Getty The New York Giants will meet the "best pure separator" in the 2023 NFL draft.
The New York Giants are stepping up their efforts to add another new playmaker to their receiving corps. Their latest move will be to meet with a wide receiver dubbed the “best pure separator” in the 2023 NFL draft.
Zay Flowers will meet with the Giants on Wednesday, April 12, according to NorthJersey.com’s Art Stapleton.
Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers will fly into New Jersey on Tuesday for his pre-draft ’30’ visit with the #Giants on Wednesday, per sources.
Flowers’ ability to separate has been praised by Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus, who also lauded the former Boston College standout as somebody “defensive backs won’t be able to stick with him across on his route breaks unless they’re holding him.”
Flowers boasts the numbers and skill-set to take a pedestrian passing attack up a notch or two. It’s a weakness the Giants still needs to address after the chances of a possible reunion with Odell Beckham Jr. came to an end.
The only doubts about Flowers concern a slight physical profile that’s similar to several Giants receivers, including Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson.
Giants Favoring a Certain Type of Wide Receiver
Robinson tore his ACL against the Detroit Lions in Week 11 last season, just when he was beginning to make an impact. A second-round pick a year ago, the 5-foot-8, 185-pounder was becoming a productive target from the slot.
Wan’Dale Robinson vs Lions:
• 13 targets (led team)
• 9 receptions (led team)
• 100 yards (led team)
The Giants rookie WR had himself a DAY 🔥
Smaller, speedy pass-catchers like Robinson are the Giants’ favorite type of receivers at the moment. There’s also 5-foot-10 Shepard, who was re-signed this offseason, despite a lengthy injury history that’s cost him 34 games since 2018.
The only new face at wide receiver is 6 foot, 208-pound Parris Campbell, signed from the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. Greater size is offered by the returning Isaiah Hodgins and tight end Darren Waller, who was acquired in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
They will be the towering outliers among a receiving corps otherwise defined by diminutive burners, a profile 5-foot-10, 177-pound Flowers fits.
Numbers Define College Star’s Game
Flowers isn’t worried about his relative lack of stature, telling Good Morning Football, “it’s a lot of guys my size doing it. Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Brandin Cooks. So, it’s a lot of guys that’s been successful at my size in the league.”
. @BCFootball WR Zay Flowers wakes up with GMFB and addresses concerns about his size, what it was like growing up with 13 siblings, and NFL CBs he is most excited to face
The confidence is well-founded after a 78-catch, 12-touchdown season in 2022. He proved himself a sure-handed target capable of attacking defenses at multiple levels.
It’s a mistake to assume Flowers is strictly a slot or mid-range option because of his frame. Instead, he can stretch the field, something he did to average 15.3 yards per reception during four years with the Eagles.
This scoring grab against Louisville showcased what Flowers can do whenever he gets vertical:
October Showers Bring Zay Flowers 🌸
The Giants need a true deep threat after producing a league-low 28 completions of 20-plus yards last season. Quarterback Daniel Jones also had the second-lowest “big-time throw rate,” ahead of only Matt Ryan, per Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports.
It’s obvious where the Giants need to improve through the air. It’s also obvious how they plan to get better, namely through the draft rather than free agency.
The Giants opted not to pay big to bring Beckham back to MetLife Stadium. OBJ agreed a one-year deal worth $15 million guaranteed with the Baltimore Ravens on Easter Sunday, terms ESPN’s Jordan Raanan says the Giants were NEVER going near.”
Beckham was always going to be a risk given his age and recent injury history, so the Giants are smart to take their chances in a draft class deep at receiver. Flowers doesn’t look the prototype WR1 many expect, but he plays like he belongs in the role.