Sam Beal

New York Giants: Sam Beal Still In The Competition At Cornerback

by

Cornerback is going to be a crowded position this season for the New York Giants, with a number of rookies joining veterans Janoris Jenkins at the position and breathing some fresh air into a secondary that wasn’t very deep last year. In one offseason the Giants went from thin to competitive in that area and most experts are still unsure who will win out and end up starting – with Jenkins being the only surefire starter out of the group.

One of the players in the hunt is Sam Beal, who was projected to play a role with the starters last season but suffered an early injury that would keep him out for the entire year. In the eyes of some, that might set Beal back as a potential starter on this year’s deeper roster. However, Beal has a bit more experience than the rookies coming in, and according to safety Michael Thomas, last season’s work as a scout will help Beal out with being competitive in 2019.

“That’s where it all started, and I have no doubt what we saw out there is happening because of how [Beal] learned to be a pro last year, I have no doubt about that,” Thomas said, following the Giants’ OTA practice last Monday.

“His scouting reports were pretty detailed, and he’d get right up there in a room full of vets with confidence, you could tell it meant something to him. He didn’t wait until he got on the field to become a better player, and that’s what we’re seeing,” Thomas also added.

Writing scouting reports might not be as good as playing in terms of experience, but at a position where reading coverages and knowing what to expect from the opposing team can offer a large advantage, scouting offers valuable skills. Furthermore, Beal has spent more time observing NFL offenses than any rookie on the team right now, which can’t be understated in terms of influence.

There will be three draft picks competing with Beal this season – Julian Love, Deandre Baker, and Corey Ballentine, and the competition gets deeper when you throw undrafted free agent turned regular first team player Grant Haley, who was one of the diamonds in the rough that the Giants found last year. Assuming that Janoris Jenkins starts with the top spot at corner, it looks like the competition for the spot opposite of him will be fierce.

It’s a good thing. It’s been awhile since the Giants were deep enough at a position to have a major position battle between a number of players, and it shows the team’s talent level is increasing in at least one area.  Just be sure not to count out Sam Beal just yet against the rookies coming for the same spot.

New York Giants Betting on Secondary to Mask Pass Rush Flaws

by
New York Giants, Janoris Jenkins

The New York Giants secondary got off to a blazing start in the first practice of OTAs. Both Eli Manning and Daniel Jones struggled passing in their first practice together. Manning with two interceptions, Jones with one.

The most notable of the three picks occurred when second-year cornerback Sam Beal deflected a Manning pass into the arms of newly acquired Jabrill Peppers. Missing the entire 2018 season due to injury, Beal on the field may be a rookie but mentally is a second-year pro. Beal worked with the first team opposite of Janoris Jenkins with Grant Haley in the slot.

An Influx of Talent for the New York Giants at corner

The Giants selected Beal in the third round of the 2018 Supplemental draft and gained praise in their selection. Draft Scout Matt Miller of Bleacher Report wrote an article last July labeling Sam Beal as the best Supplemental draft prospect since Josh Gordon in 2012.

The Supplemental draft takes place each year after the official NFL draft. In most cases, a player who enters the supplemental draft has been deemed ineligible by the NCAA for the upcoming season. More often than not, a player who has entered in the supplemental draft usually comes with off the field issues. Beal, however, was different. Beal was ruled academically ineligible due to poor performance in the classroom.

In the 2017 season, Beal had 10 pass breakups, 26 tackles, a forced fumble, and two interceptions. Perhaps the biggest interception of his career came against former USC and now Jets Quarterback Sam Darnold. Tallied at 6’1, 185 lbs, and running a 4.40 forty yard dash, it is his length mixed with speed that put him on the NFL radar in the first place.

2019 Draft Products

In addition to Beal, The Giants selected All-Americans Deandre Baker (Rd1) and Julian Love (Rd4) in the 2019 NFL Draft. Love was arguably the biggest steal of the draft. If not for an underwhelming 4.54 40 yard dash, Love would have most likely been selected on Day 2 of the draft. He received a second-round grade from the NFL’s college advisory committee. Deandre Baker won the Jim Thorpe Award which represents the Nations Most Outstanding Defensive Back. Julian Love was a finalist for the same award, who is listed right below Baker in the graphic below. 

