Jordon Riley makes PFF's list of top 15 rookies from Week 1
Pro Football Focus released their list of the top 15 rookies from Week 1, and Giants defensive lineman Jordon Riley, a seventh-round draft choice, was featured at No. 13.
"The Cowboys held a commanding lead over the Giants for most of the game, which didn't lead to many pass-rushing snaps for Riley, but he did show off his ability as a run-stuffer," wrote PFF's Mason Cameron. "In his 12 snaps vs. the run, the seventh-round pick managed a perfect 0.0% negatively-graded play percentage and came away with a tackle for loss."
Riley played just 17 defensive snaps (29 percent), along with seven special teams snaps, in his NFL debut, but was able to make an impact with a tackle for loss.
The 6-foot-5, 315-pound rookie played well throughout training camp, impressing his teammates and coaches alike.
"I don't think it's a surprise at all," defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said last month about Riley's strong play. "I think that when you draft a guy you expect him to play the way that you saw on tape and then you see in the future of what you can do to help develop him that can make him even better and I think that's what you are seeing right now, but he still needs a lot of snaps and still needs to grow. I think he's in the perfect spot for it right now with where he is at with the veterans he has in that room and with Dre (defensive line coach Andre Patterson) and B-Cox (assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox)."
The interior defensive line appears to be a strength of the Giants defense, led by Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and A'Shawn Robinson. Learning from the group of established veterans should benefit the rookie lineman.
"He's coming in head down working every day, focused, locked in," outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari said during camp. "You've got big Dex, Leo in there grinding, helping him out, Nacho, A'Shawn, they're all working on him. He's pushing them every day and he's just improving every day, going hard and getting better."
Here is PFF's full list of the top 15 rookies from Week 1:
- DT Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
- DT Keeanu Benton, Pittsburgh Steelers
- LB Henry To'oTo'o, Houston Texans
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
- G Peter Skoronski, Tennessee Titans
- WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
- WR Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
- WR Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
- DT Zacch Pickens, Chicago Bears
- LB Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota Vikings
- DE Keion White, New England Patriots
- DL Jordon Riley, New York Giants
- LB Sirvocea Dennis, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- OL Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears
View photos of the New York Giants' 2023 roster as it currently stands.
NT Dexter Lawrence II (97), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
CB Deonte Banks
RB Saquon Barkley
OLB Boogie Basham
LB Darrian Beavers
TE Daniel Bellinger
S Dane Belton
OL Ben Bredeson
RB Matt Breida
ILB Cam Brown
WR Parris Campbell
RB Jashaun Corbin
ILB Carter Coughlin
DL D.J. Davidson
QB Tommy DeVito
QB Jacob Eason
CB Cor'Dale Flott
P Jamie Gillan
G Mark Glowinski
RB Eric Gray
OL Sean Harlow
CB Tre Hawkins III
WR Isaiah Hodgins
CB Darnay Holmes
DL Timmy Horne
WR Jalin Hyatt
CB Adoree' Jackson
TE Tyree Jackson
LS Casey Kreiter
DL Dexter Lawrence
CB Nick McCloud
ILB Micah McFadden
OL Marcus McKethan
S Xavier McKinney
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches
OLB Azeez Ojulari
ILB Bobby Okereke
WR Gunner Olszewski
S Gervarrius Owens
OL Justin Pugh
DL Jordon Riley
DL A'Shawn Robinson
OT Matt Peart
WR Wan'Dale Robinson
C John Michael Schmitz Jr.
WR Sterling Shepard
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons
WR Darius Slayton
QB Tyrod Taylor
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux
OT Andrew Thomas
TE Darren Waller
OLB Jihad Ward
OLB Benton Whitley
View photos from the week 1 matchup between the Giants and Cowboys at MetLife Stadium.
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Daniel Jones (8) runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Tre Hawkins III (37), left, tackles Dallas Cowboys' Brandin Cooks (3) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Saquon Barkley, center, is tackled during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Saquon Barkley runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Deonte Banks, left, and Xavier McKinney, right, break up a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys' Jake Ferguson during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
New York Giants' Tre Hawkins III (37), second from left, left, tackles Dallas Cowboys' Brandin Cooks (3), center, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Saquon Barkley runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Parris Campbell runs a route during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Saquon Barkley runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Daniel Jones (8) runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Daniel Jones (8) runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones looks to throw during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
New York Giants' Daniel Jones runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants' Deonte Banks, left, and Xavier McKinney, bottom right, break up a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys' Jake Ferguson during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
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