Giants Player Profile | Chris Slayton, DL

Chris Slayton brings ideal size, power, and athleticism to the Giants' defensive line room, but given the depth at the position, is there a spot to be earned?

2019 Rewind

As a seventh-round pick out of Syracuse in 2019, defensive tackle Chris Slayton faced an uphill battle to make the active roster in his first training camp. Slayton joined a defensive line room crowded with young talent, including Dalvin Tomlinson, B.J. Hill, R.J. McIntosh, and first-round pick Dexter Lawrence.

Slayton did not come out of college with the measurables of an elite defensive tackle prospect. Still, his career at Syracuse was evidence of a strong work ethic, leadership, durability, and toughness.

The Illinois native started 42 of 49 games for the Orange, serving as a team captain his senior year and tallying 32.5 tackles for loss, tied for ninth all-time in program history.

Slayton also earned All-ACC and All-ECAC Honorable Mention recognition as a senior in 2018.

After a decent performance at the 2019 NFL combine, Slayton went into the draft as a projected late-draft prospect. The Giants used a seventh-round pick they acquired from the Rams in the Alec Ogletree to select Slayton.

Slayton did little to stand out in the preseason, only racking up five total tackles in four games, and ended up being waived by the Giants on August 31. However, he was re-signed to the practice squad the very next day and was promoted to the active roster on December 27, just in time to be active for the last game of the season.

Despite being elevated to the 53-man roster, Slayton didn't see any playing time against the Eagles.

Looking Ahead

The Giants thought enough of Slayton to move him to the 53-man roster at the end of last year rather than risk him being poached by another team. But that was with the previous coaching staff; this year, Slayton will be part of a deep defensive line room in training camp.

There is much to like about Slayton despite his limited NFL production so far. He offers ideal size, athleticism, and power for a defensive lineman. He lacks in the pass rush department, partially due to a limited arsenal of moves and his reliance on pure power.

Slayton plays with the initial burst, pad level, and effort to win at the point of attack. He showed an ability in college to push the pocket, but his technique falls short in his hand usage, which is inconsistent.

Like most young players, Slayton relied heavily on his raw athletic talent and strength, but that's unfortunately not going to work at the NFL level. He's going to need to develop a pass rush plan and with that, more refined technique if he is to earn a spot in the defensive line rotation.

With Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson currently under contract through the end of 2020, it might be tricky to keep both talents after this year (assuming Williams doesn't sign long-term).

Slayton is raw, but the Giants have a new defensive line coach, Sean Spencer, who has a good reputation in getting his pupils to play beyond their potential, so it will be interesting to see if he can do the same with Slayton.