Corey Coleman

New York Giants: Forgotten Wide Receiver Making Big Strides

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New York Giants Corey Coleman

It’s easy to forget about some of the less famous receivers for the New York Giants with a lot of the attention from the press and the fans rightfully going to Sterling Shepard, who recently signed a large contract for four years, as well as Golden Tate, who joins the team from the Eagles as one of the better slot receivers in the league. There’s also others such as Cody Latimer and Russell Shepard, both of whom are among the players that will fight to work their way up the depth chart this offseason.

So it’s forgivable to forget about Corey Coleman. The receiver is on his fourth team but this will be his second year with the Giants after joining the organization in 2018, and from the looks of it, the Giants may have found a player that they can keep around – even if other franchises haven’t seen the same value in Coleman, who bounced between the Bills and Patriots in 2018 and found a home with neither.

“Who was the Z, who was the X, he’s very interested in all that. He’s learning our system, he’s doing a great job learning it. He’s fast, he’s really a terrific talent, so hopefully we can get him on the field and make a difference for us,” head coach Pat Shurmur told Giants.com on the subject of Coleman.

“I’ve got a lot of great people around me. Starting from the ground up, you get to build a base. I get to know the Day 1 install instead of coming in halfway during the season [when it is] just game plan stuff. So it’s helped a lot,” Coleman himself stated.

Shurmur also spoke about just what Coleman added to the team after joining it last season. “As we all know, we really didn’t have an established punt returner to start the year, one that we were total comfortable with. He was able to come in and help the return game. He was basically on kickoffs and then he worked on his punts,” Shurmur said.

“Then he made a couple plays in the passing game at wideout, he got more and more comfortable. He’s getting more and more comfortable now. I think him having the full process, we are going to see the best of him.”

Both Coleman and Russell Shepard commented on the state of the receivers room right now, praising it. Coleman specifically claimed that not every team has a group of players such as the Giants.

“I know this dude next to me, if I need help – ‘Hey, what do I have on this?’ – he helps me out, he knows it’s the same with me. It’s really rare to be in a receiver room like that,” Coleman said.

Hopefully, that early chemistry carries over into the season and is enough to bring the Giants more wins in 2019.

New York Giants: How does Cody Latimer fit into the offensive?

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

One of the more forgotten about New York Giants receivers, Cody Latimer, is hoping to not only break out of an injury funk but to also emerge as an impactful contributor during the 2019 season.

The Giants signed the former Denver Broncos second-round pick in 2018 to a one-year deal, but he only managed to feature in six games. During that stretch, however, he displayed enough quality and production to prove his worth and earn another prove-it year style contract.

Earning 190 yards and a touchdown in his lone season with the Giants, Latimer has the potential to be a solid pass-catcher veteran quarterback Eli Manning post-Odell Beckham Jr.

What does Cody Latimer bring to the New York Giants?

While only spending a small portion of 2018 on the field, he put on a show with his speed, averaging 11.0 receiving yards per target, easily the highest of his five-year career. He also averaged 17.3 yards per scrimmage touch, an impressive number that will likely hover around that range with Big Blue.

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Having both Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate as possession receivers, it’s expected that Latimer will play primarily as a deep-ball option. Additionally, he will have to fend of Corey Coleman for the No. 3 receiver spot — the final starting slot. Rookie Darius Slayton, who has emerged as a rising star during camp, could steal reps away given his elite speed and quick development since his tough inception with the Giants.

His 4.4 speed might scream deep-ball, but Latimer has good hands (68.8%) catch rate and can act as a red-zone option at 6-foot-2. The veteran seemed to already be developing chemistry with rookie passer Daniel Jones this spring, making him a better option and a potential keeper if Manning is replaced in 2020.

Latimer is an interesting player and one to keep an eye on. If he remains healthy he can play an important role on the offense.

New York Giants: How Darius Slayton will make an impact in 2019

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New York Giants, Darius Slayton

The New York Giants drafted wide receiver Darius Slayton in the fifth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and his qualities match up perfectly with what head coach Pat Shurmur wants to do.

Having elite speed is only one facet of becoming a quality pass-catcher in the NFL. Slayton, who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, brings that with him from Auburn. His quickness off the line of scrimmage and ability to break out into the open field is deadly, and something the Giants will look to utilize early and often in his young career.

