This is an earlier post that has been updated for the latest team status. Players that have been cut or opted out are crossed out.
Given that there are no preseason games it is questionable how much visibility fans will have into player’s preseason performance. With that might as well take an early shot as to what the final Giant team may look like for the start of the season. A projected 53 man roster is shown, followed by projected practice squad players and then projected players that will be challenged to make the team. Starters are listed in italics. Most would agree on the starters so I only listed a blurb on players projected for the 53-man roster that are not projected starters.
Quarterback
53 Man Roster: Daniel Jones, Colt McCoy, Alex Tanney
Practice Squad: Case Cookus Cooper Rush
Challenged: None
In his last major season as a starter Colt McCoy had a quarterback rating of 96.4 on 128 pass attempts in 2014. That did not qualify for a minimum 224 for a season to be ranked by rating. But if it did his rating would have been eighth best in the league that season.
Tanney has what you want in a backup quarterback with a second year starting quarterback. He brings a wealth of experience having been in the league eight seasons. Tanney has experience in multiple offenses having been on the Chiefs, Cowboys, Browns, Buccaneers, Titans (twice), Bills, Colts and Giants. When called upon he shown. In 2015 on the Titans he stepped in relief of Zach Mettenberger with an injured Marcus Mariota sidelined for the season finale. Tanney completed 10 of 14 for 99 yards and a touchdown. Though it was a small sample if you sort active quarterbacks by passer rating from 2014 to 2019 Alex Tanney is at the top with a 113 rating. In college Tanney broke nearly every school record during his time at Monmouth. Tanney holds the Division III record for career passing yards (14,249), career passes completed (1,205) and career touchdown passes (157). He won the The 2009 Melberger Award given annually to an outstanding U.S. college football player in Division III of the NCAA. He was a three year winner of Offensive Player of the Year in the Midwest Conference. Tanney has been an instrumental aid in Daniel Jones’ development. “Alex has been a huge help for me. He’s obviously been in the NFL for a while and knows the game really well,” said Jones. “He’s a super smart guy, someone I have a great relationship with and have leaned on to prepare and to get ready to play.”
Running Back
53 Man Roster: Saquon Barkley, Dion Lewis, Elijhaa Penny, Wayne Gallman
Practice Squad: Javon Leake, George Aston, Sandro Platzgummer, Tavien Feaster
Challenged: Jon Hilliman,
Over his last two seasons on Tennessee Dion Lewis ran 37% of his attempts behind center and 57% between tackles Those numbers are similar to his last season on the Patriots in 2017. There he ran 33% at center and 62% between the tackles. He had a much bigger workload on the Patriots and averaged a 5.0 yards per attempt there.
Following his 2017 season on the Cardinals, Pro Football Focus said Elijhaa Penny’s strong-suit was as a blocker. In 2017 Penny graded out with a 75.7 pass-blocking grade and a 67.0 run-blocking grade.
In 2019 Wayne Gallman’s 9.5 yards after the catch per reception would be tie for third best in the league but he only had 11 receptions. He would have needed 19 receptions to qualify for season stats.His receptions per broken tackle of 5.5 would have been ninth best if his receptions qualified. In addition Gallman had zero drops on his targets. Gallman had a decent 3.8 yards per attempt on rushes.
Wide Receiver
53 Man Roster: Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, Darius Slayton, Corey Coleman,Cody Core, David Sills, Tony Brown ,C.J. Board, Damion Ratley
Practice Squad: Derrick Dillon, Cody White, , Johnny Holton, Alex Bachman, Austin Mack, , Binjimen Victor
Challenged: Da’Mari Scott,
In his last year at Baylor in 2015 Coleman had 1,363 receiving yards which was a 36% team market share. He was a Consensus All American and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award given to the outstanding receiver in American college football. He’s had a nondescript career on the Browns, Bills and Patriots. In his first year on the Giants in 2018 he played in 8 games and was targeted eight times. He had 5 receptions for 14.2 yards/reception, 8.9 yards/target and a 62.5% catch percentage. In 2019 Coleman tore his ACL in training camp and was out for the season.
Cody Core was a big part of the Giants 2019 special teams success. He led the team in special teams tackles with eight. Cody Core had pinned at least three punts inside the twenty last season,
In David Sills’ 2017 junior season in college he was first in the FBS in receiving touchdowns and in 2018 he was second. His 33 receiving touchdowns over his last two college seasons was the most in that time frame by eight touchdowns. At 6’3″ he is a good target in the red zone.4
Update: DaMari Scott has opted-out for the 2020 season.