By passing on Josh Allen at 6, the Giants have shown that they believe in James Bettcher and his ability to create pressure in other ways aside from the edge. In a prior article, I mentioned that it was clear Bettcher’s scheme had to be altered due to a lack of talent on the back end. With the addition of Baker and Love, the hope is that Bettcher will be able to send extra pressure after the quarterback with confidence the secondary can hold its own in 1v1 matchups.

New York Giants Might Have a Serious Cornerback Position Battle

by
New York Giants cornerback, DeAndre Baker.

One of the more underrated position battles of the 2019 offseason might come at the cornerback position for the New York Giants. If the first day of OTAs had any indication of what the Giants’ mindset is going into the start of full-team practices, it’s that second-year corner Sam Beal has claim to the first-team reps.

Beal was a Supplemental Draft selected in 2018, finishing the year on injured reserve after succumbing to season-ending surgery before the regular-season even began. An unfortunate circumstance for Beal, despite the team, knowing about the ailment prior to drafting him.

However, Beal is a feisty corner with solid instincts. He’s not the fastest defender on the field, but he’s pesky and will play tight in man-coverage. He had a solid first day of OTAs on Monday, securing an interception and nearly coming up with a second off Eli Manning.

New York Giants: An exciting position battle is forming

First-round pick, DeAndre Baker, started OTAs with the 2nd-string team. This was surprising as Beal and Baker theoretically have the same amount of NFL experience given the former’s injury.

Nonetheless, Beal performed well, and head coach Pat Shurmur noticed, stating:

“Beal looked pretty good, he has to get his seas legs a bit, but he looked good.”

This is very good news for the second-year player, given he’s coming off a significant injury and surgery. This presents a big challenge for Baker, one that some did not anticipate given his quality at Georgia and tenacity in coverage.

What does DeAndre Baker bring to the Giants?

Big Blue is getting a potentially premium corner in Baker, the top-ranked player at his position from the 2019 NFL Draft. The Giants moved up into the first-round from the 37th pick to grab him.

Last season, he tallied nine passes defended, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. He’s a physical corner that can match up with any wide receiver. He has elite speed and man-coverage capabilities. The expectation is that he will secure the No. 2 corner spot opposite Janoris Jenkins, but Beal has certainly shown he can provide competition in a limited sample size.

 

 

 

New York Giants: Solid Free Agent Safety Option Still Available

by

With the additions of Jabrill Peppers and Antoine Bethea, the New York Giants’ safety positions are in much better shape than they were at the beginning of the offseason. The New York Giants let their star safety, Landon Collins, walk away in free agency and were not left with many talents at the position.

However, general manager Dave Gettleman made it a point to fix the secondary this offseason. The Giants drafted three cornerbacks in the 2019 NFL Draft (four if you count Sam Beal). But they did not draft a safety.

Antoine Bethea is a solid veteran who fits defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s defense. Unfortunately, Bethea probably will not be around for too long, being that he is 34 years old. It would be wise of the Giants to add another young safety to the roster to pair with Peppers.

Luckily for the Giants, there is a solid free agent safety option still available:

Tre Boston Stats And Highlights

Free agent safety Tre Boston would be a solid addition to the Giants’ defense. Boston has been in the NFL for five seasons and has bounced around to three different teams. Most recently, Boston played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018.

In his lone season with Arizona, Tre Boston was a solid defender against the run and the pass. He tallied up 79 combined tackles, 1 forced fumble, 3 interceptions, and 9 passes defended. No matter where Boston has played, he has been a solid safety.

Tre Boston was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2014. Dave Gettleman was the Panthers’ general manager at the time. This connection could lead the Giants to have some interest in Tre Boston.

Boston was not the full-time starter during his tenure with the Panthers. However, when he left the Panthers to play for the Chargers in 2016, Tre Boston showed what he could do as a full-time starter.

Boston starter 15 games for the Chargers in 2017. In that season, Boston was a true playmaker totaling 5 interceptions and 8 passes defended. He was again solid against the run with 79 combined tackles.

Tre Boston had two solid years of play with two different teams. This demonstrates his true young talent and his ability to handle adversity. At only 26 years old, if the Giants sign Tre Boston, they will be getting a dependable young safety to pair with Jabrill Peppers for the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUY83saY2LQ

New York Giants: A Solid Cornerback Option With The 17th Pick In The Draft

by

The New York Giants will head into the 2019 NFL with a lot of young talent on defense. The Giants will almost certainly be investing in an elite defensive prospect with the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. However, this is not the only draft pick that the Giants can find a defensive centerpiece.