The New York Giants are getting a glimpse of what Slayton can do:

To start the offseason, Slayton looked as if the Giants plucked him off a high school field — dropping every ball thrown his way and looking like a bigger mistake than positive influence. Since then, he’s emerged as one of the top rookies of the summer for Big Blue, earning first-team reps with teammate, CJ Conrad. The two rookies were the only players to earn reps with the starting team, an indication of their quality and progression so far.

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The reality is, Slayton will likely play a specific role in 2019 — I imagine as a wide-receiver screen and deep ball specialist. His speed gives him the ability to beat corners deep while Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard draw attention from the top corners on the opposing defense.

I would like to see Shurmur utilize Tate and Shep as blockers on the outside in a trips formation, throwing the ball to Slayton to see if he can break through into the secondary. It will be interesting to see how the Giants get him on the field and in what capacity.

He will ultimately be fighting off Corey Coleman and Cody Latimer for playing time this year, but he’s more than capable of stealing some reps away from the veterans.

New York Giants could cut veteran wide receiver this offseason

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

As we head towards training camp for the New York Giants, specific position battles will begin to take shape that will result in several surprising cuts.

Units such as the tight end group and wide receivers have tons of value and depth that will be weeded out over the course of the next few weeks. The pass-catchers are the most interesting of the bunch, as the Giants have Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard firmly planted in the No. 1 and 2 roles.

Behind the two starters, it’s a race for the No. 3 job, where things could get interesting and players could be cut. With Corey Coleman making a comeback and planning to be more influential going into his fourth NFL season, it presents a legitimate issue for Cody Latimer.

What does Cody Latimer offer the New York Giants?

Latimer, a straight-away speed type of player, could be on the chopping block given his injury in 2018 and lack of production in the Giants offense. If Coleman proves he’s a more capable option — he’s a better route runner, it could leave the Giants and head coach Pat Shurmur no choice but to cut Latimer.

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By letting him go, the team would save $1M in cap space that could be allocated towards a position of need — defensive line or linebackers. However, Latimer has a very fair shot to make the team and earn the starting job, which could put Coleman in jeopardy.

One of the two will likely be a cut-candidate after training camp and the Giants begin to thin out the roster down to the active 53-man squad.

New York Giants: Cody Latimer To Compete For Third Wide Receiver Position

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New York Giants, Cody Latimer

The New York Giants‘ receiving corps has been completely rebuilt in the 2019 NFL offseason. The Giants traded away their best wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., then replaced him with Golden Tate. They also extended Sterling Shepard, solidifying Shep and Tate as their primary receivers.

With those two receiver positions solidified, the Giants need to figure out their third receiver position. They have a plethora of options to choose from, including Corey Coleman, Darius Slayton, and Cody Latimer.

Coleman was picked up midseason by the Giants in 2018. He is young and unproven but has a ton of untapped potential. Slayton was selected by Big Blue in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has looked solid in camp so far, but might not be ready for a starting position.

The Giants’ third option, Cody Latimer, was with the team all of 2018. He dealt with some injuries but flashed potential when he was on the field.

Cody Latimer Stats And Highlights

Cody Latimer played in 6 games for the New York Giants in 2018. Cody dealt with injuries that kept his playing time extremely limited. Latimer suffered a hamstring injury on Thursday Night Football against the Eagles in week 6, placing him on injured reserve. However, Latimer flashed his abilities as a deep threat playmaker when he was on the field.

Latimer was targeted 16 times in 2018. He hauled in 11 of those receptions for an impressive 17.3 yards per reception. This high yards per reception number demonstrates Cody Latimer’s big play ability.

Cody Latimer had 190 yards on those 11 receptions. He also added 1 touchdown. This touchdown was an impressive one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone versus the Dallas Cowboys. Check it out:

 

This was one of several acrobatic catches that Latimer made in 2018. That catch came in week 17, ending the season on a major high note for Latimer. According to Pro Football Focus, his 93.9 overall grade against Dallas in Week 17 was the 3rd highest overall single-game grade for any WR in the 2018 regular season (min 15 snaps).

In that game, Cody totaled a season-high 72 yards. He was targeted 6 times and recorded 4 receptions, plus that incredible touchdown catch. This is what lead to his high PFF grade. Here is another one of Cody’s previously mentioned acrobatic catches:

Cody Latimer has also had a solid spring and summer. He has performed well in OTA’s and is looking to get in a strong position battle during training camp. Here is a clip of Cody Latimer and rookie quarterback Daniel Jones connecting on a touchdown during practice:

https://twitter.com/PirateLifeFF/status/1136009655682027526

Injuries are a major concern with Cody Latimer. However, Latimer has shown enough potential and a strong enough understanding of the Giants’ offense to be the front-runner for the third wide receiver position. If Cody Latimer can stay on the field for 16 games, he could be the playmaking outside wide receiver that the New York Giants need.

