How Each Giants' Position Units Stack Up After the Draft

We break down how much each of the Giants' position units has improved since the start of the offseason.

Oct 27, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland (8) enters the field before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The New York Giants came into the 2025 offseason with various position groups that needed to be addressed. Following the conclusion of early free agency and this year’s draft, they mostly resolved various positional needs from a starter and depth perspective. 

So let's take a position unit-by-unit look and determine if the Giants are better, worse, or the same from a year ago.

Quarterback: Better

Quarterback Russell Wilson / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Last season, the Giants featured a quarterback room of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tim Boyle, and Tommy Devito. All four registered PFF passing grades below 68 last season while combining for only 15 big-time throws and a woeful 24 turnover-worthy plays. 

The team decided to conduct an entire positional rehaul this offseason with the free agent signings of veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. 

It then turned to the draft to select Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart in the first round as its quarterback of the future. All three had passing grades of at least 69 a season ago and combined for 66 big-time throws. 

Brian Daboll has already declared Wilson the de facto starter heading into training camp, allowing Dart to compete with Winston while preparing for his future starting job. New York will finally have an NFL-caliber quarterback room fit for functionality throughout the season.

Running Back: Better

Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo (4) runs against Texas defensive back Jelani McDonald (25) during the third quarter of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Jan. 1, 2025. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Losing running back Saquon Barkley was a tough pill for New York, and the Giants relied on a committee approach to make up for his loss. 

Devin Singletary and Tyrell Tracy Jr. combined for 1,276 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, but also accumulated six fumbles across their combined 331 carries. 

Tracy showed a dynamic burst as a change-of-pace back but wasn’t fit for constant interior rushing plays throughout the year. Singletary suffered a fumbling problem that hasn’t left him throughout his career. 

Enter rookie tailback Cam Skattebo, a fourth-round selection who provides a physical rushing style that New York’s current backfield lacks. 

During his final collegiate season, Skattebo registered 1,202 yards after contact and forced 103 missed tackles. Such an addition to the backfield gives the Giants the bruising back they always needed.

Wide Receiver: Same

Jan 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) walks off the field after loss to Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The receiving room in New York remained the same after the team re-signed Darius Slayton, decided not to part ways with Jaylin Hyatt, and drafted zero wideouts in this past draft. 

Malik Nabers had arguably one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory despite the carousel of quarterbacks he was playing with. Russell Wilson at the helm will only allow the second-year superstar to maintain his prior production with potentially additional upticks. 

An individual who could potentially have a career breakout this season is Hyatt. The third-year man thrives off deep threat opportunities but has only snagged 39 passes in two years, with just eight going for over 20-plus yards. 

Running back a corps of Nabers-Slayton-Robinson-Hyatt doesn't move the needle from the same to better, but it could raise the group's ceiling from a season ago with better quarterback play.

Tight End: Same 

Nov 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (84) makes a catch during the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. / Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

The Giants added seventh-round tight end Thomas Fidone II to a room that already featured young talent in Daniel Bellinger and Theo Johnson. 

Johnson and Bellinger showed flashes as pass-catchers but were targeted just a combined 55 times last season, with the rookie Johnson receiving 43 of them before a season-ending injury in November. 

Fidone flashed as a potential chain-moving pass-catcher who'll likely be a depth piece for the franchise. However, this room's upside probably won’t materialize in the receiving game unless one of the three young targets emerges. 

Offensive Line: Better

Purdue offensive lineman Marcus Mbow (63) during a practice, Friday, March 4, 2022 at Mollenkopf Athletic Center in West Lafayette. / Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

New York entered the offseason needing an infusion of depth and starter-caliber talent within its offensive trenches to aid the talented but oft-injured left tackle Andrew Thomas. James Hudson III and Stone Forsythe provided a collection of seasons as fringe NFL starters, making them valuable depth pieces in case of injury. 

On the starters' side, former right tackle Evan Neal is expected to battle for a lead guard spot, while mid-round rookie Marcus Mbow could potentially serve as the team's future right tackle before 2025.

While the line is far from a finished product, it's in a better state of progression than a season ago, especially if Neal and Mbow pan out in their brand-new pro roles. 

Defensive Line: Better

Dec 30, 2023; Tucson, AZ, USA; Toledo Rockets defensive tackle Darius Alexander (9) against the Wyoming Cowboys in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Adding the best defensive lineman from the entire NFL draft is always a plus to any defensive front. Couple that with adding interior depth support and edge run defense, and it’s an excellent way for the Giants to fortify their front four.

Rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter comes into the fold as a young, dynamic edge rusher primed and ready to tag team with Brian Burns. The sky is the limit, with Dexter Lawrence manning the middle following his All-Pro season.

There will likely be lineups where Burns, Carter, Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux all man the field to rush the quarterback. Thibodeaux in more favorable one-on-one matchups could open up his chances to elevate his 14% pass-rush win rate from a season ago.`

Linebackers: Same

Linebacker Bobby Okereke after practice at training camp for the New York Giants. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bobby Okereke held the locker room's highest defensive grade at 74.1 a season ago and returns alongside fellow backer Micah McFadden, who recorded the second-most defensive stops (41) a season ago. The linebacking core around them lost Isaiah Simmons but gained Chris Board, who will likely make his calling card on special teams. 

An expected jump this season from second-year player Darius Muasau would go a long way in bolstering the position group. The former late-round selection had one of the highest stop percentages in run defense in 2024 while playing the third-most snaps (435).

Cornerback: Better 

Sep 8, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) heads to the locker room after the game against the Carolina Panthers at Caesars Superdome. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Adding former New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo to the secondary was a positive upgrade for New York. 

He’ll likely man the top boundary cornerback position for the defense. The former mid-round selection collected 10 interceptions and 29 pass breakups in his first four NFL seasons. 

Opposite Adebo will be Deonte Banks, who has had a tumultuous NFL career marred by porous tackling and putrid on-ball defense. The former Maryland product has surrendered nearly 1400 yards receiving and 10 touchdown catches through his first two seasons. 

With Banks taking a reduced coverage role against the team’s number two receiving weapons, New York’s secondary has a chance to thrive, especially with a second-year leap by sophomore slot corner Dru Phillips. 

Safety: Better

Oct 27, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland (8) enters the field before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Hard Rock Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

New York leaned on safety production from Dane Belton, Tyler Nubin, and Jason Pinnock a season ago. Nubin tested better in run defense during his rookie season, Belton was its best coverage guy, and Pinnoch tested best in pass-rushing situations off the edge. 

The Giants added free-agent safety Jevon Holland to step in for the departed Jason Pinnock (49ers). 

Two years removed from having one of the highest defensively graded seasons by a secondary player, Holland provides flexibility as a box and deep defender. His implementation into the Giants' safety room will only improve the secondary as a unit. 

Special Teams: Better

Jamie Gillan of the Giants before the game. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Giants' retaining of Ihmir Smith-Marsette keeps a productive return ace inside the special teams room. Jamie Gillan has been a quality pro for New York and stayed in New York this offseason following a $10.2 million deal. 

Kicker Graham Gano also landed a lucrative three-year, $16.2 million deal following a season in which he went 9-of-11 on field goal attempts after being thrust into the starting job due to injury.

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