For me, it is Neal, who Paul lists first. I'm still not throwing in the towel on him, though it is getting late. At this point, I'd take him being an average tackle.
The aforementioned Neal, JMS, Hyatt, Nabers, Banks, Flott, Nubin also guys like Bellinger, Gray and Tracy, Belton, Philips, Riley, Davidson and even Thibs. Very interesting year for following emerging talent.
average, that would be an improvement. The problem is he looks like a guy who has never played football before is his lifetime. He's been an absolute disaster.
I feel like there's been a little lost plot on Evan Neal
Under no circumstances has he been overall good, but this player has played 20 NFL games. There isn't another position player that we would declare a closed issue after 20 games. That's *a* season + 3 games of play.
average, that would be an improvement. The problem is he looks like a guy who has never played football before is his lifetime. He's been an absolute disaster.
I’ve been trying to be on my best behavior about this guy by refraining from criticizing his play. At this stage I have only one questions: How much have his struggles been due to all his injuries?
he was "healthy" for maybe 8 of them.
PLUS, he had to switch sides of the line AND learn an entirely new Pass Pro technique (setting at 45 degrees instead of vertically like in college).
ALL of that is NOT a recipe for success.
What this guy needs is 1. health and 2. reps, and I'm confident he will get there.
Nabers
Nubin
Dru Phillips
Theo Johnson
Tracy
Jordan Phillips
Jordon Riley
D.J. Davidson
Kayvon Thibodeaux
Azeez Ojulari
Tre Hawkins
Dane Belton
Tre Herndon
David Long
Jon Runyan
Jermaine Eluemunor
It is pretty hard to know if any OL prospect is good or bad or form any opinion based on clips put together. I loved the Neal pick at the time, and I think most did. What the hell happened? How did they Ereck Flowers all over again?
Okerekee and Dex. Everyone else has something to prove.
I'm excited to see Okereke. He looked like one of the best MIKE LBs in the league last year. Probably no surprise playing behind a Hall of Fame-type NT but he's smart enough to maximize the advantage from it.
One is the "face value" narrative that Eluemunor is projected to be the starter at left guard and will serve as insurance against Neal struggling at right tackle. After all, with Neal unable to practice, why not have Eluemunor lining up at right tackle and Ezeudu at left guard with the 1's if Ezeudu was projected to start at left guard with everyone healthy?
Another narrative is this: the Giants would like Neal and Ezeudu to win the starting jobs at right tackle and left guard, but both have struggled with injuries and have looked less than stellar when they did play. Enter Eluemunor, who they view as capable at both left guard and right tackle (but not a long term solution at either). "But with Neal unable to practice, why not have Eluemunor at right tackle and Ezeudu at left guard during the OTA's?," you ask. One reason could be the optics. Eluemunor at right tackle during OTA's is a much bigger headline (even with Neal hurting and Ezeudu healthy) than at left guard. And if Eluemunor is competing for both positions, there's a logic to have him practicing his footwork at left guard given that he played all of last year on the right side of the line (and I'm guessing improved footwork is all an OL can really gain from non-contact OTA's). And notice, not a single story out of the beat reporters about Ezeudu being a bust. It was much easier to slide under the radar than the possibility of Eluemunor replacing Neal (which would've been a headline if we saw him practicing with 1's at right tackle--even with Neal not practicing!).
And now ask yourself this: which of the two has looked worse at their respective positions, Neal at right tackle or Ezeudu at left guard? Which of the two is more likely to overcome the struggles they've had? And which of the two positions has Eluemunor best proven himself in the recent past? When the smoke clears at the end of training camp, I think it's more likely we will see Eluemunor starting at right tackle than left guard, but hopefully he won't be starting at either.
by Jones ability, or lack there of, to get them the ball. I think they will be open and they do have the speed to scare teams. However if Jones keeps checking down to Hodgins, or the line is like a jailbreak again, then these guys will be wasted
From the perspective of, is he going to make any adjustment to camp in response to last year's slow start, and can we learn anything from him as a playcaller. I'm a bit interested to see how involved Kafka is with playcallinjg getting stripped. Finally, add BDs temperament as a third thing to watch with Daboll.