Tight End
53 Man Roster: Evan Engram, Levine Toilolo, Kaden Smith, EricTomlinson
Practice Squad: Kyle Markway,, Rysen John
Challenged:Garrett Dickerson,
Levine Toilolo is the biggest tight end on the Giants. Toilolo has played in two Super Bowls. His 2016 season on the Patriots Levine average 13.9 yards per target which was second among all tight ends trailing Rob Gronkowski by 0.3 yards. Last season on the Super Bowl contender 49ers Levine was used primarily as a blocking tight end.
Among rookie tight ends in 2019 Kaden Smith was fourth in receptions, fifth in receiving yards and tie for second in receiving touchdowns. He was also fifth among rookie tight ends with 10+ targets in catch percentage, Smith performed decently as a blocker for a rookie tight end.
Offensive Line
53 Man Roster: Nate Solder, Will Hernandez, Spencer Pulley, Kevin Zeitler, Andrew Thomas, Matt Peart, Shane Lemieux, Nick Gates, Cameron Fleming, , Jon Halapio, Jackson Barton
Practice Squad: Kyle Murphy, Jackson Dennis, Tyler Haycraft, Chad Slade
Challenged: Nate Wozniak, , Eric Smith,
According to Pro Football Focus Matt Peart had the No. 4 pass-blocking grade on the all-important “true pass sets” last season, and he graded at an impressive 90.1 in the run game. His run blocking grade went from 70.7 in 2018 to 90.1 in 2019. He was the anchor of an offensive line that produced two 1,000-yard rushers in 2018 and another 1,000-yard rusher in 2019.
Shane Lemieux started 52 consecutive games at left guard. He was named a first-team All-American as a junior and a second-team All-American as a senior. In 2019 he was second on the team with 51 knockdowns and did not allow a pressure, hurry or hit on the QB in three games. In 2018 he graded out as the No. 1 guard in the Pac-12 and the No. 3 guard in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus. In 2017 Lemieux graded out over 80 percent in pass blocking seven times by PFF. As a freshman in 2016 he started all 12 games at left guard and was part of an offensive line that led the way for 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing in the same game seven times.
For the 2019 season Nick Gates was Pro Football Focus’ highest graded Giants offensive lineman with a 77 grade. In college Gates started 35 games in his Nebraska career, including 25 straight at left tackle over his final two seasons, marking the longest starting streak at left tackle for a Husker since 2001.
Cameron Fleming started at right tackle for the Patriots in the 2018 Super Bowl and played 100% of the offensive snaps. During his NFL career Fleming has played at every line position except center.
Another unanswered piece to the roster is what the Giants will do with center Jon Halapio who is recovering from an Achilles injury.
Update: Nate Solder has opted out of the 2020 season. I project Matt Peart to join the starting roster at right tackle. The move also saves Chad Slade from challenged to make the roster.
Defensive End
53 Man Roster: Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence, B.J. Hill, R.J. McIntosh
Practice Squad: Niko Lalos
Challenged: None
In his rookie 2018 season B.J.Hill had the second most sacks by a rookie defensive lineman (5.5) and was graded by PFF as in the top five rookies at his position. His rookie season he also was fifth among defensive linemen rookies in quarterback hit.
In 2019 R,J McIntosh’s snap percentage went up to only 10% probably due to the talented depth of the defensive line. He had two sacks, five solo tackles, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. McIntosh had the highest percentage of sacks per snaps on the Giants averaging a sack every 57 snaps.
Nose Tackle
53 Man Roster: Dalvin Tomlinson, Austin Johnson,, Daylon Mack
Practice Squad: Chris Slayton
Challenged: None
In his last year in college in 2015 at Penn State Austin Johnson had 30 solo tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He was the only defensive tackle to achieve that in the Big Ten since 2015. He also returned a fumble 71 yards for a touchdown. Johnson has had five career passes defended in his four year NFL career.
Chris Slayton played all along the defensive line at Syracuse where he started every game for his last three seasons. He played mostly defensive tackle. In his last college year in 2018 at defensive tackle he had 8 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
Outside Linebackers
53 Man Roster: Markus Golden, Lorenzo Carter, Kyler Fackrell, Oshane Ximines, Carter Coughlin Cam Brown, Devante Downs
Practice Squad: Oluwole Betiku,
Challenged: , Dana Levine, Chris Peace, Dominique Ross
Kyler Fackrell is one of 16 active players that have had a season of 10+ sacks, 12+ quarterback hits, 12+ tackles for loss and 25+ solo tackles in one of their first four seasons over the last four years. Fackrell achieved this on the second lowest number of defensive snaps. That was his 2018 season playing only 59% of the defensive snaps. That 2018 season he also allowed only a 47.9 passer rating when targeted. He had 10 targets and allowed only 4 completions.
