Will Hernandez Signs with Arizona Cardinals

The Giants now have one member remaining from their 2018 draft class as the disappointing second-round pick heads west.

Author:
The Giants Maven News Desk
Publish date:
Mar 28, 2022 8:21 PM EDT

In this story:

Guard Will Hernandez, the Giants' second-round draft pick in 2018, is signing with the Arizona Cardinals, bringing what was once a promising-looking tenure to an end.

A thick, powerfully built player with a nasty demeanor on the field, Hernandez turned in his best seasons in his first two years as the Giants starting left guard.

But Hernandez was never quite able to build on that positive start in jumping from small UTEP to the NFL. His 2020 season was shortened by a bout with COVID-19, as he lost his starting left guard spot to rookie Shane Lemieux.

Then last season, Hernandez moved to right guard, but as was the case in the previous years, he struggled with handling stunts, going on the move, and being the enforcer he had shown signs of being in 2018 as a rookie.

He struggled to recognize and/or react to simple stunts and thus was continuously targeted by them. His solo pass-blocking, a strength of his early years, started to spring leaks.

There were times when Hernandez’s feet just refused to move, as if he were stuck in cement. His run-blocking had no power, his movement skills went south, and his combo-blocking, a chronic problem, never improved.

Despite the flaws in his game, Hernandez was a durable sort, only missing snaps this year due to a late-season sprained ankle suffered in the final game of the year. Those missed snaps and those brought on by COVID-19 and his subsequent benching--Hernandez struggled to regain his wind after recovering from COVID-19--were the only snaps he missed in his first four seasons as a pro.

Hernandez's departure leavers running back Saquon Barkley as the last Giants draft picks from the 2018 class, Dave Gettleman's first one after taking over for Jerry Reese.

Hernandez will sign with the Arizona Cardinals, where he'll reunite with Sean Kugler, his position coach at UTEP.