kadarius toney

New York Giants: Does Kadarius Toney have an injury at mini-camp?

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Rookie minicamp is underway for the New York Giants but some have noticed something odd about first round pick Kadarius Toney. On the first day of camp, he received a bit of attention for playing with one cleat – possibly due to getting the wrong size from the equipment staff – but was out of practice before others due to what looked like a calf cramp.

Cramping up on the first day is understandable considering this was Toney’s first time working out as an NFL player, and a bit of time has passed since the combine and the college season. It’s expected that it might take a bit of time to get back into the swing of things, but there might be reason for concern if the trend continues multiple days.

After the second day of practice, Dan Duggan reported that Toney was the only player to sit out long stretches on both days, and also that Toney was checked out by trainers on the sideline. He stopped short of definitively claiming that Toney is dealing with an injury, however, because we just don’t know enough to say that yet.

Bleacher Report made the interesting claim that Toney tweaked his foot while wearing the wrong size cleats, and used it as an explanation of why he continued with one bare foot.

It’s hard to give a verdict of whether there’s an injury at play here or not but it seems like there’s no major problems even if there is one. There’s no sign that Toney will get pulled from future practices or that he’ll have to practice with restrictions, and because of that, it’s best for fans not to panic just yet.

New York Giants: Dave Gettleman succeeded, found his “touchdown-makers” this offseason

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New York Giants, Kenny Golladay

Last month, New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman sat down in a press conference to recap the Giants’ offseason moves. During his discussion with the press, Gettleman mentioned that the Giants wanted to add “touchdown-makers” and feels that they had accomplished that goal.

“Touchdown-makers” is a term Dave Gettleman has used before. Upon drafting Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Gettleman described Barkley as a “touchdown-maker” and a “threat to take it to the house every time he gets his hands on the ball.”

Dave Gettleman claims to have found more “touchdown-makers” this offseason. And his claim is indeed accurate. The Giants had a successful offseason period that saw them acquire a plethora of talented playmakers on offense.

The New York Giants’ new “touchdown-makers”

The New York Giants’ offense was incompetent in 2020. The Giants’ offense was the 31st ranked unit in the NFL, averaging a putrid 17.5 points per game. Hence Dave Gettleman’s desire to add “touchdown-makers,” players that could put points on the board.

What better way to fix an incompetent offense than to sign the league leader in touchdown receptions from 2019? Kenny Golladay was that guy, hauling in an impressive 11 touchdown receptions in a breakout 2019 campaign. Golladay caught 65 passes that season for 1,190 receiving yards. He was still an alpha dog wide receiver in 2020, averaging 67.6 yards per game, prior to the season-ending injury that shut him down after just five games.

Similar to Saquon Barkley, 2021 first-round pick Kadarius Toney is a “threat to take it to the house every time he gets his hands on the ball.” Toney had the highest missed tackle rate (35%) among 2021 NFL Draft WRs (PFF). The dynamic UF playmaker racked up 10 touchdowns in his final collegiate season.

The Giants also added reliable tight end Kyle Rudolph to the lineup this offseason. Rudolph is on a shortlist of players with 15+ receiving touchdowns in the red zone since 2016. According to Paul Schwartz of the NY Post, of Kyle Rudolph’s 48 career touchdown receptions, 40 of them — 83.3 percent — have come in the red zone. The Giants added some big-play scorers with Toney and Golladay, but they were wise enough to add a short-range assassin in Rudolph as well.

And, of course, the Giants’ offense was without its original “touchdown-maker” for the majority of the 2020 season. Saquon Barkley tore his ACL in Week Two, spending the rest of the season on injured reserve. Now, fully healthy, Barkley will return to the lineup in 2021 and look to be that home-run threat the Giants’ offense grew accustomed to having. Saquon Barkley, Kadarius Toney, Kyle Rudolph, and Kenny Golladay will step into the Giants’ 2021 offense and make big plays.

DeVonta Smith expected New York Giants to select him at 11 – what happened next was great for everyone

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New York Giants, Devonta Smith

The New York Giants patiently waited at 11 for Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith to fall. However, the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys executed an interdivisional trade that sent Smith to Philadelphia, an unprecedented move that felt targeted at the Giants.

According to Smith himself, there were two teams he anticipated going to, and the Giants were one of them.

