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New York Giants 2022 Training Camp Roster Preview: ILB Micah McFadden

Can rookie fifth-round draft pick Micah McFadden surprise people by winning a starting role in the defense this year?

Dylan Paciullo

New York Giants 2022 Training Camp Roster Preview: ILB Micah McFadden
New York Giants 2022 Training Camp Roster Preview: ILB Micah McFadden /
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With the 146th pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the New York Giants may have selected a starting-caliber linebacker to plug in next to Blake Martinez or even fill his role once he is gone: Micah McFadden.

Coming out of Plant High School in Tampa, Florida, McFadden quickly began to make a name for himself. As a senior, McFadden was named Florida player of the year after racking up 211 tackles with 39 for a loss. The three-star recruit graduated and decided to commit to Indiana University.

McFadden entered the draft after a stellar four-year career for the Hoosiers. A three-year starter at MIKE backer, he earned All-American honors in his last two seasons with IU. McFadden’s 2021 season specifically was one to remember.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker had a career year, recording 77 tackles, 15.5 for loss with 6.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and two forced fumbles in 12 starts.

Now, McFadden finds himself in New York, where he will have to compete at the highest level and impress the coaching staff if he wants to see the field. With some roster spots at inside linebacker up for grabs, could McFadden make his impact on the team as early as this season?  

What He Brings

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 At 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, McFadden brings good bulk to the position. True to his frame, he loves to play scrappy in the box and is willing to hit blockers and ball carriers between the tackles. This makes him a solid overall tackler who hits low, wraps up, and has good play strength to bring opposing players down.

In the box, he is an excellent gap penetrator and knows how to get skinny in confined spaces to make a play. This ability will be advantageous in a Don Martindale-run scheme that loves to blitz its linebackers.

Speaking to this blitzing ability, this is an area that McFadden excels in and one that I would assume will get a lot of Giants fans excited. McFadden is lightning fast. Although he may not possess great long speed, His immediate acceleration is phenomenal, and this burst is what helps him create pressure.

Coming off the edge, McFadden also has great bend and body control. These abilities, combined with his strong hands, and robust frame, make for an excellent all-around pass-rushing game that I'm sure the Giants would love to utilize.

McFadden's coverage abilities may not be his strong suit, but he has shown potential in the area. McFadden may struggle to keep up with more athletic receivers, especially in man coverage.

In zone, however, McFadden could use his excellent football IQ to diagnose the play and attach the ball. In short to intermediate situations, McFadden's intelligence and short-area quickness will allow him to be an adequate coverage linebacker. However, as he is moved into space, he could run into some struggles.

In addition to the football skills, the Giants are getting a leader in McFadden. The two-time team captain is a high-motor player who often leads by example. McFadden rarely takes a play off and is a tough competitor. Because of these qualities and his high football intelligence, McFadden is an excellent communicator and candidate for the "Mike" linebacker position.

 

 

His Contract

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The Giants signed McFadden, their fifth-round pick, to a four-year, $4.01 million deal with a $355,000 signing bonus. He counts for $793,926 against the cap this season. These figures rank 167th in NFL among active players at the Linebacker position.

Roster Projection/Expectation

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McFadden should make the final roster and compete for playing time alongside other options like Darrian Beavers and Tae Crowder. Although McFadden has potential, I think we see him mainly as a special teams contributor in Year 1 until he grows into the new defensive system.

However, this does not mean I don't see Mcfadden carving out some sort of a role for himself in this defense. The blitzing ability that he possesses will be intriguing to Don Martindale.

In that respect alone, I can see him getting a shot in specific packages as the season progresses. In addition, with his physical tools, if McFadden were to continue to fine-tune his skills, he can one day become a legit contributor, even if that means coming off the bench as a third linebacker.

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Dylan Paciullo
DYLAN PACIULLO

Dylan Paciullo is a long-time lover of football who possesses a deep, intimate knowledge of the game and of the Giants. Dylan's work has appeared on Medium and Mike Farrell Sports.  

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