Amari Rodgers

New York Giants: Offensive playmakers to target in the middle rounds

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New York Giants, Amari Rodgers

The New York Giants spent big in free agency this offseason to give quarterback Daniel Jones a competent stable of offensive weapons. New York gave Kenny Golladay a massive contract to be the Giants’ new alpha dog receiver. They also signed Kevin Rudolph to be a reliable tight end with the ability to make plays in the red zone.

But many get the sense that the Giants are not done adding playmakers this offseason. With three weeks until the 2021 NFL Draft, many still believe that the Giants will spend their first-round pick on an offensive weapon if the right one is on the board. But even if New York goes another route in round one, there are plenty of options on offense for them to consider adding in the middle rounds.

Mid-round offensive playmakers

Dyami Brown

UNC’s Dyami Brown is an intriguing option for the Giants to consider. This 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver has drawn comparisons to Giants route technician Sterling Shepard. Dyami Brown is a dynamic outside wide receiver that racked up over 1,000 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons for the Tar Heels.

Brown’s draft stock has him projected to go in the second or third round of the draft. Dyami to the Giants in round three would be an absolute steal if he falls to them. But taking him in round two is a safe bet. Primarily playing the X receiver role in college, Dyami Brown is an outside, vertical threat that has elite upside. He does not have any slot experience, but his skill set of great route running and physicality could translate and allow him to thrive in that role at the next level.

Dyami Brown is a playmaker. He hauled in 20 touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons. Per Pro Football Focus, Brown averaged 3.11 yards per route run last season, 14th among 68 qualifying draft-eligible wide receivers. Dyami is an intriguing wide receiver prospect that could turn the New York Giants’ offense into a dominant machine.

Brevin Jordan

Miami tight end Brevin Jordan had a disappointing Pro Day that could cause him to slip in the 2021 NFL Draft. But on film, Jordan is one of the more explosive tight ends in this draft class. Brevin Jordan has elite abilities after the catch with the ball in his hands. According to PFF, Jordan racked up 845 yards after the catch in his collegiate career.

Brevin is an undersized tight end that is a dynamic matchup weapon. But his Pro Day left a lot to be desired as Jordan’s RAS score came back at a lowly 4.52 out of 10. This is concerning considering many viewed Jordan as more “big athlete” than an actual tight end.

Brevin Jordan’s disappointing Pro Day could indicate a few things. It could indicate a fall in draft stock, causing him to slip and be a solid value selection for the Giants in the later middle rounds. But it could also indicate that Brevin is not the athlete many thought he was, or that he was not able to keep himself in shape and train properly for his Pro Day. If Jordan does have athletic or training problems, he could struggle to make it in the NFL. But there was enough electric play by Brevin Jordan during his collegiate career to make him a valuable mid-late-round pickup for any NFL team.

Amari Rodgers

The New York Giants cut veteran Golden Tate this offseason to save salary cap space. In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Giants could replace Golden Tate with his clone in Amari Rodgers. The two wide receivers have a near-identical playing style, a style that Daniel Jones greatly enjoyed playing with during his 2019 rookie season.

Golden Tate was a YAC king with a shorter body and a stocky frame. Amari Rodgers is in many ways the same. He has a running back build paired with quality route-running skills and an impressive catch radius for his size. Amari Rodgers thrived in 2020 as the primary receiver in Clemson’s explosive offense, racking up 1,020 receiving yards and 7 receiving touchdowns.

Amari Rodgers’s draft stock has hovered around the third or fourth round. Despite finding great success in an SEC offense, many have questions regarding Amari’s frame and how his skill set will translate to the NFL. Some have suggested that Amari moves to running back at the next level. But as a low-cost player for the Giants to take a flier on in the middle rounds, it is hard not to see the young Golden Tate similarities and fall in love with Amari Rodgers’s fit in New York.

New York Giants: Potential draft replacements for Golden Tate

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New York Giants, Amari Rodgers

The New York Giants are revamping their offense this offseason. The Giants averaged a putrid 17.5 points per game in 2020. Dave Gettleman and John Mara promised to add playmakers to New York’s offense this offseason. However, the Giants are tight on salary cap space and have begun cutting players to make room.

This week, the Giants released veteran wide receiver Golden Tate after two years with the team. Cutting Tate freed up $6.2 million in salary cap space. But now the Giants’ offense, which already lacked playmakers, is without its starting slot receiver. New York is already expected to target outside wide receivers in free agency and the draft, but they will need to find a new receiver to man the slot.

Thankfully, the 2021 NFL Draft is loaded with wide receiver talent. There are talented wide receivers for the Giants to target on the outside or in the slot. In the middle rounds, New York might be able to find a gem of a slot receiver to replace Golden Tate.

Slot receiver in the 2021 NFL Draft

Amari Rodgers

Golden Tate’s key strength throughout his career in the NFL has been his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. He was touted as a “YAC King” because of his playmaking ability. Clemson’s Amari Rodgers is a gym rat whose game mirrors Golden Tate’s in multiple ways.