Appearing on Chris Long’s “Green Light” podcast, Smith anticipated being pursued by two teams — the Panthers and Giants:

“I thought Carolina was going to draft me,” Smith said. “That’s who I thought. I knew of course the Giants, but it was all about, you have to get to 11. I knew if I was there at 11, I was for sure going to the Giants.”

It was clear that the Giants were in the mix for Smith at 11, but what they ended up gaining instead was not only far more valuable, it also makes an instant impact on offense. Landing Kadarius Toney with a 20th overall pick, Gettleman and Co. added a receiver who tallied 1,145 yards at 11 scores last year. In addition, he has dropped just three passes over four seasons and generated a 35% missed tackle rate, the highest of any receiver in this past draft class.

The New York Giants should be ecstatic with their haul:

Toney is an exceptional talent that can blow the top off the defense at any moment and make tacklers miss in the open field. His shifty attributes and quality background make him a perfect fit for a Giants offense looking to add another element and weapon for a quarterback Daniel Jones.

The front office did plenty to help provide Jones with more weapons to increase their offensive production this year, but the OL still remains a question. Smith, on the other hand, didn’t look too excited to take his talents to Philly, despite having his former quarterback Jalen Hurts on the roster.

The Giants didn’t only add an instant playmaker on offense, they also gained a first, fourth, and fifth-round pick to utilize. They will have the Chicago Bears first and fourth-rounders next year, which could end up being extremely valuable as they have the second hardest schedule in the NFL and are in flux with their quarterback situation. They are expected to start Andy Dalton in 2021 and ease Justin Fields in, which could end up biting them in the butt in the win-loss category.

At the end of the day, everybody walked away happy, as Philadelphia got a premium receiver who is arguably the best college pass catcher in college history, and the Giants walked away with future draft capital and an exciting player in Kadarius Toney.

New York Giants’ 2021 NFL Draft earns great reviews from Daniel Jeremiah

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Kadarius Toney, New York Giants

The consensus is that the New York Giants had a strong 2021 draft, acquiring multiple players who can make an instant impact while also adding draft capital for the future. At the end of the day, they put in place a contingency plan for quarterback Daniel Jones while also offering him weapons on offense and bolstering the defense with pass rusher Azeez Ojulari with the 50th overall pick.

The strategy this year was best player available and value, something that general manager Dave Gettleman has ignored in recent years. Over eight drafts, Gettleman had never executed a trade back, but he shocked the world and move back nine spots, adding a first-round pick and fourth-round pick in 2022.

Most analysts are grading the Giants positively after the draft. NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah had great things to say to the Giants media:

“I think when you look at what they were able to collect, and I think when you look at where this roster is, it’s actually in pretty good shape,” Jeremiah recently told the Giants Huddle Podcast. “I think just having some numbers to be able to spread out and to be able to get assets next year is huge. And there’s a little more certainty with the process next year. I’m all for that. Get some extra picks here and collect some picks for next year.”

The New York Giants FINALLY had a value-based draft:

Having additional assets in a draft class that will be far more familiar with NFL coaches due to the evaluation procedures opening up will be a benefit. This year, the lack of in-person communication and live visuals hurt scouts and upper management in their scouting processes. Most believe that draft capital next year will be significantly more valuable, so the Giants walking away with Toney and a future first-round pick is an absolute steal.

“Of all the things [the Giants] accomplished, I think getting those three picks next year might be my favorite.”

When it comes to Kadarius, the Florida stand-out receiver tallied 1,145 yards and 11 scores last year. He also had the highest missed tackle right out of any receiver in the draft class at 35%. He has only dropped three passes in four years, also having the lowest drop rate in the draft class. He is a stellar talent with unlimited upside, and given his physical attributes, the Giants are excited about his potential. So is Jeremiah.

“I think he gives you easy completions,” Jeremiah said about the No. 20 overall pick. “Just quick-hitters, get the ball in his hands. He’s phenomenal after the catch. You can do that, you can use him on jet sweeps, you can use him in the backfield some if you want to get him the ball that way. But I think just finding more dynamic players in whatever capacity you can use them I think is something the Giants really tried to focus on. They have to be more dynamic, they have to be more explosive, and I think he helps you accomplish that.

