Giants Offensive Line Was Biggest and Most Pleasant Surprise Among the Team's Units in 2025

Be honest.

If you had been told at the start of the 2025 season that the New York Giants offensive line would NOT be the team’s Achilles heel, would you have believed us?

Sure enough, that was indeed the case. Per PFF, the Giants finished with the fourth-best pass-blocking efficiency rating (87.6), allowing just 140 quarterback pressures all season long.

That’s a big jump from the prior season, the unit’s first under offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, and a season that, admittedly, was injury-plagued for the unit.

The Giants’ offensive line finished 30th in pass blocking efficiency (81.7) in 2024 and allowed 215 pressures, the fifth-most in the league.

That said, several players like center John Michael Schmitz and rookie tackle Marcus Mbow developed beautifully this season.

What about the run blocking? The Giants averaged 1.68 yards before contact, which was the seventh most in the league, per data from PFF.

Yes, part of that is on the running backs, but without the holes and creases created by the offensive line, then the running game doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

With that said, let’s dive into the offensive line player-by-player review. There’s a lot to like for continued improvement, but the unit could still use a few more pieces.

Andrew Thomas

Coming off of two injury-plagued seasons, Thomas spent the 2025 preseason rehabbing a foot injury and undergoing surgery.

He was finally ready in Week 3, and right away, his presence calmed down the mess that the left side of the O-line had devolved into in his absence.

Thomas produced impeccable pass-blocking efforts every week, completely locking down his quarterback’s blindside, while also regularly moving people off the line of scrimmage in the run game.

Thomas suffered a hamstring injury in Week 16 that kept him out of the team’s final two games. He finished the season having played 13 games, many of them rather dominating, and could have suited up for the final two games if they had been meaningful.

Just 26 years old, Thomas has 4 years left on his contract. Keeping him healthy remains an annual priority.

Jermaine Eluemunor

The team’s starting right tackle for the last two years, Eluemunor, was once again a very reliable pass protector and an indifferent run blocker in 2025.

In pass pro, he was consistently quick off the snap, which gave him instant positioning. At the same time, his deft feet in retreat and powerful upper body were usually more than enough to control his edge.

The nine-year vet looks like a much older man while run-blocking, but it’s his pass-blocking that is going to make him some money this coming offseason, as he’s a pending free agent.

On the plus side, Eluemunor has had very few health issues in his career, and edge pass blockers like him don’t grow on trees. The Giants need to protect their young franchise quarterback. We think the Giants will try to re-sign Eluemunor.

Marcus Mbow

The Giants’ rookie fifth-rounder started one game at right tackle and two games at left tackle in 2025. He played in 13 games in total and never once looked or played like a wide-eyed rookie.

His calm demeanor, intelligence, and reliability off the snap were easy qualities to like, but what got everyone excited were the light dancer’s feet that he brings to the table on every snap.

This level of movement doesn’t show up very often in the fifth round, but Mbow sure has the requisite mobility to move and block in space.

What he is sorely lacking is the anchor that got him pushed back into his quarterback’s lap much too regularly. He needs to live in the weight room this off-season and reshape a very sloppy upper body to better handle power.

If he can improve this component of his game, then he's got a real chance to compete for a spot on the 2026 O-line.

Mbow’s tape at tackle was not pretty, and he has some college experience at guard and center, where he could be a better fit inside. He sure has the look of a fifth-round steal, the type of late-round “hit” that this team desperately needs as it continues to build its roster.

James Hudson III

Signed this offseason as the swing tackle, Hudson had to step right in and start two games at left tackle right out of the chute.

It wasn’t pretty. Hudson was undisciplined, penalty-prone, and simply not up physically to the demands of the position.

Still, Hudson has another year left on his free agent contract, but no guaranteed money, making him a likely cap casualty who would yield a $5.3 million savings.

Of note, besides signing Hudson in the off-season, the Giants also signed OT Stone Forsythe, whom the Giants waived at the end of the summer while retaining Hudson.

Forsythe went on to start 13 games for the Raiders at left tackle. He might very well have been a much better candidate for that swing tackle job than Hudson.

