Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Breaking Down the Top Giants Undrafted Free Agents on Defense
The Giants selected seven defensive players in the 2020 NFL Draft. To say the least, the team needed it.
New York ranked dead last in money invested in the unit in 2019, which prompted Dave Gettleman to sign the following free-agent players:
- CB James Bradberry: 3 Years - $45 Million: $16 Million 2020 Cap Hit
- MLB Blake Martinez: 3 Years - $30 Million: $10 Million 2020 Cap Hit
- OLB Kyler Fackrell: 1Year - $4.6 Million: $4.6 Million 2020 Cap Hit
- DL Austin Johnson: 1 Year - $1.5 Million: $1.5 Million 2020 Cap Hit
These contracts, combined with Leonard Williams' $16 million franchise tag, add up to a total of $48.1 million just for 2020.
Gettleman also extended David Mayo before the free agency period and added XFL defensive back Dravon Askew-Henry, formerly of West Virginia, ensuring that the defense would no longer be nebulous.
The unit needed to be fixed through big spending and the draft, which netted the selections of Alabama safety Xavier McKinney, UCLA cornerback Darnay Holmes, Penn State linebacker Cam Brown, and the three seventh-round picks at linebacker (TJ Bunson, Carter Coughlin, and Tae Crowder).
As I noted in my article about the undrafted free agents on the offensive side of the ball, UDFAs can select their destination and can put themselves in an optimal position to earn a roster spot, while maximizing their gains from a signing bonus perspective.
Teams have just north of $123,000 to allocate for 2020 undrafted free agents as a signing bonus this season. A highly regarded UDFA could command a $50,000 signing bonus, while others may only earn a $5,000 bonus.
As it’s a rush for teams after the draft to try and get desired players to latch onto their rosters, and the signing bonus is one way to entice them.
As I did with the offensive side of the ball, here are three UDFAs from the defensive side that that realistically could crack this roster and maybe even earn a role in the defensive rotation.
Edge Olawale Betiku, Illinois
There is a ton of upside with Betiku, who immigrated to America, from Nigeria, in his sophomore year of high school. In his first two years playing football, he was able to work his way into becoming a finalist for Maxwell Club’s National Player of the year, partly due to his 17 sack season.
He was very highly recruited and decided to stay in-state to play at USC. Betiku injured his hip while playing for the Trojans and decided to transfer to Illinois.
He only really played in his 2019 season because the rest of his college career was cut short due to the injury. Betiku had 37 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, and nine sacks in 10 games (missed three games with an injured ankle) during his 2019 campaign. Solid stats that are somewhat inflated by the way Illinois utilized him, which was as a slanting penetrator.
Either way, the injury led to uncertainty and Betiku fell out of the draft and into the Giants. As we all know, the Giants did not really address the EDGE position in the draft. They’re relying heavily on the development of Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines while hoping that Kyler Fackrell regains his 2018 production.
Can this work out of the Giants? Yes, but the depth at the position is concerning. Betiku has a realistic shot at cracking the roster. He’s 6’3", 250 pounds and has an injury history, but he’s explosive, can convert speed to power, and he’s raw, so the right teaching coaching staff could unlock some untapped potential.
Edge Dana Levine, Temple
A 6’4", 235-pound EDGE player who fell out of the draft, but had solid production--yeah, that’s someone the Giants should include on the 90-man roster.
His tape is solid, and he has the bend around the corner, and he can convert speed to power. His athletic ability is apparent on the tape, and he is twitched up, with good burst off the line of scrimmage.
He dealt with some injuries in his junior season and was more of a situational player in his senior year, which is one reason why he wasn’t drafted. Still, he had solid production in 2019: 32 tackles, 11 for a loss, and 5.5 sacks, while starting only four games.
According to Pro Football Focus, he had 29 pressures, so the pass rush juice is there; it just needs to be more consistent.
Levine could also get better against the run, which should come with coaching and a different playing style.
Like Betiku, Levine is coming into a situation where he’ll have a chance to make the roster. The Giants need EDGE help, and Levine, Betiku (or both) could contribute to the position group.
LB Dominique Ross, North Carolina
Ross fits the current Giants mold: versatile, tough, smart, while also having that quick trigger to explode downhill aggressively. I love his aggressive, quick acceleration when he goes in for a hard-hitting tackle.
Ross is 6’3", 225 pounds, and he seems to have more athletic ability than seventh-round draft picks TJ Brunson and Tae Crowder.
Coach Joe Judge preaches versatility, and Patrick Graham’s defense seems to have versatility in his criterion, so it makes sense that Ross was a UDFA target. According to Pro Football Focus, Ross lined up 328 times as a slot corner, 185 times on the defensive line, and 162 times in the box as a linebacker.
His coverage skills are solid; he seems to stay in phase in the short to intermediate, so man coverage isn’t an issue. He’s also a solid blitzer from the second level that can rush the passer off the edge, although he’s not a true EDGE rusher.
Ross had 12 pressures in 2019 while recording 2.5 sacks, 60 tackles, 6 for a loss, and one interception. His explosive nature, quick burst, acceleration, and other athletic traits will assist him in making this roster.
I see Ross earning his way onto specials early, with a chance of beating Brunson or Crowder out for a roster spot. Ross’s ability to execute different roles will appeal to the coaching staff, so that could give the UDFA an advantage. I like this signing by the Giants.
