New York Giants Stock Report Following Spring Workouts

Who raised their stock, and who didn't follow the end-of-spring practices?

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) throws to wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) during organized team activities (OTA's) at the Giants training center on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in East Rutherford. / Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com /

At the start of their spring program, New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll made it clear that jobs wouldn’t be won or lost by the time the practices wrapped up.

Nor should they be, not when the players aren’t in pads and no contact is allowed. 

That said, the coaches no doubt used the practices to determine what the training camp depth chart (or as Daboll likes to call it, rep chart) might look like this summer, something that the individual player performances during the spring helped to set.

So, let’s take a look at who might have helped and hurt his respective stock this spring.

Stock Up

WR Malik Nabers

The rookie first-round draft pick has not only performed as advertised, but his teammates and coaches have lauded him for rapidly learning the playbook. 

“I think he can be a tremendous weapon for us,” said quarterback Daniel Jones. “He can do everything, there’s not much he can’t do really from a route-running standpoint.

“He’s dynamic either way with the ball in his hands, and strong, fast, explosive, and catches the ball well. Yeah, he does a lot well.”

Head coach Brian Daboll noted earlier in the spring that there were a few things NAbers was still learning within the offense, but it sure did look and sound as though Nabers, whom the Giants are counting on to jumpstart the deep passing game, is going to be ready to hit the ground running this summer.

WR Wan'Dale Robinson

While everyone was oohing and aahing over Nabers, Robinson was busy doing his thing, looking light years ahead of where he was this time last year during his recovery from ACL surgery. The confidence in the young man wasn’t hard to miss as he ran routes and interacted with his teammates.

Best of all is that given Robinson’s skill set, he’s not necessarily locked into a limited role on this offense. “That's something I’ve always liked to be able to do, just kind of contribute on both sides of the game with the running game and passing game. So whatever they choose and want to use me as then I'll do that,” he said. 

CB Cor'Dale Flott

Flott, primarily a slot cornerback last year, is going to get his chance to win the starting perimeter job opposite of Deonte Banks after the Giants were unable to sign some of their reported veteran targets like Tre’Davous White, Darious Williams, and Stephen Nelson. 

He didn’t do anything egregious during the spring that likely lit a fire under general manager Joe Schoen’s backside regarding shoring up the position. In fact, he showed some desirable traits in coverage, such as the stickiness of his coverage and his instincts. 

Despite being the favorite to win the job at this moment, Flott isn’t necessarily a lock. He still needs to answer some questions about his run defense, but right now, the job is his to lose. 

OL Joshua Ezeudu

Ezeudu has benefitted from the injury-related absence of Matt Nelson, who after signing here was believed to be the leading candidate as the team’s swing tackle. Ezeudu got valuable snaps at both left and right tackle, some of those coming with the first-team offense. 

While one needs to see offensive linemen in pads before drawing any conclusions about whether he’s a fit at tackle at this level, Ezeudu seemed a bit more confident in what he was doing out there than he was last year after being thrown in at left tackle despite having not worked there all summer long.

If he can show proficiency at tackle, that, plus his ability to play guard would make him a valuable and versatile reserve on an offensive line that last year lacked quality depth behind the starters.

RB Tyrone Tracy, Jr.

Tracy is only a rookie but his versatility as both a runner and receiver–he is a former receiver–seems to have given him an early leg up in the competition for the No. 2 running back role behind projected starter Devin Singletary.

OF course, Tracy will need to show that he can handle pass protection, something that we didn’t get to see in the spring’s padless practices, but besides that, Tracy could have an advantage over his fellow competition thanks to his early days as a receiver, claims his former college coach.

He. Can. Do. It. All!

You're getting a good one, @Giants pic.twitter.com/KCj0P1lv83

— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) April 27, 2024

“I think it helps him greatly because he spent so much time running precision routes, getting in and out of breaks, and having to identify coverages. So, he understood, ‘Hey, do I need to sit this route down, or do I need to carry another two steps before I, I break this thing off?’” Purdue running backs coach Lamar Conard told New York Giants on SI earlier this spring. 

“So, he was already comfortable playing in space, doing the skill things, catching the ball naturally. And if you think about modern football, you know, if you're a tailback today, you might have 15 carries, but there are five or six touches for you out of the backfield catching the ball. So, there was a real comfort for him in being able to start outside the box, motion back in, start in the box, motion out.”

Tracy’s versatility would also be a plus if he were to compete for the Giants’ kickoff return role.

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Stock Down

OLB Azeez Ojulari

Ojulari didn’t do much in terms of team drills this spring, the Giants basically went with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux for their one-two punch, and a few different personnel looks. 

Ojulari, who has been reduced to a spot pass rusher role thanks to the addition of Burns, has dealt with injuries in each of his three seasons in the NFL, so it’s unclear if the reduced workload was related to something he ended the season with last year that was never announced.

OT Evan Neal

Yes, he’s recovering from ankle surgery, but we just can’t shake the feeling that something is up regarding his status. Usually the team will start a guy rehabbing from an injury slowly in terms of activities and seek to increase them, like what they have done with Daniel Jones.

When the team backs off a guy, that usually means they had some sort of setback, though in Neal’s case, Daboll said there was no setback. Either way, Neal’s lack of activity during the last OTA and both days of the mandatory minicamp wasn’t an encouraging sign for the simple reason that he’s a guy who needs all the reps he can get.

WR Darius Slayton

Slayton has been the Giants' pseudo No. 1 receiver in the last five seasons. While he still figures to have a role in the passing game, one would think that NAbers will end up getting the bulk of the passing targets, which could potentially cut into Slayton’s workload. 

That’s not exactly what you want to think about happening when your adjusted contract has incentives based on production let alone when you’re about to enter a contract year. But that is a very real possibility for Slayton to have to face this coming season.

RB Jashaun Corbin

Corbin had a decent training camp last summer, but he got swept up in the numbers and landed with the Panthers' practice squad. When injuries started hitting the Giants' running backs, New York brought him back.

This year, Corbin has a very different challenge in front of him regarding making the roster. 

In addition to Tyrone Tracy Jr and Eric Gray, both of whom figure to be a part of that running back committee, Corbin will likely battle it out against rookie Dante “Turbo” Miller, who could have an advantage if he proves he is effective as a kickoff returner.

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