Giants Add O-line Prospect Josh Ezeudu with First Pick in Third Round

Giants general manager Joe Schoen didn't want to come out during Day 1 of the NFL and declare the offensive line rebuild finished following the selection of offensive tackle Evan Neal with the seventh pick.

That's probably because, in Schoen's mind, the rebuild was still in progress, and to that point, the team selected North Carolina offensive lineman Josh Ezeudu with the first of their two third-round picks.

One of the first things that jumps out about Ezeudu is that he's played significant snaps at every position on the offensive line except for center and right guard.

In four seasons for the Tar Heels, the 6-foot-4, 308-pounder mainly played at left guard (1,247 snaps, per Pro Football Focus), followed by left tackle (508 snaps) and right tackle (171 snaps).

Ezeudu has allowed 32 pressures in 1,079 pass-blocking snaps, a 98.2 pass-blocking efficiency rating. However, as Peter Schrager notes below, of interest is how the Tar Heels deployed him in a game.

Joshua Ezeudu, the Giants' pick, played tackle and guard...and did them on the same drives sometimes. On 1st down he'd play guard, then they'd move him to tackle for 2nd, and then back to guard for third down. Another chess piece for Daboll's O.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) April 30, 2022

Ezeudu missed the first two games of 2020 with a lower-body injury but returned to start ten games (three at right tackle, seven at left guard). He received third-team All-ACC accolades from league coaches and was an honorable mention all-conference pick in 2021 after starting nine games at left guard and two at left tackle.

Notes NFL.com's Chad Reuter of Ezeudu:

A guard prospect with technical kinks in need of being worked out, Ezeudu possesses the traits and athleticism to find an NFL home. Despite his impressive frame, he doesn't play with cohesive hands and hips, which limits his power zone and could prevent him from neutralizing NFL power. He's a more talented blocker on the move and could see a bump inconsistency if an offensive line coach can get him playing with more disciplined hands. His length and tackle experience are plusses, but he will allow occasional rush leakage due to soft edges. He has low-end starter potential with emergency tackle versatility.

The Giants loaded up on interior offensive linemen in free agency, but only one, Mark Glowinski, received a contract for more than one season. Ezeudu initially figures to be a backup for the Giants as they bring him up to speed technique-wise.

The Giants loaded up on interiror offensive linemen in free agency, but only one, Mark Glowinski, received a contract for more than one season. Ezeudu figures to initally be a backup for the Giants as they bring him up to speed technique wise.

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