Toney will excel in the short/intermediate range, hauling in passes in space and utilizing his shifty abilities to make tacklers miss and churn out yards. The Giants need homerun hitters, and Kadarius is exactly that with his unique skill set.
The overall thoughts behind the draft are positive, and the Giants walked away with one of the best hauls in the NFL, according to most.

New York Giants rated as second most improved receiving corps

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New York Giants, Kenny Golladay

The New York Giants came into this offseason with receivers as a large need, but that was mostly addressed through the draft and free agency. In free agency, of course, the team made the big name signing of Kenny Golladay to add a receiver that may very well finish in the top 10 statistically. And in the draft, they added a further weapon with first round pick Kadarius Toney after trading down.

Those improvements earned them the title of second most improved receiving corps by PFF. The only team rated higher happens to be the Giants’ neighbor, the Jets.

The Giants followed that splash free-agent signing by spending their first-round pick on another wide receiver. Per Zack Rosenblatt, Toney said that he models his game after Alvin Kamara, and like Kamara, his after-the-catch ability is rare. That’s something New York needed to add at wide receiver. The Giants’ wide receivers averaged 3.0 yards after the catch per reception in 2020, dead last in the NFL. Toney should help turn that number around.

The article by PFF mentions how Golladay and Toney aren’t the only additions. The Giants also added Kyle Rudolph, and while the signing has been almost forgotten since the start of the offseason, they also brought in 2017 top 10 pick John Ross.

A deep receiving group

Depth isn’t usually associated with the Giants receiving corps in recent years but the organization really does have a deep group this year. Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton are the top performers from the last couple of seasons, and they both return this year.

With the addition of Golladay as well as Toney, it’s easy to imagine Shepard and Slayton being able to work more effectively. Opposing defenses will be forced to focus on more than just them, and the Giants now have multiple receiving tight ends in Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph.

The pressure will be on for Daniel Jones now that he has more weapons than ever, but ultimately, the Giants have done about as good a job as possible at setting him up to win in 2021.

New York Giants had major competition for Kadarius Toney, making his selection even better

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new york giants, kadarius toney

To the surprise of everybody, New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman executed a trade back in the 2021 NFL draft, moving nine selections and acquiring future draft capital. Overall, with the 11th overall pick, he walked away with a first-rounder in 2022, a fourth round pick, fifth round pick, and Florida Playmaker Kadarius Toney at 20th overall.

Toney goes by many names, some being the “human joystick,” “human highlight reel,” and more. His talents in the open field are unparalleled, utilizing quick-twitch abilities to spot on a dime and lower his center of gravity to remain upright and churning out yards.

However, the Giants had plenty of competition for Toney, even though they selected him at 20. Clearly, they had knowledge that he wouldn’t last until the second round, so they elected to take him a bit prematurely, but it could end up being a fantastic move.

There were three teams that had an interest in Kadarius, including the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Baltimore Ravens. The Packers and Jaguars were both very vocal about their interest in the stand-out slot receiver.

Green Bay Packers:

Bob McGinn of The Athletic reports also stated that the Packers were interested in moving up to acquire Toney:

This year, Gutekunst resisted the temptation to trade up for Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney, a player the Packers were extremely high on. He went No. 20 to the Giants.

The Packers had their fingers crossed that Toney might fall to them because there was a passel of other slot receivers with similar ratings. The Giants ended that plan by taking the explosive wide receiver.

Jacksonville Jaguars:

“I’ve gotten to know him over the last couple weeks and obviously my connection with [Gators] coach [Dan] Mullen and those guys,” Meyer told ESPN. “You watch [Toney] play, he’s a human highlight reel.”

Baltimore Ravens:

While Baltimore wasn’t as vocal about their interest, many had him mocked to them with the 31st overall pick. As a player who racked up 1,145 yards and 11 touchdowns last season in his senior year, he has all the tangible traits you want in a receiver.

At 6-feet tall, he has adequate size and fantastic speed to make plays in the open field. He ever rarely ever goes down on first contact and is what Gettleman would call a “touchdown maker.”

Considering all these teams were praying he would fall, the Giants likely walked away with an instant playmaker and threat on day 1 for a rebuilt offense.

 

Kadarius Toney fills a crucial need for the New York Giants

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new york giants, kadarius toney

The New York Giants turned heads last week when they traded down in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and selected Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney at twenty overall. This was the exclamation point on a fantastic offseason that saw the Giants load up on offensive playmakers.

