New York Giants Training Camp Player Preview: IOL Josh Rivas

Undrafted free agent offensive lineman Josh Rivas has an intriguing set of tools with which to work. Can he etch out a spot for himself in what's a crowded Giants interior offensie line group?

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Jul 6, 2022 8:00 AM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

Kansas State offensive lineman Josh Rivas is a four-year letter winner who was a staple at guard throughout his career, playing in 46 games with 23 starts. A durable sort, he never missed a game while in college, starting with his 12 games played as a redshirt freshman in 2018.

He played both guard positions during his first two seasons before settling in at left guard during his junior and senior year and earned All-Big 12 honors in 2019 and Honorable Mention in 2021 as a senior.

Last season, Rivas didn't allow a sack on 362 pass-blocking snaps. A physical mauler in the run game, he was instrumental in helping the Kansas State running game tie for second in the Big 12 with 29 rushing touchdowns and to a sixth-place ranking in school history with a 4.83 yards per carry average.

Rivas played his high school ball at Hutchinson High School. ESPN rated him as the 50th-best guard in the Class of 2017. ESPN and 247Sports also ranked him as the third-best player in Kansas.

What He Brings

Rivas is 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds. He has solid overall movement skills and displays a fundamental understanding of climbing, locating, and sealing second-level defenders away from the ball carrier's path.

Rivas also does a solid job exploding out into his assignments. He brings good power to the point of attack and leverages his hands well. He can be a developmental asset in the Giants' quick-hitting offense and screen game.

Rivas's biggest issue right now is his feet. He sometimes struggles with speed rushers and tends to bend at the waist, which results in his overextending or reaching into his blocks, resulting in a loss of balance. He also needs to get into the habit of keeping his feet moving to keep any momentum he gains going.

Rivas doesn't necessarily have quick foot speed to cover a lot of ground, and his ability to get to the second level in a flash sometimes gets called into question. But there's no question that he plays with a mean streak and a determination to dominate his opponent.

His Contract

Rivas signed a three-year contract worth $2.562 million, including a $2,500 signing bonus. His first-year cap figure is $705,833; if he doesn't make the roster, he'll drop $833 in dead money into this year's cap and the balance of his signing bonus into the 2023 cap.

Roster Projection/Expectations

The Giants are jam-packed with interior offensive linemen, but that doesn't mean that they don't have some room for some developmental prospects. With a little refinement, Rivas has some strong attributes that could help him land on an NFL 53-man roster.

For now, he'll need a strong enough camp to grab a spot on the practice squad. If Rivas plays with the intensity he brought to the Wildcats, that should come as no problem.