The Giants also have the 17th overall pick in the draft. They received this pick by trading away Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns. This draft pick gives the Giants tons of options in the draft. The Giants will likely try to fit a big need with the 17th pick.

One big need that the Giants have is at cornerback. The Giants do have Janoris Jenkins still, but it is likely that 2019 will be his last year in Big Blue. The Giants have other cornerbacks on the roster, but they are all young, unproven, developmental players. Grant Haley showed promise in his rookie season, but Sam Beal missed his rookie season with a shoulder injury.

Since the Giants are trying to get young at the cornerback position, it would not be surprising if they drafted a cornerback with the 17th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. If the Giants draft a cornerback with the 17th pick, they should draft Greedy Williams.

Greedy Williams Stats And Highlights

Greedy Williams is a tall, athletic cornerback out of LSU. Lousiana State University has produced some great NFL defensive backs recently (Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu), and Greedy seems to be the next great prospect in line.

Greedy Williams was not the most statistically productive cornerback in his 2018 collegiate season, however, he has plenty of traits that will make NFL scouts fall in love with him. Greedy has more than ideal size for his position. At 6 feet 2 inches, 185 pounds, Williams will be a physical cornerback who can match up with any receiver.

Greedy’s size is just the start and not the end of his physical gifts. Williams is also an incredibly gifted athlete. He showed off his elite speed at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.37s 40-yard dash. This speed was always on full display in college. Greedy matched up with plenty of vertical threats and shut them down.

In 2017, Greedy Williams was a true playmaker. He totaled 38 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 6 interceptions, and 10 passes defended. Greedy did take a step back in 2018 with only 2 interceptions but still flashed his potential on numerous occasions.

Greedy Williams could bring some great physicality and energy to the Giants’ secondary. The Giants would instantly improve their defense by drafting Williams. With his length, speed, and physicality, Greedy will be an instant-impact player once he gets in the league.

New York Giants Confirmed To Have 10 Draft Picks In 2019 Draft

by
New York Giants. Dave Gettleman, Pat Shurmur

The 2019 NFL Draft will begin on April 25th and carry through to the 27th. This will be a crucial draft for the New York Giants’ future. Having plenty of draft picks will be beneficial for them as they try to find talent to add to a 5-11 roster.

It was originally predicted that the Giants were going to have 11 draft picks. However, it is now confirmed they will only have 10. The Giants have been awarded a compensatory pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Many thought the Giants would receive more than one pick, but that is unfortunately not the case.

Where Are The Giants Picking?

The compensatory pick that the Giants have received is a 5th round pick. It is pick 172. The Giants now have 3 draft picks in the fifth round. The other pick was acquired by trading Damon Harrison to the Detroit Lions.

In the fifth round, the Giants will be picking back to back. They have the 143rd pick and the 144th pick. Then again, of course with the 172nd pick. This is not the only round the Giants have multiple picks in.

In the fourth round, the Giants own two picks. They have their own pick (109) and they have a pick acquired via trade (133). The Giants have the Saints’ fourth round pick that they gained by trading away cornerback Eli Apple. In the sixth round the Giants have just one pick. It is pick 181 and it is their own.

In the 7th round, the Giants have two picks. neither of these picks are the Giants’ own. They own the Vikings’ pick (234) from trading away center Brett Jones. They also have the Rams’ seventh round pick (247) that they received in a trade in which they also received Alec Ogletree.

The Giants do not own a third round pick in 2019. They forfeited their pick when they selected Sam Beal in the third round of the Supplemental Draft. However, they do own their second round pick.

The Giants’ second round pick is the 37th overall pick in the draft. Being that it is near the top of the round, the Giants could end up getting a first-round prospect who falls with the 37th pick.

As all Giants fans know, the Giants own the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. It is their third time picking in the top 10 in the last four years. This will be a crucial draft pick for the franchise’s future. The Giants will need to decide wether or not the 6th pick will be used to select their next franchise quarterback or if it will be used elsewhere.

What Can The Giants Do With So Many Draft Picks?

