Gil Brandt names Daniel Jones-Kenny Golladay among exciting new QB-WR duos

The Giants have a lot of new faces on the team after a busy offseason. But perhaps the most eye-opening addition to the roster over the last few months is wide receiver Kenny Golladay.

Standing in at 6-foot-4, 213 pounds, Golladay offers Daniel Jones a big-bodied receiver that the young quarterback has not had since being drafted by the Giants in 2019. Not only that but Golladay's deep threat abilities, along with his high success on contested catches, should bode well with Jones' ability to throw the ball deep down the field.

Pro Football Hall of Famer and NFL Network analyst Gil Brandt recently ranked his top 10 most exciting new quarterback-wide receiver combos in the NFL, where the duo of Golladay and Jones came in at No. 5. Between Golladay and some of the other offensive weapons the Giants brought in this offseason, Brandt believes Jones now has the strongest supporting cast he's ever had.

"Between Golladay, explosive rookie playmaker Kadarius Toney, veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph and the return to health of running back Saquon Barkley, Jones' supporting cast will be as good as it's ever been," Brandt writes.

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Jones-Golladay connection. As Brandt notes, Golladay has already recorded two 1,000-yard seasons in just four NFL campaigns, including his dominant 2019 season in which he led the NFL with 11 touchdowns on his way to his first Pro Bowl selection.

In addition, as noted above, both Golladay and Jones have found success with the deep ball in recent years. Since 2018, Golladay ranks No. 1 in deep receiving yards on tight coverage targets and is tied for No. 1 in deep receptions on those same plays. Meanwhile, Jones was recently ranked as Next Gen Stats' No. 1 deep passer from last season after going 19-for-39 for 636 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions on such passes, earning a passer rating of 134.3

Evan Engram's work ethic impresses Joe Judge

Instead of accepting accolades, the best season of Evan Engram's career has left him seeking improvement.

"There were a lot of things I feel like could I have done better," Engram said Friday after the Giants' on-field organized team activities. "There were a lot of things did I well and there are things that I can build on. Definitely throwing last year away, there were a lot of things to learn from. But I'm looking forward to this next season and improving every day out here in OTAs."

Engram was one of the Giants' most prominent offensive weapons in 2020, his fourth NFL season. The team's 2017 first-round draft choice played all 16 games for the first time and started a career-high 14 games. He was second on the Giants with 63 receptions, one less than the career high he set as a rookie in 2017. Engram's catches gained 654 yards. He also had six rushing attempts for 26 yards. Engram scored one receiving and one rushing touchdown.

Engram caught at least one pass in all 16 games, increasing his streak to 45 consecutive games in which he played with at least one reception. His 63 catches were the sixth-highest single-season total by a tight end in Giants history and his 654 yards were the eighth highest.

So, what is he focused on as he prepares for pro season No. 5?

"Really, everything from ball security, from blocking techniques, from routes, getting in and out of breaks," he said. "Everything that goes in doing my job every single day I put an emphasis on to improve."

Second-year coach Joe Judge is impressed with Engram's commitment to becoming a better player in 2021.

"I'm telling you when you watch us practice and you watch No. 88 on the field, no one empties the tank like this guy," Judge said. "This guy goes hard every day. We have to tell him to tone it down more than pick up his pace based on what kind of phase, practice room, walk-through, jog through, whatever you have at the time of year. Evan is always a guy that makes you say, 'Hey Evan, tone it down a little bit.' He works on the details, takes coaching well, he's mentally tough and a physically tough dude and takes care of his body, ready to stay on the field.

"I'm very pleased with the way he works. He's a fun guy having in a program, he's a fun guy in the locker room, he's a leader on our team and he's a very productive player for us. I enjoy coaching him every single day."

Recap: Highlights & interviews from Week 2 of Giants OTAs

Check out the video below to watch Giants.com's Paul Dottino and Madelyn Burke recap the Giants' OTA practice on Friday, June 4.