Jon Runyan

In the middle of a 3-year contract with the Giants, Runyan started slowly as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery, which seemed to affect his upper-body strength.

Runyan played with less power early on, but the recovery process seemed to kick in around mid-season. He had a better second half, though.

Runyan is an average athlete with average movement and balance skills, but his technique work is solid, and so is his attention to detail.

Still a better pass protector than run blocker, Runyan will be playing for his next contract next year, which is usually a harbinger of a player’s best season yet to come.

Greg Van Roten

This 35-year-old vet is likely to be a one-year contract guy the rest of his career, a situation that would be very attractive to the Giants as they look to groom a young guard for the future.

Having Van Roten in your back pocket, even if only for depth, has value. This past year, Van Roten may have been the weakest link along the O-line, but he wasn’t always easy to exploit by the defense.

He was as assignment-true as anyone on the team; he was tougher than most, and he always played with a power base.

The league's athletes gave him problems because he’s limited in space, but he also made some plays on the long pull, which always seemed to surprise the defense.

The 2025 season was the third straight year that Van Roten started and finished all 17 games. He has experience at the center as well. He'll come cheap, and is probably as close to a no-brainer 1-year signing as this team has.

Aaron Stinnie

Another cheap 1-year contract guy, the veteran Stinnie stepped in at both guard spots this year when needed – starting one game -- and also suited up for all 17 games.

Like Van Roten, the 31-year-old Stinnie cannot be overpowered; he struggles in space, he has experience at center and guard, and he’s very reliable. The team could do worse than having Stinnie providing interior depth.

Evan Neal

The disappointing end of Neal’s tenure with the Giants has finally come to an end. The former first-round pick (No. 7 overall in 2022) was given three years to make it at tackle, where he failed, and then, when given another chance at guard, he failed there as well.

Neal could never keep up with the movement skills required of NFL blockers. A failure to stay healthy – another IR stint this year -- also hindered his development.

Over-sized blockers have played in this league, but Neal’s 6’7”-340 frame always seemed too big.

His next team will play him at guard and hope to harness his legit power game, but his lack of mobility will always be a major challenge.

Joshua Ezeudu

Ezeudu was drafted at the top of the third round in the 2022 draft, and like Neal, he’s been a career disappointment, mostly due to his numerous injuries.

Ezeudu flashed in the 2025 preseason at both tackle and guard, but then a calf injury sent him to IR, where he remained despite having his window opened in the last three weeks of the season.

A pending free agent, the Giants may bring him back on a 1-year contract and bet on him staying healthy. Ezeudu has a big body and solid movement skills, and he’s only 26 years old, so he might be worth the gamble.

John Michael Schmitz

Schmitz’s game took a significant leap in quality play this year, his third in the league. He emerged as one of the better centers in the league. There was no panic in his game, and a ton of clean, efficient blocking in both the run and, especially, the pass, which gave him consistently positive grades.

He missed four games with various bumps and bruises, which is a mild concern, as that’s been the case with him in each of his three seasons in the NFL.

Schmitz is the reason why you don’t give up on young players, as their development is never a straight line. The 2025 O-line was solid from start to finish, and Schmitz was a big reason why.

Austin Schlottmann

This 30-year-old veteran started the four games that Schmitz missed, and the offense barely skipped a beat. Schlottmann wasn’t as consistently efficient as Schmitz, but he played smart positional ball and ran the offense like a well-oiled machine.

The team has several depth options at center, so this pending free agent may be moving on, but he’s been valuable depth for his two years as a Giant.

At 30 years old, Schlottmann has a lot to offer a team looking for a starting center. He has a legit starting size, he’s very smart, he can also play guard, and he’s got tons of experience.

Bryan Hudson

One of the center depth options on the team is this 25-year-old who spent the entire season on the practice squad. Hudson was signed to the roster late in the year because the Giants did not want to lose him.

An undrafted free agent two years ago out of Louisville, Hudson has another year left on a reasonable contract and looks like an ideal interior depth piece. He’s a powerful interior player who played well in the preseason at both center and guard.

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