Having 10 picks in the draft gives the Giants a lot of flexibility. Of course, they could stay put and take 10 players with their 10 picks. However, the Giants could trade up in the draft with so many picks. The more picks, the more trade value.

If the Giants love a prospect in the third round, they could potentially trade both of their fourth round picks to move back into the third round and take their guy.

These picks could even be traded outside of the draft. The Giants might feel it is best to have a veteran free safety going into 2019. Trading a late-round pick for a veteran could be of great value to the Giants. Last offseason they traded a mid-round pick to acquire Alec Ogletree. Dave Gettleman could look to make a similar move in 2019.

New York Giants: Who Will Start At Cornerback In 2019?

by

The New York Giants need help at the cornerback position. Starting cornerback Janoris Jenkins has regressed significantly over the past two seasons, and the other players on the roster are young and unproven.

The Giants can not call themselves competitors if they trot B.W. Webb back on the field as a starter in 2019. He was the 77th ranked cornerback in 2018 according to Pro Football Focus. Webb might be most remembered as a Giant for almost blowing the game against the Chicago Bears with multiple pass interference penalties and a touchdown given up.

Janoris Jenkins is not even a lock to make the roster. He could become a cap casualty in 2019. He has regressed to an average cornerback since his dominant season in 2016. The Giants might try to make upgrades (as they should), however, there are not a ton of options out there.

Despite all this, the Giants might have two of their starters on their roster already.

Grant Haley

The slot cornerback position seems to be set for the Giants’ future. As an undrafted free agent out of Penn State, Grant Haley played a solid rookie season for the Giants in 2018. Haley actually outplayed Janoris Jenkins in 2018 from a PFF grading standpoint.

In 2018, Grant Haley posted a 69.3 overall Pro Football Focus grade. That was considered an above average grade by PFF. Janoris Jenkins’ grade was only a 68.0 in 2018. Grant Haley was very impressive in the slot in 2018.

Grant Haley played in 10 games in 2018. In those 10 games, Haley was a contributor in run defense with his 33 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. He also added 2 passes defended.

Considering how much Jenkins gets payed, it would be cost efficient for the Giants to cut ties with Janoris and get younger at the cornerback position with Haley and some other young guys.

Sam Beal

Who is Sam Beal? He’s the best prospect to enter the league’s supplemental draft in a long time. Maybe ever. – Matt Miller

Another young guy who has a good chance of starting in 2019 is Sam Beal. Sam was selected by the Giants in the third round of the 2018 supplemental draft. He was not in the 2018 NFL Draft because Beal chose to stay at school and finish earning his degree.

After his junior season, “many NFL evaluators told agents and media members that Beal was likely a top-100 pick.” Beal is a very talented cornerback who had 2 interceptions and 10 passes defended as a junior. He was a highly coveted prospect in the supplemental draft, and the Giants were lucky enough to select him in the third round.

The Giants will be without a third round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft because they selected Beal, however, they are confident he will be worth the pick. With top 100 draft talent, and 1st round projection by some scouts, Sam Beal was an absolute steal for the Giants.

Unfortunately, Sam Beal missed the entire 2018 NFL season with a shoulder injury. But due to the lack of talent at the position for the Giants, Beal will likely be placed into the starting role in 2019. He has great size at 6’1″ and 185 pounds, along with great athleticism like his 4.40s 40-time.

Sam Beal has all the traits necessary to be a great NFL player. If he can remain healthy in 2019, Beal will start for the Giants and could progress into a great cornerstone player for the franchise’s future.

New York Giants Expected To Have 11 Picks In 2019 NFL Draft

by
New York Giants. Dave Gettleman, Pat Shurmur

The New York Giants are heading into the offseason with a disappointing 5-11 record. That record awarded them the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. In this draft, the Giants are expected to have eleven total draft picks. With that kind of draft capital, the Giants should be expected to make some big moves this offseason.

Where Are The Extra Picks Coming From?

Typically, NFL teams have one pick per round, in each of the seven rounds. The Giants own their first round, second round, fourth round, and sixth round picks. That totals to four picks of their own and no pick in the third round. The Giants used their third round pick in the 2018 Supplemental Draft to take cornerback Sam Beal.

