Getty The New York Giants can be "pretty special" in 2023, thanks to the hidden gem of their draft class.
Joe Schoen has spent most of this offseason making sure the New York Giants will be better in the passing game. Yet, one of the general manager’s more unheralded moves in the 2023 NFL draft could make the Giants “pretty special” on the ground.
That’s the verdict of former Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman. He identified fifth-round pick Eric Gray as the hidden gem of this year’s Giants draft class.
Speaking to CBS Sports’ Emory Hunt and Ryan Wilson on the With the First Pick podcast (h/t Garrett Podell of CBS Sports), Spielman identified Gray as “one of the most fun running backs I watched this draft season.”
Gray had to wait until the 172nd pick to hear his name called, but Spielman still thinks he can take on a big role as a rookie: “He’s a great singles and doubles hitter as a rusher, extremely violent when he runs. It’s going to get a lot of yards after contact. Gray can catch the ball out of the backfield, everything you want out of a running back. I think he’s going to be a major contributor for the New York Giants. Gray and Saquon Barkley in the backfield is going to be pretty special.”
The reference to Gray’s potential partnership with Saquon Barkley is intriguing. Barkley still hasn’t signed his franchise tag nor been offered a new long-term contract, so Gray’s development could provide insurance against a worst-case scenario involving the Giants’ best player.
Late-Rounder Can Shakeup Key Position
Gray delivering on the hype could save the Giants a fortune in the near future. At the very least, the former Oklahoma standout quickly making the grade as an NFL-level back would shake-up the depth chart at a key position.
Barkley’s still the man and he’s a player the Giants want to sign for the long haul. General manager Joe Schoen made as much clear when he told NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, “Saquon is a very good football player, captain last year. He’s a good locker room guy. I love him. We want him to be here.”
General Manager of the @Giants Joe Schoen wakes up with GMFB to walk through their new rookies, comparing their offseason to the Jets, and Saquon Barkley
Finding the right deal to keep Barkley in the fold won’t be easy, despite Schoen’s optimism. Schoen has already given new contracts to quarterback Daniel Jones and All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II, so Barkley may have little choice but to play on the tag this year.
Barkley hasn’t shown a willingness to sign the tag and any contract uncertainty could impact his performances this season. If so, Gray will get more opportunities to impress.
Even if he isn’t putting pressure on Barkley, Gray can play his way into the role of chief backup. If he does, veteran Matt Breida, who’s a free agent in 2024, will be surplus to requirements a year from now.
1-2 Backfield Punch the Ideal Outcome for Giants
Ideally, Barkley stays put, even if it’s just for a year, and forms a devastating one-two punch with Gray in the backfield. This combination would ease the pressure on Jones to live up to the four-year, $160 million contract he signed earlier this offseason.
Jones enjoyed a career year in 2022, but he was dangerously close to draft bust status before head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka came to town. Daboll and Schoen equipped Jones with new targets by signing wide receiver Parris Campbell in free agency, trading for Pro-Bowl tight end Darren Waller and drafting wideout Jalin Hyatt in the third round.
Those moves mean Jones has what he needs to continue progressing as a passer, but the Giants will still go only as far as their running game can take them. Fortunately, putting Gray in the backfield with Barkley will add another home-run threat to the rushing attack.
Gray is elusive and quick enough to break through traffic and hit another gear once he reaches the open field. This touchdown against Nebraska from just outside the red zone last season is a good example.
Eric Gray cut right through Nebraska’s defense 😤
@OU_Football off to a hot start to the second half 🙌
If Gray replicates plays like this at the pro level, the Giants will have a two-pronged ground game able to keep defenses guessing and help workhorse Barkley stay fresh late in the season.