New York filled its major needs this offseason. They got their big-time, alpha-dog outside wide receiver in Kenny Golladay. They signed a dependable tight end who will not drop the ball in Kyle Rudolph. On defense, they signed a seriously talented outside cornerback to play opposite of James Bradberry in Adoree’ Jackson. They also drafted a speed rusher to beat down left tackles in Azeez Ojulari.

When the Giants drafted Kadarius Toney, the selection was almost looked at as a luxury pick. But, in actuality, the Giants were filling a crucial need with this draft selection. Sure, they already invested in the receiver position and already have a talented group of guys with Sterling Shepard in the slot and Darius Slayton as a deep threat. But what the Giants lacked was a playmaker who could accumulate yards after the catch. This is where Kadarius Toney excels.

The need that Kadarius Toney fills

According to Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus, the New York Giants ranked dead last in the league with the fewest yards after the catch per reception in 2020 at 3.0 yards per. Not only did the Giants’ receivers struggle to separate from coverage last season, but they also struggled to make plays with the ball in their hands.

Kadarius Toney was the most explosive after-the-catch wide receiver in the 2021 NFL Draft. Kadarius Toney forced a missed tackle on 35% of touches since 2018, which was first among the 2021 wide receiver draft class (PFF). Toney forced 32 missed tackles on 80 catches the past two seasons (PFF).

Not only does Toney have reliable hands (only 3 drops on 150 targets in 2020), he gives the Giants the playmaking ability with the ball in his hands that no other receiver on their roster provides. Kadarius Toney is nearly impossible to tackle. He has elite contact balance, quickness/agility, speed, and vision. Anytime Toney has the ball in his hands he is a threat to take it to the end zone. Check out this insane leg-breaking move by Kadarius Toney:

New York Giants: Packers were also interested in Kadarius Toney

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The New York Giants surprised most fans during the recent draft when they traded down and selected Kadarius Toney with their first round pick. While multiple receivers have been talked about in connection with the Giants, Toney wasn’t one of them for the most part.

The move was met with skepticism by some, but there’s some indication that Toney is indeed a good prospect that’s gone under the radar. For one, Urban Meyer is on the record as having wanted Toney to join his offense that already includes Trevor Lawrence now.

Though, the Jaguars aren’t the only team that was interested. According to Bob McGinn from The Athletic, the Green Bay Packers also wanted the player. The Giants would foil those plans by taking Toney after trading down, but it looks like the Packers hoped for a different outcome.

This year, Gutekunst resisted the temptation to trade up for Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney, a player the Packers were extremely high on. He went No. 20 to the Giants.

The Packers had their fingers crossed that Toney might fall to them because there was a passel of other slot receivers with similar ratings. The Giants ended that plan by taking the explosive wide receiver.

The Packers, of course, have been criticized for not drafting receivers to help quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That seems to have created tension between Rodgers and the organization as of late, but if this is true, the franchise at least tried to do something to address the problem before being blocked in that effort by the Giants.

The situation in Green Bay has led to more than a few ideas from fans and media about a trade for Aaron Rodgers, but that looks unlikely based on the Giants’ reputation as a cautious organization.

At the end of the day, the Giants will probably enter the season with Daniel Jones. But through their pick of Toney, which kept Green Bay from adding a weapon for Rodgers, they might have had some hand in how the current falling out has played out.

New York Giants might’ve landed a steal in WR Kadarius Toney

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new york giants, kadarius toney

When the New York Giants moved back with the Chicago Bears to the 20th overall pick, most thought they might targeting an offensive lineman to solve their vacant right guard spot. However, the Giants, while passing on a lineman, still added an offensive playmaker to help quarterback Daniel Jones in 2021.

Jones threw just 11 touchdown passes in his second season, less than half of what he accrued in 2019 with Pat Shurmur as his head coach.

The Giants landed Kadarius Toney with the 20th overall pick acquired from Chicago, and while some might see this as a “reach,” other executives around the NFL believe he’s one of the top playmakers in this draft class. There were some who believed he would be available in the second round, but the Giants didn’t hesitate to capture the “human joystick,” who has an NFL scouting grade of 6.36, indicating he will be a starter within his first two seasons in the NFL.