In addition to those picks, the Giants have acquired several picks via trades. The Giants received the Saints’ fourth round pick in the Eli Apple trade. They Also received the Lions’ fifth round pick in the Damon “Snacks” Harrison trade. Their two seventh round picks come via trade also. The first pick comes from the Vikings via the Brett Jones trade. The second seventh round pick was received from the Rams in the Alec Ogletree trade.

The Giants will receive two more picks in the fourth and fifth rounds. These are compensatory picks. The fourth round pick comes from the Giants losing Justin Pugh in free agency in 2018. The fifth round pick will be granted to the Giants due to Geno Smith signing with the Chargers in 2018 and Devon Kennard signing with the Lions in 2018.

With so many picks in the upcoming draft, the Giants will have many options. They could hold onto their picks and select multiple impact players, or they could trade their picks. They could trade these picks for veterans or for more draft picks. If the Giants like a specific prospect, they now have the draft capital to trade up and select him.

New York Giants: Is Sam Beal A Giant Stretch Or Diamond In The Rough?

by

The New York Giants made a somewhat surprising move last week in selecting CB Sam Beal out of Western Michigan in the third round of the supplemental draft. Beal signed his rookie contract yesterday, less than a week after being drafted.

He was available in the supplemental draft due to academic ineligibility for next year; Beal is only the third player ever selected by the Giants in the supplemental draft and the first player since Tito Wooten in 1994.

Was Beal worth a third-round pick from the New York Giants?

The Western Michigan product is a highly touted prospect and was projected to be one of the top corners in next year’s draft, so sacrificing 2019’s third round pick can prove to be an absolute steal.

Beal is known to be an excellent cover corner with great foot work and ball skills. He may struggle initially against speedy receivers and needs to get physically stronger to help against the run, but he brings an immediate upgrade to the position.

With a strong summer and into the early season, he should compete with Eli Apple and William Gay for significant playing time, if not starting, and secure the opposite side of the field from Janoris Jenkins. This will free up Big Blue’s safeties, allowing Landon Collins to be more aggressive in the box while Thomas and/or Thompson can drop back into coverage.

From a talent perspective, this was a lock, and a move the Giants had to pull the trigger on. The biggest question regarding Beal is bringing a guy in the locker room who was only available because his academic eligibility was in question for next year. Should this be a big deal?

Time will tell but with the right coaches and players to mentor him along, Sam Beal is poised to be a strong contributor to a secondary that desperately needed depth. If nothing else, the Giants just got a 10-month head start to get a player in the door and can start molding him into an NFL-caliber player.

New York Giants Hot Take: How Sam Beal Will Steal A Starting Job

by

Giving up your third-round pick is never a good idea, especially for a player that wasn’t eligible for the NFL Draft. But for the New York Giants it all made sense on Wednesday. The Supplemental draft concluded in which New York walked away with cornerback Sam Beal, a feisty defensive back with the ability to make plays.

The Western Michigan CB was one of two picks in the draft, as he was chosen with the second pick in the third-round.

What New York Giants’ Dave Gettleman had to say about the pick:

“We feel like we’re getting our third-round pick now,” general manager Dave Gettleman said in a statement. “We discussed it at length yesterday, and had a great conversation. We basically had a draft meeting in the office, with people on the speaker phone who had seen him. It was a very thorough conversation.”

With the Giants thin in the secondary, adding Beal was a big part of the game plan moving forward, especially since Gettleman believes he’s getting third-round value a year in advance. Beal struggled with academic eligibility while at WMU, but still managed to start for two years. The injection of talent will surely help a cornerback unit composed of Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, and an aging William Gay.

At 6-foot-1 with a 4.5 40 yard-dash, Beal presented a better option over Virginia Tech corner, Adonis Alexander. He’s a lick faster and has great size as a raw cover corner in the NFL.

The biggest bang on Beal was his tackling ability and strength. Weighing in at 178 pounds was not ideal and his tackling was sub-par, but these are all things that can be improved at the professional level.

The Hot Take:

So, you’re probably wondering what this take likely entails, as coming from the Supplemental draft doesn’t pose a significant threat for any of the current starting CB’s on the roster.

I wouldn’t be so sure about that.

My take is that Beal will beat out Eli Apple for the opposite starting corner job by week 7. Apple has struggled immensely with turning his head to locate the ball and avoiding pass interference calls. If the third-year corner doesn’t improve significantly in the months ahead, I would not be surprised to see Beal emerge as a potential starting option.