Each team hopes that what they see in a draft prospect from college translates into an equivalent strength in the NFL. Here is a prospect for each draft since 2016 that showed glimpses of their strengths from college.
2016 Sterling Shepard
PFF scout report – good hands just four drops from 89 catchable passes thrown his way
NFL – sure hands
2020 10th best in drop % (1.3%)
2019 13th in drop % (1.2%)
2017 Evan Engram
Combine – Speed – 4th fastest forty time among tight ends since 2000
2018 – led league in receiver separation (4.4 yards)
2018 Saquon Barkley
PFF scout report – Breakaway % (% of yardage on big plays) – 5th, 3rd and 3rd in the nation last 3 years in college in breakaway percentage
Rookie NFL season – Highest yards on rush plays of 10+ yards.
2019 Darius Slayton
11th in Avg career receiving yards (20.3) with 1000+ receiving yards (college)
15th in nfl in yds/rec since 2019 (min 50 receptions)
2020 Xavier McKinney
PFF – Versatile, Scout Report: There have been only five safeties to play over 450 snaps in the box, slot and at free safety over the past two years, and only one of those five produced 70.0-plus grades at all three of those alignments — Xavier McKinney. Whether he was playing in coverage, rushing the passer or trying to stop the run, McKinney performed at a high level and produced grades above 79.0 in all facets in each of the last two years.
NFL – McKinney has showcased his versatility over the last two weeks (wk 15 2020) while seeing his playing time increase. In the last two games, McKinney’s snap counts at each position are as followed: 15 at EDGE, 10 at LB, 33 at SCB, 2 at outside CB, and 20 at FS. He had a 70 overall grade from PFF which was on track to be the highest graded rookie safety if he played enough qualifying snaps.
This is not a bad track record of selecting players that show the strengths they exhibited in college in their early NFL careers. How about the 2021 draft class.
2021 Kadarius Toney
PFF second best Yards after Catch receiver in draft class.
2021 Azeez Ojulari: 91.7 pass-rush grade
Highest among edge defenders in the 2021 NFL Draft
2021 Aaron Robinson
Physical, Versatile corner good in press coverage
We will soon see if the Giants continued to select prospects that carry their college strengths into the NFL. Only 81 days to the Hall Of Fame Game. Then the Giants will kickoff their preseason against the Jets shortly after.
