Breaking Down the Top Giants UDFAs and Their Chances of Making the Roster

There's no tougher road to the NFL than that of an undrafted free agent. For many of them, their time in the league will be reduced to those few days of rookie minicamp.

Everything is against them; time, draft capital, money, and, most importantly, the depth chart. Adding to the difficulty this year is a large draft class. The Giants drafted ten players. Many of these players will be lucky if they can make the team's practice squad.

In recent years undrafted free agents have been making rosters in greater numbers. The rising veteran minimums make it more cost-effective to keep the back end of a roster as young and inexperienced as possible.

This has been a curse for many fringe veterans but a blessing to many undrafted free agents. The Giants will welcome 15 UFAs to the camp roster, where they will compete with others.

Here's a look at who has a shot at making the final roster, who will be looking to make an impression for another team or league, and why?

OT Kyle Murphy, Rhode Island | OT Tyler Haycraft, Louisville

Adding two more UDFAs on the line after drafting three seems overkill, and it may just be. If either of these guys makes it, the separator will most likely be flexibility.

While Haycraft is a very good story, Murphy has played every position on the offensive line. Both could be considered at center given the uncertainty of that position, but it would be difficult to beat veterans out who know what it is to be in the trenches.

I could definitely see one of these linemen making it on the practice squad, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Murphy's versatility get him a call next season.

RB Javon Leake, Maryland

When you are the only rookie at a position on a team, it gives you a little more confidence in your chances of making the final cut.

Luckily for Leake, the Giants running back room is not packed with proven talent, outside of Saquon Barkley and 29-year-old Dion Lewis.

What will help Leake in his pursuit of a place on the 53-man roster is if he can show the ability that made him Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year.

The Giants need to upgrade their return game, and they have to believe that Leake could be the answer. He will get every opportunity to prove he can.

TE Rysen John, Simon Fraser College BC Canada | TE Kyle Markway, South Carolina

The tight end was a position that many felt the Giants needed to address in the draft given the injury history of Evan Engram. The Giants might not have drafted any reinforcements at this spot, but they're still going to take a look at John and Markway, who have an opportunity to impress.

Even without the injury history, the problem for Markway is that he is not a better blocker than any of the tight ends they already have, and he doesn't present the passing threat of Engram or even second-year tight end Kaden Smith who make strides last season as a rookie.

That leaves John, who is an intriguing receiving tight end prospect because of his height (6'7.5") and his ability as a wide receiver. He seems like a stash-and-develop type of player, but he was a third-round pick in the CFL and might decide that it could be more beneficial playing than hanging out on an NFL practice squad.

If he is a legitimate match-up problem, he could have a shot at making the team as the fourth tight end based on Jason Garrett's affection for multiple tight end sets.

WR Derek Dillon, LSU | WR Austin Mack, OSU | WR Binjimin Victor, OSU

There are two slot receivers and one outside receiver in this talented group of UDFAs. Honestly, all three of these receivers have the talent to make this team, but do they have enough talent to contribute right now or supplant one of the incumbents?

Victor is the X-receiver of the three. Mack and Dillon are very similar players. Both work very well in traffic and have the ability to stretch the field.

The decision will probably be made by whoever brings something to the table on special teams as a gunner, and I would give that edge to Dillon.

Also, it will be interesting if one of these guys can make a veteran receiver at the bottom of the depth chart expendable.

DE Dana Levine, Temple | DE Oluwole Betiku, Illinois | Edge Niko Lalos, Dartmouth | LB Dominique Ross, UNC

This year is not the year to be an undrafted free agent playing linebacker or defensive back and to be on the Giants.

The linebacker room is packed! Nevermind the four linebackers taken in the draft or the signing of former Packers Blake Martinez and Kyle Fackrell. There are eight other linebackers on this roster. That's 14 before you add these four, and there's no way the Giants are keeping 14.

They'll likely keep between 8-10 linebackers, a mixture of edge and off-ball because of the nature of the defense. That means, at best, 18 guys are fighting for ten spots.

Realistically six of those spots are definitely accounted for. So 12 players are fighting for possibly four spots.

If one of these candidates can flash pass rush ability early, maybe they can push for one of the final spots, but it is more likely that one ends up on the practice squad, and of those, we would guess Lalos because his big body allows his to possibly play as a 4-tech.

DB Christian Angulo, Hampton | DB Malcolm Elmore, Central Methodist |DB JaQuarius Andrews, Mississippi State

The defensive back room is stocked full of talent and youth, making this a tough group for a UDFA to break into.

Most NFL teams keep eight or nine defensive backs on the active roster.

The fact that the Giants drafted three defensive backs to fill specific roles last year and two more this year to go along with the returning defensive backs like Jabril Peppers and Sam Beal, and free-agent corner James Bradberry, and we can't see where there would be room for any of these UDFAs to make the roster, barring injury.

It could be likely that one of these guys end up on the practice squad if he has a solid camp, but it is hard to envision any of them making the team.

QB Case Cookus, NAU

Unfortunately for Cookus, he is just a camp arm. Making things worse for him is that the quarterback room is filled with guys that are almost impossible to leapfrog.

The Giants signed veteran Colt McCoy, who will most likely serve as backup and mentor to starter Daniel Jones.

They also just recently acquired Cooper Rush, previously with Dallas, off waivers. Rush will have a leg up in understanding offensive coordinator Jason Jason Garrett's offense after spending three seasons with the Cowboys under Garrett.

That already makes Cookus the odd man out even before we get to Alex Tanney, who time with the Giants might finally be running out.