Is Tommy DeVito the Next Developmental Quarterback Prospect for the Giants?

Tommy DeVito, Quarterback

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 212 pounds
2022 Stats*: GP 13/ GS 13. 257 of 369 (69.6%), 2,650 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 141.2 Passing Efficiency Rating. 73 carries, 35 rushing yards, and 6 rushing touchdowns.

*College stats at Illinois

After playing with the Syracuse Orange from 2017 to 2021, quarterback Tommy DeVito entered the transfer portal and played his senior season with the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Playing in the always-competitive Big Ten Conference, DeVito thrived in his new school and put up remarkably efficient numbers. He put up a 69.6 completion percentage, threw 15 touchdown passes against just four interceptions, and even rushed for six touchdowns on the ground. The strong showing helped Illinois improve from a 5-7 record in 2021 to an 8-5 record in 2022 and a ReliaQuest Bowl berth.

With numerous accomplishments from his senior season, DeVito was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants on April 29. A native of Essex County, New Jersey, the 24-year-old should be a local fan favorite from the get-go, but can he become a successful project player and be part of the Giants’ plans?

Best Case Scenario

Daniel Jones will be the starting quarterback for the Giants in 2023 after signing a 4-year, $160 million contract extension. With help from Brian Daboll, Jones had a career year in 2022 and showed significant strides in his play style.

However, Jones’s success has cemented Daboll’s reputation as a quarterback guru, as he helped develop Josh Allen into an MVP candidate during his tenure as offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills. With this ability to nurture and develop young, talented quarterbacks, perhaps DeVito can be Daboll’s next successful project.

DeVito’s success with Illinois was remarkably similar to Jones’s breakout season in that they both played smart football and avoided turnovers, as shown in their respective touchdown-to-interception ratios.

DeVito’s own tools are similar to Jones’s in that he has better mobility than his rushing yard total would indicate and a very quick reaction time, along with good arm strength.

The best-case scenario with DeVito is he develops his craft under Daboll's watch to where he eventually becomes good enough to supplant Tyrod Taylor as the primary backup.

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Worst Case Scenario

Although DeVito shares some similarities with Jones, there is a big difference between the two. While having the tools to be successful, DeVito doesn’t have a true, high-end strength at the moment, which was a big reason why he went undrafted. On the other hand, Jones had enough high-end traits to be selected sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft and was quickly thrown into action in his rookie year.

As a result, DeVito will need plenty of time in the metaphorical oven before becoming an NFL-caliber player. However, if he doesn’t pan out, the Giants will be highly dependent on Jones continuing his success to be a competitive team. The last thing the Giants want is an ineffective quarterback carousel, which they had in 2020 and 2021 when they started quarterbacks like Colt McCoy, Mike Glennon, and Jake Fromm when Jones was injured.

What To Expect in 2023

Don’t expect DeVito to see playing time in 2023, as he still needs time to hone his skills. His throwing mechanics and scrambling ability both need work, two traits that serve as major advantages for Jones.

Something that should help DeVito’s development is his experience in two different systems. With Syracuse, he played in an Air-Raid offense, while he played in a more run-heavy offense with Illinois (the Giants currently use the latter type).

As such, there are many different directions that Daboll, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney can take with molding DeVito into an NFL-caliber quarterback if DeVito can show himself worthy of a spot on the practice squad.

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