Giants Country

Can Jordon Riley Find a Roster Spot Despite Limited Experience?

Jordon Riley has talent but not a lot of experience. But can this seventh-round draft pick slip onto the 53-man roster in a rotational role?
Stephen Lebitsch|
Can Jordon Riley Find a Roster Spot Despite Limited Experience?
Can Jordon Riley Find a Roster Spot Despite Limited Experience?

In this story:

New York Giants

Jordan Riley, Defensive Tackle

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 325 pounds
2022 Stats*: GP 13 / GS 13, 21 tackles (7 solos), 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, one pass deflected

*College stats at Oregon, 2022

Defensive lineman Jordon Riley, one of the newest faces around the New York Giants facilities this summer, stamped his ticket to the Big Apple in April when he was selected 243rd overall in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. If you’re looking for a player who's already been a journeyman before reaching the professional level, then Riley is that guy.

The 24-year-old hails from New Bern, North Carolina, where he attended Riverside High School in Durham. He became a three-star prospect and ranked as the 13th-best player in the nation in 2016. After his senior season, he committed to the University of North Carolina to continue his football endeavors, but that wouldn’t be the destination he would stay throughout college.

Riley’s true freshman season with the Tar Heels saw him partake in just two games and six total tackles for the once highly-rated prospect, persuading him to transfer to Garden City Community College after a redshirt season in 2018. Playing lower-level ball in 2019, Riley managed to juice his stats and earned an offer to play with the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2020.

However, that stint would be short-lived and bear just five games played for Riley, and he ultimately transferred to his final destination with the University of Oregon in 2022. He started all the Ducks games and achieved the playing time he sought to garner NFL attention towards the coming draft.

Best Case Scenario

Riley is a seventh-round draft pick, so he already has a steep uphill climb to prove himself and make the regular season roster this year. He joins a defensive tackle room spearheaded by talented veterans Dexter Lawrence and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, stocked with good depth pieces behind them.

His collegiate resume isn’t overwhelming, but he has the blessing of competing against other "fringe" players. If Riley can do the little things right and unearth some of his intangibles that finally came to life in Oregon, perhaps he will steal a spot on the roster and earn the chance to learn from some of the best interior stuffers in the league during the 2023 season.

Worst Case Scenario

Riley has been nothing but a one-and-done player for every school he has played for, and that brings up at least one concern among others. That being his ability to grow comfortably within a system in the first year to immediately impact the field. Some NFL schemes are tougher to learn than the college game, which could leave Riley as a development project for his rookie campaign.

Beyond that, he needs work this summer to improve his interior pressure and pass-rushing abilities. His tackling is solid, but it will take better rushing prowess for that strength to even be a factor in the NFL against the sport’s premier blockers.

Given he is signed to the team already, the Giants could keep Riley on the practice squad to address these woes, thus not rushing him to the field too early. However, some guys are fast learners within certain systems, and perhaps he will squash that bug before the entire 2023 season has passed.

What to Expect in 2023

Short of being Brock Purdy, it is both difficult and unlikely that a seventh-round draft pick will come through and immediately impact their organization in their first season. That said, we’ve seen crazy performances from underdog players before, so maybe Riley emerges from the pack inspired and earns a fringe role this summer.

Due to his lack of consistency within systems and experience, I’m willing to hedge on him making the 53-man roster in 2023. Riley should make the practice squad to start the year and see how things go with injuries on the depth chart. 

Published
Stephen Lebitsch
STEPHEN LEBITSCH

“Stephen Lebitsch is a graduate of Fordham University, Class of 2021, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications (with a minor in Sports Journalism) and spent three years as a staff writer for The Fordham Ram. With his education and immense passion for the space, he is looking to transfer his knowledge and talents into a career in the sports media industry. Along with his work for the FanNation network and Giants Country, Stephen’s stops include Minute Media and Talking Points Sports.

Share on XFollow SLebitschSports
Home/Big Blue+