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer even expressed his distraught with Kadarius going 20th overall and not dropping to the Jaguars. At 6’0″ and 193 pounds, Toney is a slot talent who plays a lot bigger than his listed size. With incredible center of gravity and quick-twitch movements, he almost always makes the first defender miss in the open field, and with shifty route running, he can take a catch to the house at any moment.

Specifically, with the Giants, who operated under a vanilla scheme last year with Jason Garrett as offensive coordinator, I believe they will take a step forward in 2021. Hiring LSU secret weapon Russ Callaway to help build a more downfield offense and adding Kenny Golliday, who stated his confidence in the “vision” of the offense, should contribute toward a more productive unit.

“I liked the vision that Coach Joe Judge had and Jason Garrett, as far as the offense, and I was all the way in,” Golladay said after signing with Big Blue. “That had me right there. And just walking around the building, everybody greeting me and with them pretty much telling me that they wanted me here and I’m expressing the same thing. It was kind of like a no-brainer and I’m glad it worked out.”

We’ve all heard the analytics annotating Daniel Jones’ downfield accuracy, and with Toney’s speed and elusiveness, they cannot only target him up the seams but also on crossing and slant routes toward the middle of the field where Jones is also accurate.

Ultimately, Big Blue is clearly all-in on Daniel, all the while building a contingency plan with more draft capital next off-season. They finally changed their philosophy to add more value and draft assets moving forward, which is exactly what they needed to do with Jones still a big question.

Circling back to Kadarius, he has plenty of upside as a route runner and playmaker, totaling 1,145 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns last year in 11 appearances. He averaged 14.1 yards per reception and added 161 rushing yards to his totals.

He can be utilized as a gadget player out of the backfield on end-arounds and jet sweeps, all the while projecting as a high-end slot receiver who can also bounce to the outside in multiple formations. Considering the Giants have Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepherd, Evan Engram, and Toney all able to align at multiple spots, they can get very creative with their route concepts.

At the end of the day, it boils down to Jason Garrett and how he develops this offense, but adding a few high-end offensive assistants to help create a more downfield-centric and creative scheme should spur a progressive mentality.

Grading the New York Giants’ 2021 NFL Draft 1st round haul

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new york giants, kadarius toney

The moment Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants’ draft strategy changed as their primary option came off the board. Instead, they considered trading back for the first time in years and Gettleman’s first time in the history of his career.

With Smith and Jaylen Waddle off the board, the Giants struck a deal with the Chicago Bears, moving back to the 20th overall pick, collecting a haul in the process. They added a fifth-round pick for the 2021 NFL draft, but a first-round and a fourth-round pick in 2022. An incredible haul for a team that rarely ever maneuvers in the NFL draft.

To put things into perspective, when the Steelers moved back 10 selections in 2019 with the Broncos, they acquired the number 52 overall pick and a future third-rounder, whereas the Giants added a first-round pick and several mid-round selections.

While nobody anticipated the Giants moving back, they 100% won this trade, even “fleecing” the Chicago Bears, which is how Gettleman would’ve put it.

What did the New York Giants get with Kadarius Toney?

Not only did they add draft capital, but they also managed to land Florida playmaker Kadarius Toney, who had a stellar 2020 season down south. He finished with 1,145 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. Toney is an extremely interesting player that can be used as a gadget option out of the backfield, but also on wide receiver screens in space.

When looking at him objectively, he’s not a physical receiver that will win on the outside, but he can thrive in the slot and from a “Z” alignment on the interior, avoiding press coverage and using his shifty ability to create separation and get into the open field.

The best part about Kadarius is that when he has the ball in his hands, anything can happen. In the blink of an eye, he can take a pass to the house, and while he does have some issues creating separation against press coverage, the Giants will get creative with him and move him around the formation with pre-snap motion. I do see the selection as a potential cutting bait with Sterling Shepard, who has a club OUT in his contract after 2021.

Nonetheless, I gave this first-round grade an A- based on what Toney brings and the draft capital they added moving back nine selections. While DeVonta Smith did go to Philadelphia and Dallas managed to snag Micah Parsons, the Giants walked away winners in this scenario, setting themselves up with a contingency plan in case Daniel Jones doesn’t take a positive step forward this year but also more assets to plug holes in 2022.