CBS Sports Reveals the Giants' Biggest Key "Homegrown" Player

The late George Young, general manager of the New York Giants, placed a premium on building teams through the draft, noting how that flow of young talent that the coaches could mold was a lifeline of any successful program.

For most of the last decade, that wasn't the case, but with a shift in organizational philosophy that so far has seen most of the draft picks made under general manager Dave Gettleman’s watch become part of the team’s fabric, there is growing optimism that brighter skies are ahead for the franchise.

One such draft pick that CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker has identified as the Giants’ key homegrown player for the coming season is second-year edge rusher Oshane Ximines, of whom Walker writes:

The guy from Queens is hoping to become the next King of New York, and he has the potential to do just that if he can build on his promising rookie debut. The former third-round pick walks into 2020, having delivered nine quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in only two starts, hinting at what could be stirring below the surface. He was available for all 16 games in 2019, and new head coach Joe Judge could look to lean on Ximines heavily if Markus Golden doesn't return to the club, as the Giants desperately look to replace the potentially lost pass-rush production.

The selection of Ximines out of the 24 other draft picks chosen by Gettleman currently remaining on the roster is a solid choice. Ximines played his college football at Old Dominion, a smaller program.

Typically NFL players coming from those smaller schools tend to have a steeper learning curve as they adjust to everything from the speed of the game to receiving more intense and detailed coaching.

Another significant leap for some players at a smaller school is the depth of coaching they receive.

Whereas some programs will delve into the details and finer points of technique, others might not have the time nor resources to allow for that, thereby leaving it up to players to rely more on their natural athleticism and strength, an approach that doesn’t fly in the NFL

In his rookie season, Ximines was solid, showing a level of maturity and commitment to learning and improving the tools in his toolbox. Per Pro Football Focus, Ximines, a third-round pick who was acquired with one of the draft picks the Giants received from the Odell Beckham trade with the Browns, finished in the top10 (out of 33) of all rookie edge rushers with a 62.3 pass-rushing grade.

Ximines, who recorded 4.5 sacks, also finished seventh among his rookie peers last year in sacks and eighth in total pass-rush pressures.

That’s not bad production for a young man who had to learn the nuances of developing a pass rush plan and who, at least in the beginning, appeared to rely more on his natural abilities more so than his technique.

With such a promising start in the books, there is undoubtedly room for Ximines to grow.

For starters, additional strength will help Ximines to hold up better against the run; at times, he gets washed out by a bigger opponent. If the goal is for Ximines to become a complete edge presence, it would not be surprising if this priority is near or at the top of his to-do list.

Then there is a matter of refining his pass rush. Ximines has a quick get-off that reminds one of another small school pass rusher who wore the Giants uniform—Osi Umenyiora out of Troy, a second-round draft pick in 2003.

But what Ximines didn’t show himself to have as he went through his rookie season was a pass rush plan, which is more than just having an approach as to how you’re going to attack your edge. The best pass rushers will have multi-level plans to attack their edge just if their opponents counter their initial plan.

With the Giants pass rush widely considered as the team’s biggest weakness, they’re going to need every man to step up and take a big leap forward.

Regardless if Markus Golden returns to the team—he’s received the UFA tender. If no other team signs him by the start of training camp, the Giants will retain the rights to Golden’s services.

But both Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge have indicated that the pass rush is going to be driven by the scheme.

So there should be no reason to think that Ximines won’t get his opportunities to build on his pass-rush production from his rookie season as