New York Giants: Corey Coleman finally ready to take his game to the next level

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New York Giants, Corey Coleman

With the New York Giants trading away star wideout Odell Beckham Jr., the wide receiver unit was shaken up and has been left a bit uncertain as we head towards the 2019 regular season.

Options like Cody Latimer and Russell Shepard present value on the field going into their second-year with Big Blue, but former first-round pick Corey Coleman might be the player to win the No. 3 job. Coleman, coming off a quiet season of just 71 yards on five receptions, will compete for the staring role alongside Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard.

His ambition and work ethic has been elevated lately, as he seeks to perform at the level expected of him coming out of college. After breaking his right hand in Cleveland, Coleman never returned to form, struggling to stick with the starting unit and landing with the Giants in a reserve role.

However, the way he’s been practicing and preparing has presented a clear indication of his goals for the season ahead.

“We are going to see the best of [Coleman],” head coach Pat Shurmur said. “He’s the first one to tell you when he came in the league, he had a lot to learn. Now he’s got an opportunity to maybe be a front-line player.”

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Corey asked Shurmur how he managed to develop both Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen into such effective pass-catchers, and that he wants to reach that type of success. His motivation is intoxicating, and something that will hopefully allow him to reach his potential.

What makes Corey Coleman special for the New York Giants?

The one attribute that separates Coleman from his counterparts is his elite speed. Coming out of Baylor he ran a 4.37 40-yard dash, and he has shown that quickness in the NFL at times.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever questioned my speed,” Coleman said. “Being fast is great, but being able to play fast, that’s what it has to be about.”

His top utilization is the deep ball — Coleman is a capable route runner as well with solid hands. I feel as though his primary issue is more mental than physical. The tangible traits are present for Coleman, he just has to learn how to harness them. If he can build upon success early on in the season, we could see his production increase quickly.

 

 

New York Giants: Top News 6/7 – Corey Coleman in the lead for starting job

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New York Giants

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

With minicamp wrapping up, the Giants will have four OTA practices next week, which are voluntary. Once again, I anticipate a majority of the team attending. Have I mentioned the positive atmosphere around the team, yet?

Something is certainly different about this group play player – no distractions and nothing for the media to gobble up and spit back out. Why do you think some Giants networks are still holding on to the Odell Beckham Jr. money making machine?

Anyway, I want to look into a different receiver – Corey Coleman.

So far during camp, Coleman has looked stellar. He went as far as to ask head coach Pat Shurmur how he helped Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen reach their potential. Hopefully, the coach, known as the “quarterback whisperer,” can help his talented wideout break out in 2019.

Coleman played a background role last season, hauling in just five catches for 71 yards. His minimal usage should elevate in the year ahead, as he continues to battle with Cody Latimer for the No. 3 receiver job. At this point, Corey holds the advantage, but there’s plenty of time left for Latimer to emerge victoriously.

This is certainly a position battle to keep an eye on.

Nonetheless–

Your Giants top news of the day!

Dan Salomone (Giants.com) – Who stood out on Day 3 of Giants minicamp?

Paul Schwartz (New York Post) – Darius Slayton has Giants saying exactly what he wants to hear

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – Giants’ rookie quarterback Daniel Jones off to good start this spring

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Giants’ Nate Solder won’t commit to training camp return

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants darkhorse tight end CJ Conrad making waves in minicamp

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New York Giants: Pat Shurmur Talks Receivers After Minicamp Day 3

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New York Giants, Darius Slayton

Three days of minicamp so far have showed who the top performers are for the New York Giants, and have brought about a plethora of quotes from the coaching staff on the team’s current position. Things have mostly been positive so far, with Daniel Jones earning praise on the first day and the defense getting praise on day two from their defensive coordinator. On the third day, it was a couple of receivers as well as the offense in general to be notably praised by the coaching staff.

The receivers in question would be Darius Slayton and Corey Coleman, two underdogs in the overall scheme of things who have managed to impress this offseason – with the former even more impressively being a rookie this season.

“The guy that’s made huge improvements in my eyes has been Slayton, he’s done a really good job. I think we were all here during rookie minicamp when he kind of had the yips, drops and what not,” said head coach Pat Shurmur when asked about which rookie players had impressed. “He’s really smoothed it out and he’s been making plays. He’s the first guy that comes to mind. This time of year, it’s more about throwing and catching and less about blocking and tackling.”

