*Giants.com highlights three players ready to have an impact season: *
No matter how much veteran talent returns to a team – and the Giants have a lot coming back in 2017 -- young players are always counted on to contribute. And if the Giants want to get to where they plan on going, they will need some to step up.
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Here are three players who fit that bill:
TE EVAN ENGRAM
The best way to combat those two-high safety looks we heard so much about last year is with speed down the middle. Enter Evan Engram, the 23rd overall draft pick this past April. General manager Jerry Reese thinks he can be a "matchup nightmare" for teams trying to cover him with linebackers and safeties. The most productive tight end in Ole Miss history opens up a number of personnel combinations for an offense that hit a wall last season and scored a touchdown less per game than the year before.
DT DALVIN TOMLINSON
Tomlinson feels like it was just yesterday he was playing in the (second) national championship against Clemson. Now the Alabama product is eight days away from possibly starting Week 1 at AT&T Stadium against the reigning NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys. His role has been fast-tracked recently because of Jay Bromley's knee injury. But even if he doesn't get the official start, he still figures to be a major part of the interior rotation next to All-Pro Damon Harrison. Tomlinson comes from what he calls a "mini-NFL" program, where he spent five seasons with Nick Saban as his coach. That's why Ben McAdoo gave a firm "yes" when asked if Tomlinson is up to the task right off the bat.
"He's a player that's played at a tremendous level in the college game," McAdoo said. "He's come in, he's learned the system very well. He's good with his hands, he plays with leverage, he destroys blocks. We feel he'll be ready to play Week 1."
PK ALDRICK ROSAS
Rosas says the same thing to himself every time he walks out for a field goal attempt: go one-for-one. Well, he did that eight times this preseason (in addition to six extra points). Rosas was perfect in his four games with a long of 52 yards. But the one that solidified winning the job over veteran Mike Nugent, who also never missed this preseason, was the 48-yarder as time expired to beat the Patriots in the finale. While he responded to every challenge that came his way this summer, now the real pressure begins for Rosas, who has never played in a regular-season game. The Giants have high aspirations this year after seeing five games decided by a field goal or less in 2016.
