Getty C.J. Board #16 catches a pass against Deiondre' Hall #36 of the Philadelphia Eagles
The New York Giants continue to dip their hand in the wide receiver market. Just three days after inking big-bodied wideout Cody White to a contract, Big Blue has struck again, after they were awarded receiver C.J. Board off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 6-foot-1-inch, 181-pound Board broke into the league as an undrafted free agent out of Chattanooga with the Baltimore Ravens back in 2017. He’s spent the majority of his first three NFL seasons bouncing around practice squads from Baltimore to the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Board finally got his first taste of real game action in 2019, when the Jaguars promoted him to their active 53-man roster in Week 7 in a matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Two weeks later Board made his first-career reception, a 23-yarder vs. the Houston Texans. In total, Board appeared in four games with Jacksonville last season, finishing with two receptions on four targets for 31 yards, an average of 15.5 yards per reception.
Board Had a Prolific College Career
In college, Board spent four seasons at Chattanooga, quickly developing into one of the program’s all-time great receiving options. From 2013 through 2016, Board appeared in 46 games with the Mocs, hauling in a grand total of 46 catches for 2,032 yards and 10 touchdowns. Board ranks as the school’s sixth all-time leader in receptions and fifth all-time leader in receiving yards.
Follow the Heavy on Giants Facebook page for all the latest stories, rumors and viral content!
Slayton, Giants Offense Ready to be Explosive
Time will tell if Board can add to Big Blue’s budding passing attack. However, one name that will certainly play a big part in quarterback Daniel Jones’ development this coming season is second-year speedster Darius Slayton.
Slayton a fifth-round steal out of Auburn in the 2019 NFL Draft, burst onto the scene once Jones took over at the helm of the Giants’ offense. Despite being pegged by many as New York’s third to fourth option in the receiving game, the wideout finished his rookie campaign with 48 receptions and a team-leading 740 yards. His eight receiving touchdowns on the season also tied with Tennessee Titans star AJ Brown for the most in the NFL amongst all first-year pass-catchers.
Now entering his second year in the offense alongside Jones, a healthy Saquon Barkley and Evan Engram, Slayton believes the unit is ready to take their game to new heights in 2020.
“I think we have a really good chance to be explosive,” Slayton stated while speaking with reporters on Wednesday. “I think we have a chance to be an explosive offense, a really efficient offense.”
Slayton’s statement may seem bold for a unit that ranked just 23rd in total offense one season ago. However, if there’s one thing the G-Men’s skill players are, it’s explosive.
There is no projected starting 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) in the NFL for the 2020 season that is faster than the Giants’ based off of average 40-yard dash time, not the defending champion Chiefs, not the Lamar Jackson-led Ravens, no one. Slayton and his 4.39 forty time is a big reason as to why.