Is Joshua Ezeudu the Giants' Future Starting Left Guard?
Joshua Ezeudu, Guard
Height: 6-foot-4 |Weight: 320 pounds
2022 Stats: GP: 10 / GS: 2. QBP: 15, Sacks Allowed: 3.
The Giants selected North Carolina guard Joshua Ezeudu with the 67th overall pick, with an eye toward him eventually becoming a part of the team's offensive line. Signed to a four-year rookie contract worth $5,485,524, Ezeudu came with plenty of promise out of college and highlighted his potential to be a reliable cog in a rebuilding Giants offensive line.
At North Carolina, Ezeudu, who played tackle, showed how dominant he can be as a pass protector over his sophomore and junior seasons. Logging 458 offensive snaps as a sophomore and 587 as a junior, he didn’t allow a single sack in those two seasons and posted 98 percent or better pass-blocking efficiency ratings in both seasons.
In his senior year, Ezeudu earned his largest workload (686 offensive snaps) but struggled to live up to his previous levels of resiliency, doubling the pressures he allowed (16) while conceding his first two sacks of his collegiate career.
In his rookie season for the Giants, Ezeudu’s small red flags as a senior in college transferred over to the NFL, where he struggled to produce a fortified level of consistency as a pass blocker that the Giants were hoping to get from their rookie.
From Week 1 through Week 6, he only received a total of 32 pass-blocking snaps, and it wasn’t until Week 7 that he got his first real chance at playing left guard, stepping in for the injured Ben Bredeson.
In Week 8 against Seattle, Ezeudu received a career-high 40 pass-blocking snaps, only to allow six pressures, including two hits and a sack. Though Ezeudu would go on to perform much better against Houston and Detroit in the following two weeks, a neck injury would sideline him for the remainder of the 2022 season. Ezeudu had off-season shoulder surgery but should be ready for training camp.
Best Case Scenario
The best-case scenario for Ezeudu is becoming a starter by mid-season, if not sooner. Believed to be fully healthy, Ezeudu could be primed for a bounce-back season and might be relied on much more to be a plug-and-play option at left guard.
Seeing that Ezeudu only played in 153 pass-blocking snaps over ten games, it will be in his best interest to earn more reps this summer to fine-tune his deficiencies. Should Ezeudu’s play takeoff and pass-blocking resiliency reemerge consistently, it won’t take long before the Giants insert him as a regular starter.
Worst Case Scenario
Ezeudu is facing big expectations to stay on the field and perform much better with his pass protection. Should he falter in the slightest, it might not be long before questions arise over the teams' decision to use a premium draft pick on the former Tar Heel.
Ezeudu has to log in a healthy full season of work and attempt to significantly surpass the snap and games played totals he could come away with as a rookie. Because he didn’t receive a lot of reps last season, he’s only going to put himself more at a disadvantage should anything stand in the way of him getting on the field, including injuries.
Simply put, the worst-case scenario for Ezeudu is becoming a non-active backup, whether due to his poor performances or injury setbacks.
What To Expect 2023
The left guard spot is one of the few starting jobs that remains in the air as of this writing. The competition will include Ezeudu, Jack Anderson, Ben Bredeson (the incumbent), and Shane Lemieux. At some point, there will only be so many snaps to go around, with those who excel likely to earn the lion's share of the work.
Seeing how much Ezeudu needs to grow along with the competition he faces, it’s safe to expect him to be in the mix for that starting job. And considering his pedigree, it's probably not a stretch to project him as one of the early favorites in the competition.
- Get the latest breaking news and analysis on the New York Giants
- Follow and like us on Facebook
- Submit your questions for our mailbag
- Check out the Giants Country YouTube Channel.
- Subscribe and like the LockedOn Giants YouTube Channel
- Sign up for our FREE message board forums
- Get your Giants tickets from SI Tickets!
