Giants UDFA Ryan Schernecke Brings Division II Dominance and Serious Upside to Offensive Line

The New York Giants made it a priority in the offseason to bolster both the offensive and defensive lines. With a new head coach like John Harbaugh and the old-school philosophy of building your team from the inside out, this makes perfect sense.

The offensive line, in particular, in Baltimore was a big unit with massive bodies, looking to move defenders out of the way. That seems to be the direction they're going with the talent they're acquiring.

Because the offensive line is fairly intact from the 2025 version, there wasn't much to do initially. But when developing the talent on the offensive line, you could see the fingerprints of Harbaugh all over those selections.

At 6-foot-8 and 330 pounds, Ryan Schernecke matches that philosophy and is the perfect type of developmental offensive lineman you want on a team.

He was a decorated Division II offensive lineman who utilized his size and brute force to dominate at that level. Now the Giants hope to refine his technique, increase his functional strength, and turn him into a future starter.

RYAN SCHERNECKE, OT

Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 330 lbs.
Exp: R
School: Kutztown
How Acquired: UDFA-'26

2025 in Review

Schernecke was one of the leaders of a Kutztown squad that went 14-1 on the way to a semifinal loss to Harding.

Their offense was one of the most balanced in the country. They averaged 218.9 yards per game on the ground, 50 touchdowns, and a whopping six yards per rush. He opened up holes for several rushers in their backfield by committee.

Through the air, they averaged 213.9 yards per game and 31 touchdowns while he protected Harlon Hill finalist, quarterback Judd Novak.

Individually, he was recognized in his conference and throughout the country for his dominance. He was named an All-PSAC East First Team selection for the second time in his collegiate career.

He also garnered Second Team All-American honors from D2CCA, AFCA, and the Associated Press. He finished fifth in voting for the Gene Upshaw Award presented to the best offensive or defensive linemen in Division II.

He received an invite to participate in the Hula Bowl, which helped to raise his profile against Division I competition.

He also participated in pro days at Temple and Lehigh. It was at Lehigh's pro day that he caught the attention of a Giants scout and former All-Pro offensive lineman, Chris Snee.

Contract/Cap Info

According to Spotrac, the Giants signed Schernecke as an undrafted free agent to a three-year, $3.135 million deal. His contract included a $35,000 signing bonus, $282,500 in guaranteed money, and an average annual salary of $1.045 million.

This season, he is scheduled to make a base salary of $885,000, which includes his signing bonus. He will carry a cap hit of $896,666 and a dead cap value of $282,500.

2026 Preview

There's probably very little chance that Schernecke is able to make the final 53-man roster as a rookie, based on the immense amount of depth the Giants now have on the offensive line.

But again, Giants fans should not look at that as the goal. What will be important for him to show is that he belongs. Anytime you go from Division II to the NFL, there's going to be a period where you need to adjust to the power, size, and speed of the game.

If he can show that he doesn't look out of place amongst all these elite talents, it will go a long way toward laying the foundation for his future development. There is no pressure for Schernecke to play right now, or even be a contributor.

For the first time in a long time, the Giants are blessed with depth and health on the offensive line. They have both tackles returning and two draft picks with extensive Big Ten experience who will most likely back them up.

Schernecke's focus should be on competing and closing the gap that comes from not competing against elite-level competition on a week-to-week basis.

He will likely land on the practice squad, where he'll continue to have a chance to get bigger, faster, and stronger while also acclimating himself to the pro game. It is likely the best-case scenario for both the player and the team, in what could end up being a great relationship.

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