Rodgers topped 1,000 receiving yards in Clemson’s offense this season along with 7 touchdowns on 77 receptions. He is a shorter wide receiver at 5 feet 9 inches but he has a surplus of strength and size at 211 pounds. Amari Rodgers moves like a running back but is aggressive at the catch point and has the ball skills of an outside wide receiver.

Amari is an exciting slot receiver prospect. He has reliable hands and solid athleticism, combined with his stocky build and physical playing style. Rodgers looks like a young Golden Tate clone at times on the field. In the 2021 NFL Draft, Amari Rodgers is expected to be drafted in the later rounds, making him a perfect target for the Giants to take a chance on as an additional slot receiver.

Amon-Ra St. Brown

USC has been churning out talented wide receiver prospects on an annual basis. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Michael Pittman Jr., and now, Amon-Ra St. Brown. The brother of the Green Bay Packers’ Equanimeous St. Brown, Amon-Ra, is entering the NFL this year. While he played primarily on the outside in college, St. Brown could find himself playing a slot receiver role at the next level.

Amon-Ra is a 6 foot 1 inch, 195 pound wide receiver that the Giants could consider targeting in the second or third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. St. Brown is skilled at the catch point and demonstrated versatility in college. He lined up in the slot and outside and made plays from both positions. St. Brown was a playmaker for USC, recording 13 touchdowns in his final 19 games along with 1,520 receiving yards.

His experience in the slot and outside could make St. Brown an enticing prospect for the Giants, a team that needs help at both wide receiver positions. His experience at both positions also gives Amon-Ra a full route tree at his disposable to unleash in his rookie season. Amon-Ra St. Brown might not be that dominant primary receiving threat the Giants are hoping to find, but he could be an excellent complimentary piece in Jason Garrett’s offense.

Elijah Moore

The Giants could target an exciting slot receiver prospect out of Ole Miss in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Elijah Moore is the next best receiver prospect to enter the league out of Ole Miss. Of course, DK Metcalf and AJ Brown are Ole Miss products that have turned into dominant primary receivers for their respective NFL teams.

Elijah Moore is projected to be a prototypical slot receiver in the NFL, despite playing his fair share of snaps on the outside in college. Moore is a tough receiver that is not afraid to make ugly plays over the middle of the field. He runs some impressive routes and has some of the most reliable hands in the draft class. Moore only dropped 2 passes in his 2020, per PFF.

He did line up outside sometimes, but Elijah Moore only faced press coverage 38 times. Elijah looks plays like a young Cole Beasley and should make an impact immediately in the NFL as a slot receiver.

New York Giants: 2 lowkey receivers to target in the mid-rounds

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New York Giants, Amari Rodgers

The New York Giants will look to upgrade their offense this off-season, but where they allocate their assets is yet to be seen. The expectation is that they will target at least one wide receiver in free agency, but the 2021 NFL draft offers them plenty of quality options to choose from. In fact, this might be one of the deepest classes at wide receiver in recent memory, and that is coming off a plush 2020 draft.

After averaging just 17.5 points per game, the Giants would be foolish not to deliver Daniel Jones fresh weapons to utilize next season. Some might consider it malpractice, and the return of Saquon Barkley at running back will also bolster the unit. Nonetheless, if the Giants go with a player like Kyle Pitts with the 11th overall selection, they might wait until the mid-rounds to hit on receiver once again.

Two receivers the New York Giants can target in the mid-rounds:

1.) Tamorrion Terry

Terry is an interesting prospect out of Florida State, as he is composed of impressive size and big playability. At 6’4” and 203 pounds, Terry is able to beat defenses on go-routes and double moves. He might be a perfect scheme fit for the Giants and Jason Garrett, given his ability to high point catches and come down with contested balls. In 2019, he posted nine touchdown catches, averaging 58 yards per reception on those scores.

One of the most exciting qualities Terry possesses is not only his deep-ball ability but also after the catch. A massive wingspan offers security for the quarterback, but his major problem is dropping the football, something the Giants are used to with TE Evan Engram. His lack of technique is the culprit, which is something that can be adjusted at the NFL level.

Considering his size, it is exciting to see a player with room to grow at 22 years old. He’s a player I would target in the third round if were GM Dave Gettleman.

2.) Amari Rodgers

Rodgers had a fantastic 2020 season with Clemson, hauling in 77 catches for 1020 yards and seven touchdowns. He was Trevor Lawrence‘S go-to guy, but as a primary slot receiver, he might fit a solid role for the Giants with the expectation they will move on from Golden Tate this off-season.

Rodgers has reliable hands and plays physical football, which matches up perfectly with head coach Joe Judge and his hardnose style. Since Garrett plays a more West Coast-style offense the focuses on short to intermediate passes, Rogers would likely thrive in this scenario. He has a third-round target on his head for the Giants, as he would fill a nice hole in the slot, so Sterling Shepard can feature outside.