 27.2 percent of their snaps last season.

• MORE: Four Intriguing New York Giants UDFAs to Watch

The Giants added Ricky Seals-Jones, who lined up inline on 50.1 percent of his snaps. Seals-Jones figures to play the Dawson Knox (52.4 percent) or Travis Kelce (36.5 percent) roles that involve taking a significant number of snaps as either a big slot receiver or out wide.

Bellinger's role could be similar to that of Tommy Sweeney's or Blake Bell's, who lined up inline on 68.2 percent and 92.9 percent of their snaps, respectively. (Bellinger, in college, lined up inline on 74.3 percent of his snaps.)

That wouldn’t restrict Bellinger’s ability to play in the slot or contribute in the passing game, as he’s proven he could.

Bellinger's ability to be a threat up the seam or underneath should provide him with the ability to be a valuable option for quarterback Daniel Jones. A tight end that can create after the catch is something the Giants lacked last season but might just have this year.

RB Jashaun Corbin

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

One of the biggest questions about the Giants running backs is whether they had someone capable of consistently protecting Daniel Jones when the blitz came in. While it's early, it looks like they might have a candidate that can do that.

Florida State's Jashaun Corbin, an undrafted free agent, expected into camp this weekend, has repeatedly proven to be a reliable blocker, allowing just four pressures on 85 pass-blocking snaps last season.

Corbin played behind what many have viewed as one of the worst offensive lines in college football at Florida State, yet he still found success reasonably consistently.

The combination of vision and contact balance that Corbin brings to the table would be welcome in any backfield, but he also has the breakaway speed to create long runs out of seemingly nothing.

Saquon Barkley has struggled to get going at times, and with a lack of consistent, reliable depth behind him, the rushing attack, in general, has struggled. Corbin won’t replace Saquon Barkley, but he sure could step in early on and contribute on any down, especially as a pass protector, a role that Barkley hasn't exactly mastered yet.

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