The New York Giants 2021 draft class could prove to be full of players that become building blocks for this franchise.
This 2021 class is headlined by the Giants’ first two picks, wide receiver Kadarius Toney and edge rusher Azeez Ojulari.
Toney played in 10 games throughout his rookie season. He recorded 39 receptions for 420 receiving yards. As the new season approaches, Toney looks to be a centerpiece in this new Giants offense.
Azeez Ojulari also managed to make an impact on this Giants defense. The former Georgia edge rusher was expected to be a first-round pick. Before the draft, an unknown injury led to him drastically falling down draft boards. Eventually, the Giants selected him with the 50th overall pick.
During his rookie season, Ojulari appeared in all 17 games, while earning 13 starts. He recorded 49 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, two defended passes and eight sacks.
Toney and Ojulari weren’t the only players from this Giants draft class that could prove to be big pieces in the future.
Recently, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic identified 22 second-year breakout candidates. He chose 11 offensive players and 11 defensive players.
Two Giants’ second-year defenders were able to make their way onto this list. Cornerback Aaron Robinson and edge rusher Quincy Roche were both selected.
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Aaron Robinson’s Overview
Aaron Robinson appeared in just nine games throughout his rookie season, but he also recorded two starts. A foot injury sidelined him for the first half of the season.
As the season progressed, Robinson improved in all areas. He finished the year with 26 total tackles, three defended passes, and one quarterback hit.
Baumgardner spoke highly of the second-year corner. He specifically highlighted how opposing wide receivers struggle to beat him off of the line of scrimmage and find it difficult to separate down the field.
Baumgardner wrote, “Receivers have a really hard time separating from Robinson and beating him at the line of scrimmage. Robinson has good long speed, too, so he also challenges players who have second-level acceleration. He’s all-around fast and showed an ability to play without fear on an island last year as a rookie.”
Heading into the season, Robinson seems locked in as the Giants CB2 barring a significant change. And while expectations are high for him heading into year two, he is still far from perfect.
During the Giant’s first preseason game against the New England Patriots, Robinson was on the receiving end of several big plays. The Patriot’s offense targeted him early and often while he was on the field.
Baumgardner acknowledged this first outing for Robinson, stating, “It’s not always perfect, though. Robinson can still get lost. He had some issues in coverage in a preseason game last week, in fact. There’s work to do here, but he’s still someone to keep an eye on.”
If Robinson can continue to progress and handle the issues that he has had on the field, he could be a centerpiece of this secondary for the foreseeable future.
Quincy Roche’s Potential
Edge rusher Quincy Roche had an interesting path to the Giants. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round but was released before the start of the regular season.
After being released, the Giants brought him in. Roche was an underrated defender on this young defense. He recorded 38 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks while playing in 14 games, and starting three.
Baumgardner noted that Roche is full of potential, and could be a legitimate sleeper player on this defense. He wrote, “He’s a bouncy, nimble athlete on the edge, one who can change direction and retrack to the ball with a lot of speed and explosion. When he’s locked in, he can be a real problem against the run, as an edge-setter who’s just hard to move. However, he does get tired — it happened too much in 2021 — and that can limit his impact.”
Roche will have to earn his spot on this defense that has two strong young pass rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Ojulari. At the moment, it looks like Roche could be locked into a spot on this roster. If he can keep it up, he could be a strong piece for this group.
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2 Young Giants Defenders Named Potential Breakout Candidates