New York Giants Analysis of Needs: Receivers

The Giants have numbers at the receiver position, but might they be looking to add more assets to a group that will be very important to the offense moving forward?

The Giants are no Buffalo Bills, at least not yet. But they very well could be, at least from a success perspective, if they play their cards right. 

One of the things the Giants will need to develop is their passing game. This means getting their top receivers, such as Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, and, assuming he's not traded, Kadarius Toney, involved when healthy.

Golladay, who was one of the top free agents signed last year, was only targeted on 16.7 percent of the passing game snaps he played, a ridiculously low figure for a guy who was being paid to be the No. 1 receiver on the team. 

He finished with only 75 pass targets in 14 games played is unfathomable (yet true). That he only hauled in 37 of these for a career-low 49.3 catch percentage is just awful.

Because of his contract--Golladay has a lot of guaranteed money due to him both this year and next year--he's not going anywhere anytime soon, so for the Giants to not utilize him more seems like a waste of assets. 

Golladay recently spoke of his excitement about the offensive system implemented by head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and sounded enthusiastic about its promise.

"As of right now, putting in a bunch of plays. That's very exciting--a lot of plays that can trick a defense. A lot of guys moving around," Golladay said.

The veteran receiver also said he was looking forward to having more put on his plate in this offense.  

Shepard, who will probably miss the first part of the season as he recovers from a late-year season-ending injury, was brought back in a somewhat surprising move on a reduced contract. 

When healthy, Shepard has been one of the most reliable receivers the Giants have had during the Daniel Jones era (2019-present), averaging 5.5 yards per catch and 55.1 receiving yards per game to lead all Giants receivers during that era.

Then there is Toney, the second-year player who, for his own reasons, has decided to stay away from the voluntary program. In doing so, Toney has yet to get his playbook or build a relationship with the Giants' new regime. 

While the off-season program is voluntary, the optics of Toney's decision are not a good look. That's unfortunate, as his talent and skill set seems to be a perfect match for what this coaching staff appears to want to do.

Would the Giants add another receiver? It certainly wouldn't surprise us. Shepard and Darius Slayton might be on this team this year, but all bets are off after that. And as previously noted, the team doesn't fully know what it has in Toney.

With knowing how much Daboll likes to run 11-personnel based on his history in Buffalo, we could see a receiver being drafted as early as the second day (Round 3) of this draft to help fill out the roster for the future.

Again, based on what we know of Daboll’s preferences, he likes receivers that can play multiple roles.

Here are some candidates they might be considering, as per Inside Football.

Danny Gray (SMU)

Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Big play operator from the perimeter. Good size (6’2”-200) to absorb contact. Not always physical but can take a hit. Very good hands. Attacks the ball. Routes need polish. Dangerous after the catch. Elusive with a good burst. Home run speed. Lacks quick feet but has loose hips. Little experience escaping the jam. Not versatile. Relies on talent and instinct. Technique-lite. 

Romeo Doubs (Nevada)

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Size/speed guy (6’2”-210) with explosive deep speed. Works sideline very well. Unafraid to go over middle. Strong hands. Sudden off the line, creating space. Very good short/intermediate target. Plays big. Strong with the ball in his hands. Powerful. Tough to bring down. Good blocker. Routes need polish. Legit outside receiver. 

Calvin Austin (Memphis)

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Of all the good slots in this draft, none of them has Austin’s explosiveness. Rarely lined up in slot. Big play machine, mostly split wide. Legit threat to take it the distance every time he touches ball. Great release, great route-running, terrific hands. Lightning-fast and quick. Only thing lacking is size (5’6”-165). Has Tyreek Hill-like speed but not Hill’s physicality. If you can catch him, contact will disrupt him. Not a blocker. Not a lot of experience in the slot. Home run hitter. 

Samori Toure (Nebraska)

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

One of the more technically-advanced wideouts in this class. Route-running is mature. Can get into and out of breaks with suddenness. For a 6’3”-190 guy, he’s got agile and flexible limbs. Gets low to cut and snatch. Very good overall ball skills. Lacks top end speed and burst. Has build up speed to go distance. Smart, savvy. Not powerful but competitive, tough. Blocker. 

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