But Slayton wasn’t the only wide receiver to get praise. “I think him having the full process, we are going to see the best of him. He’s the first one to tell you when he came in the league, he had a lot to learn. Now he’s got an opportunity to maybe be a front-line player,” said Shurmur on Corey Coleman, after elaborating on the team’s reasons for bringing Coleman back another year after picking him up last year.

“He’s very interested in all that, he’s learning our system, he’s doing a great job learning it. He’s fast, he’s really a terrific talent, so hopefully we can get him on the field and make a difference for us,” Shurmur added on the subject of Coleman.

The receiving corps looks very different this year with the departure of Odell Beckham Jr. and the addition of Golden Tate, as well as Sterling Shepard’s stronger role being confirmed by a large contract… However, don’t count out the rookies and some of the lesser known players at the position. The Giants might not have a superstar at wide receiver now, but they do have the potential to be a deep team at the position.

New York Giants rookie Daniel Jones improving with every practice

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New York Giants rookie quarterback, Daniel Jones during voluntary OTAs.

New York Giants rookie passer Daniel Jones is already showing signs of development.

When Eli Manning and New York Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones took the field for the first day of OTAs, both looked extremely rusty and ineffective. Jones certainly had the rookie jitters as he threw a pair of interceptions while Manning was throwing footballs into a different timezone.

Every practice since has seen Jones progress significantly, and he had another stellar performance on Friday. Jones capped the week throwing consistent dimes in one-on-one and two-minute simulation drills. Practicing with far better talent than he had at Duke has helped Jones find the best version of himself with the Giants, so far. According to Giants.com, Jones and wide receiver, Corey Coleman looked fantastic together.

Coleman is a former first-round pass-catcher that has had an underwhelming career up to this point. However, the two second-stringers hooked up frequently throughout practice on Friday. Coleman hauled in an impressive touchdown catch in the back corner of the offense earlier in the week on a pass from Jones.

https://twitter.com/GiantsQBWatch/status/1133817637203456000

“We’re taking it one day at a time, in that we’re trying to practice the best we can here in OTAs, and with the season in mind and trying to all prepare ourselves for that first game,” Jones stated previously. “Like I said, we’re focused on what we’re doing here, making sure tomorrow’s practice is as sharp as it can be and through the summer. It’s been good so far and I’m looking forward to finishing strong.”

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Jones will spend the next year sitting behind Eli Manning absorbing as much knowledge as he can to develop into a starting caliber passer in the NFL. He as solid tangible and intangible skills already, but learning how to prepare at an elite level will further help his growth. It’s not guaranteed that Daniel will take over for Eli after the 2019 season, but if all goes to plan, the Giants will have a team built on youth with plenty of cap space to upgrade positions of need in 2020.

 

New York Giants: Top News 5/31 – Cody Latimer prepping for breakout season

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New York Giants wide receiver, Cody Latimer.

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The New York Giants will head into training camp with the top two receivers on the team solidified, however, the No. 3 spot is up for grabs.

Options like Corey Coleman, Cody Latimer, and Russell Shepard all present forms of quality in their own specific ways. Coleman is a former first-round pick with solid hands, Latimer is a speedy wideout that can get behind the defense, and Shepard is a bigger body that can bring in contested balls.

I believe that Latimer will be the player to earn the No. 3 receiver spot behind Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate. The former Bronco had his second-best season to date last year, racking up 190 yards and a score over just six games. Latimer succumbed to injury in 2018, limiting his production on the field, but with a full bill of health, he is looking to finally break out in 2019.

A 68.8% catch rate and17.3 yards-per-reception total presents optimism for the 26-year-old pass catcher. I wouldn’t necessarily rule out Coleman to earn the starting job, but I imagine Latimer is better equipped considering his resume and experience.

Head coach Pat Shurmur will surely look to utilize Latimer in the long-game as his speed is an asset that can tantalize defenses at times.

Nonetheless–

Giants top articles of the day:

John Fennelly (Giants Wire) – Giants already using Ryan Connelly tape to teach proper technique

Dan Schneier (247 Sports) – The 10 New York Giants players most likely to break out in 2019

Paul Schwartz (NY Post) – Antoine Bethea is perfect for Giants’ defensive overhaul

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – Giants’ 90-man roster: Eric Dungey trying to make transition to hybrid role

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: What Kevin Zeitler can do for the offensive line

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