Getty New York Giants fans need to slow the hype for an undrafted plater some believe could follow in Victor Cruz's footsteps.
He’s been compared to Victor Cruz and DK Metcalf, but New York Giants’ rookie wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton has yet to play a down in the NFL.
That’s why NorthJersey.com’s Art Stapleton has told fans to “pump the brakes” on the hype for the undrafted playmaker.
The hype for undrafted rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton from some Giants fans is through the roof and training camp hasn’t even started.
Dream big, but I’d pump the brakes and hope for the PS. He’ll have to blow up Victor Cruz-style to force Giants to even think of keeping him on 53.
As Stapleton pointed out, Ford-Wheaton would need to produce the litany of big plays in preseason Cruz once did to even have a chance of making the final roster. That may be a tall order for ex-West Virginia standout Ford-Wheaton, who Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen dubbed a “discount” version of Seattle Seahawks’ Pro Bowler DK Metcalf.
Rookie Can’t Avoid Victor Cruz Comparisons
Comparisons to Cruz are inevitable any time the Giants sign a touted rookie free agent at receiver. It was Cruz who went undrafted in 2010, before showing out in preseason a year later to go from obscurity to stardom.
Cruz proved the catalyst for the Giants’ winning the 2012 Super Bowl at the expense of the New England Patriots. He tallied 82 catches for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns during a breakout season, per NFL Legacy.
Ford-Wheaton will find it tough to even come close to the heights Cruz scaled, although it didn’t take long for comparisons to be made. The question of whether Ford-Wheaton can be the next Cruz was quickly asked by Andrew Parsaud of Sports Illustrated’s Giants Country in May.
Interestingly, Parsaud also noted how the Giants handed Ford-Wheaton “$236,000 in guaranteed money, more than a full-season salary for a practice squad player.” The salary could be an indication the Giants expect Ford-Wheaton to defy his undrafted status and contribute to a revamped passing game.
It’s a tall order given how many new recruits will be vying to catch passes from quarterback Daniel Jones.
Rookie Faces an Uphill Battle to Make the Team
Ford-Wheaton did showcase a talent for the big play by averaging 13.1 yards per catch during four years with the Cavaliers, according to Sports Reference. His final season at the collegiate level also featured seven touchdowns receptions, including this one against Pitt.
JT Daniels connects with Bryce Ford-Wheaton for the first touchdown of the 2022 Backyard Brawl!
Rocked the baby 👀
Jones needs more vertical threats to help expand a passing game that produced an NFL-low 28 completions of 20-plus yards. Ford-Wheaton has upside as the kind of size and speed mismatch the Giants have lacked, although the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder isn’t the only field-stretcher among Jones’ supporting cast.
The Giants also brought back Darius Slayton and added Parris Campbell from the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. Campbell knows how to get open, while Slayton outpaced Miami Dolphins’ All-Pro Tyreek Hill in yards per target last season.
There’s also rookie Jalin Hyatt, the Giants’ third-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He’s a speedster who needs to prove he’s “more than a one-trick-pony vertical threat,” according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
Jones has more legitimate big-play weapons at his disposal this season, but that’s not to say there won’t be a place for Ford-Wheaton if he shows out during training camp. Competition will be intense, with returning duo Isaiah Hodgins and Sterling Shepard, along with free agents Jamison Crowder and Cole Beasley, all vying for snaps at receiver.
That’s why it’s probably right to adopt a cautious, wait-and-see approach with Ford-Wheaton.