Giants cannot have the same awful start like last season
first five weeks of 2023 the Giants just wasn't ready to play. They got smoked week 1. Smoked first half of week 2 before stealing a win against a subpar team. Smoked week 3. Smoked week 4 and 5 and let's not make Seattle and Miami out to be the 1978 Steelers. The Giants played better football from October through December and I don't care who they played, they flat out looked like a more normal or acceptable team than the mess we saw weeks 1-5. That cannot happen in 24. That shit really can't happen again in my view. Not under Daboll it can't. It's one thing to have a poor stretch of football. Coughlin's Giants had a rough month in every season he coached here but they battled. They at least gave themselves a shot when things weren't clicking. Giants had no shot last season, early on.
I am watching Daboll and the entire team. No more bullshit like September 23.
first five weeks of 2023 the Giants just weren't ready to play.
Tired of dog shit OL’s.
If you had to simplify it down to this, it's a simplification but the most accurate of any that could be offered at the moment. I basically agree.
I’ve been trying to be on my best behavior about this guy by refraining from criticizing his play. At this stage I have only one questions: How much have his struggles been due to all his injuries?
I take Nabers as watch him for how he's used, where he's lined up, the routes he runs, how he's grasping the offense, etc.
I have little interest in Gray. Seems like a great dude but I'm not impressed. I'm way more interested in Tracy.
PLUS, he had to switch sides of the line AND learn an entirely new Pass Pro technique (setting at 45 degrees instead of vertically like in college).
ALL of that is NOT a recipe for success.
What this guy needs is 1. health and 2. reps, and I'm confident he will get there.
Burns
Neal
Schmitz
Flott
Those are kind of obvious.
But there are a bunch of guys...
Nabers
Nubin
Dru Phillips
Theo Johnson
Tracy
Jordan Phillips
Jordon Riley
D.J. Davidson
Kayvon Thibodeaux
Azeez Ojulari
Tre Hawkins
Dane Belton
Tre Herndon
David Long
Jon Runyan
Jermaine Eluemunor
I'm excited to see Okereke. He looked like one of the best MIKE LBs in the league last year. Probably no surprise playing behind a Hall of Fame-type NT but he's smart enough to maximize the advantage from it.
I haven't given up on him, but he's not on a trajectory to have a serious role in 2024 unless someone gets hurt.
Quote:
How can you leave out Ezeudu? Do you really think they've given up on him or are you just fucking with me?
I haven't given up on him, but he's not on a trajectory to have a serious role in 2024 unless someone gets hurt.
Does that mean he is on a trajectory for serious playing time? Because someone always seems to get hurt, if not more than one.
With Ezeudu getting the 1st team reps at RT while Neal's been out, perhaps it will be a battle for the starting position.
Another narrative is this: the Giants would like Neal and Ezeudu to win the starting jobs at right tackle and left guard, but both have struggled with injuries and have looked less than stellar when they did play. Enter Eluemunor, who they view as capable at both left guard and right tackle (but not a long term solution at either). "But with Neal unable to practice, why not have Eluemunor at right tackle and Ezeudu at left guard during the OTA's?," you ask. One reason could be the optics. Eluemunor at right tackle during OTA's is a much bigger headline (even with Neal hurting and Ezeudu healthy) than at left guard. And if Eluemunor is competing for both positions, there's a logic to have him practicing his footwork at left guard given that he played all of last year on the right side of the line (and I'm guessing improved footwork is all an OL can really gain from non-contact OTA's). And notice, not a single story out of the beat reporters about Ezeudu being a bust. It was much easier to slide under the radar than the possibility of Eluemunor replacing Neal (which would've been a headline if we saw him practicing with 1's at right tackle--even with Neal not practicing!).
And now ask yourself this: which of the two has looked worse at their respective positions, Neal at right tackle or Ezeudu at left guard? Which of the two is more likely to overcome the struggles they've had? And which of the two positions has Eluemunor best proven himself in the recent past? When the smoke clears at the end of training camp, I think it's more likely we will see Eluemunor starting at right tackle than left guard, but hopefully he won't be starting at either.
If you want, we can list all 53.
I am watching Daboll and the entire team. No more bullshit like September 23.