As reported by Pro Football Focus, Oshane Ximines finished the season with the 6th best pass-rush grade among rookie edge defenders (min. 400 snaps), ahead of two edge defenders selected in the first round last year. Among rookie players Ximines had the tenth most QB hits, twelfth most tackles for loss and eighth most sacks.
Carter Coughlin is the only college player that from 2017 thru 2019 had 20 Sacks, 36 Tackles for Loss, 8 Forced Fumbles and 90 Solo Tackles.
Cam Brown is in the 97th percentile for height and 95th percentile for arm length among combine linebackers. He is one of only eight college players that from 2017 thru 2019 had 85 solo tackles, 11 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles and 13 tackles for loss.
Inside Linebackers
53 Man Roster: Blake Martinez, Ryan Connelly, David Mayo, Mark McLaurin, Josiah Tauaefa, Tae Crowder, T.J. Brunson
Practice Squad: None
Challenged: None
In 2019, his first season on the Giants, he played the most defensive snaps of his five year career. He started 13 games and led all Giant linebackers in total and solo tackles. He was second on the team in both.Mayo was selected by Pro Football Focus as the Giants most improved player in 2019. This was due to his run support where he earned a run-defense grade of 90.1 that ranked second among all linebackers in the league..
Mark McLaurin played defensive back in college. McLaurin is one of only 11 players that over the last 5 college seasons have had 10 tackles for loss, 114 solo tackles, 8 interceptions and 18 passes defended.
Josiah Tauaefa had an 11.6% team market share of solo tackles in his 2018 last season in college. That is only 0.1% short of a percentage indicative of a potential All-Pro to Pro Bowl players since the 1989 NFL draft class. He was one of ten semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which recognizes the nation’s top linebacker. In the 2019 preseason Tauaefa was Pro Football Focus’s seventh highest graded rookie. In the 2019 regular season Tauaefa only took part in 22 defensive snaps. Three out of his four total tackles went for zero or negative yards while his two pass targets were completed but went for minus-1 yard.
Cornerbacks
53 Man Roster: Deandre Baker, James Bradberry, Logan Ryan, Corey Ballentine, Darnay Holmes, Sam Beal, Grant Haley, Brandon Williams, Isaac Yiadom
Practice Squad: Christian Angulo, Montre Hartage, Dravon Askew-Henry
Challenged: Malcolm Elmore, Shakial Taylor, Jarren Williams, Prince Smith, , KeiVarae Russell ,
In 2018 Corey Ballentine won the Cliff Harris Award which is given to the top defensive player in the country representing Division II, III and NAIA colleges and universities. According to Pro Football Focus, in his rookie season Ballentine ranked second among New York Giants’ corners in tackling.
Danay Holmes was one of four FBS players that over the last 3 seasons had a kickoff return for a touchdown, an interception returned for a touchdown and had two forced fumbles.
In Sam Beal’s 2017 last season in college he allowed the lowest passer rating in the MAC on throws into his coverage with a 35.2.
Grant Haley finished his 2018 rookie season on the Giants as the highest graded Giants cornerback by Pro Football Focus. He was the fifth highest graded cornerback in the NFC East that year with a 69.3 grade.
Update: As reported by head coach Joe Judge – “He’s (DeAndre Baker) not on our 90-man roster. Currently, he’s on an exempt list.”. Also Sam Beal opted out.
Safeties
53 Man Roster: Jabrill Peppers, Julian Love, Xavier McKinney, Nate Ebner, Jaquarius Landrews. Sean Chandler, Adrian Colbert
Practice Squad:Rashaan Gaulden, Chris Williamson
Challenged:
Last season among NFL 21 year old secondary players Julian Love allowed the second lowest passer rating (81) when targeted and he had the 15th lowest yards per target (6.6 yards) for secondary players under 25 years old.
During his rookie season on the Patriots , Nate Ebner played in 15 regular-season games and finished second on the team in special teams tackles (17). Ebner was named to the 2016 AP All-Pro Second Team at the Special Teamer position.
Jaquarius Landrews was one of only 16 FBS players in 2019 that had 45+ solo tackles, 1+ interception(s), 8+ passes defended and 77+ total tackles.
Special Teams
Riley Dixon, Casey Kreiter, Chandler Catanzaro Graham Gano
Practice Squad: Carson Tinker, Ryan Santoso
It is too bad all players can’t make the team. As stated in my post The 2020 Giants OffSeason Roster In A Positive Light this is a great assembly of players based on past performance, character and athletic ability. The latest news is that teams may be able to keep 90 man rosters to mid-August. At least the players will have a chance to prove themselves. Go Giants!
