There are plenty of reasons for optimism around the New York Giants as training camp approaches.
One of the biggest reasons for optimism as we march toward training camp? The youth on the Giants’ roster. In fact, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz ranks the Giants ninth in the NFL in terms of talent under the age of 25. The Giants feature one of the youngest rosters in the NFL and will be looking to their youngsters as contributors in every position group.
The Giants have had a relatively young team for a while now,
though that was masked by age outliers like Graham Gano, Russell Wilson, and Greg Van Roten. Now, the youth movement has become more obvious as the team has moved away from those veterans.
ESPN summarized the Giants’ under-25 talent this way:
Last year’s rank: 4
Blue chips: Edge Abdul Carter, QB Jaxson Dart, OT Francis Mauigoa, WR Malik Nabers, LB Arvell Reese
Notable graduated players: S Tyler Nubin, Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux
The Giants’ young talent is very top-heavy, with five recent first-round picks that I identified as blue chip players. The youngest among them is Reese, who is 20. Mauigoa is 21, and Carter is 22. Dart and Nabers are both 23.
Below the first round of the draft, the Giants found running back Cam Skattebo, who is now 24. They also have cornerback Colton Hood (21) and nickelback Dru Phillips (24).
Chris’ thoughts
We’ve been saying for a while now that, despite an influx of veterans, the Giants have a lot of young talent. Seeing all their young players listed out like this just serves to drive that home, and it could bode well for their long-term prospects.
In fact, the Giants may even have a deeper resevior of young talent than even Schatz lists.
- WR Malachi Fields is 22 years old and has the potential to be a go-to target in the endzone.
- Rookie LB Jack Kelly is 23, and has the chance to become a regular contributor on defense as well as special teams.
- If kicker Dominic Zvada returns to his 2024 form and proves to be a good NFL kicker, he could win the placekicking job. Zvada is 22 year.
- Longsnapper Ben Mann could likewise be a long-term answer for the special teams and is 24.
As it stands, the Giants are the only team in the NFL with more than four “Blue Chip” players under the age of 24. If those other players can become significant contributors, half of their starters or regular contributors could be 24 or younger.
That also, of course, doesn’t count players who would otherwise be considered “young” but are 25 and older.
- TE Theo Johnson, DL Darius Alexander and Bobby Jamison-Travis, and CB Deonte Banks are all 25, as are the aforementioned Thibodeaux and Nubin.
- TE Isaiah Likely, S Jevon Holland, RB Tyrone Tracy, CB Greg Newsome II, S Ar’Darius Washington and LB Micah McFadden are all 26.
It’s also notable that the Giants are the only team in the NFC East that cracked the top half of the list. The Philadelphia Eagles ranked 18th, the Dallas Cowboys ranked 24th, and the Washington Commanders ranked 25th.
In previous years, the Giants’ youth has been a double-edged sword, as mistakes and inexperience cost them games, and coaching staffs failed to develop the young talent. Now, however, the environment could be right for the Giants to finally get the most out of their youngsters.
If the Giants can step up their player development, the fact that half of their (likely) 53-man roster could be 26 or younger cold set them up to be very competitive for a long time to come. Player development has, of course, been the Giants’ Achilles heel over the last decade and a half. However, if John Harbaugh can bring stability and an environment in which young players can reach their ceilings, the Giants’ youth could be one of their greatest strengths.
