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Fact or Fiction: NFL draft scenarios, players to watch

Apr 21, 2023 at 01:40 PM

by John Schmeelk, Lance Medow & Matt Citak

The offensive player you're most excited to see on the field this Spring is tight end Darren Waller

John Schmeelk: Fact – Other than Saquon Barkley, Waller is the most accomplished and dynamic skill position player (WR/RB/TE) on the Giants' roster. He has had two 1,000-yard seasons and can win all over the field with his blend of size, speed, and ability to separate from defenders. Let's see Waller operate in space and utilize his array of athletic skills in person to learn how the team might use him and how he may impact the offense.

Lance Medow: Fact – Waller clearly fits the bill. His versatility is something Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka can tap into to add a creative dimension to the offense and provide Daniel Jones with another dangerous weapon. On top of that, at 6-6, he'll pose a nice challenge for the defense during practice even without any contact allowed during the Spring. This dimension will expose Wink Martindale's unit to a unique player and prepare them for a position that showcases many "headache" players across the league.

Matt Citak: Fact – Waller was the team's biggest acquisition this off-season, both literally and figuratively. After catching 207 passes between the 2019-20 campaigns with the Raiders, Waller and the Giants are hoping the talented tight end can return to that form this season, and it starts this Spring. OTAs will be the first time that Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka can integrate their new, 6-foot-6 pass-catcher into the offense while on the practice field.

Darren Waller vs. Xavier McKinney will be the best 1-on-1 matchup in practice

John Schmeelk: Fiction – There's no guarantee Waller will be matched up often with McKinney. So let's go with Parris Campbell lining up against Darnay Holmes. With Wandale Robinson and Sterling Shepard still recovering from knee issues, Campbell could get most of the slot reps. let's see how far his route running ability has come and whether he can consistently separate from Holmes down the field and make plays beyond 15 yards.

Lance Medow: Fact – The acquisition of Waller doesn't just help the offense but the defense, as well, because players on that side of the ball will have to deal with a tight end who creates matchup problems on a weekly basis. McKinney can be used near the line of scrimmage and deep down the field, so observing how he handles Waller will definitely be a matchup to monitor. Let's also not forget McKinney missed the bulk of the second half of last season due to a hand injury so it will be good to see how far he's come in his recovery.

Matt Citak: Fiction – It will be more exciting to see the battles between the two starting offensive tackles and the two top edge rushers. Andrew Thomas made significant strides from Year 2 to 3, and the Giants are hoping Evan Neal can make a similar jump heading into his own second season. On the other side of the ball, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari make up one of the league's more intriguing combinations of edge rushers. Watching these two OT-EDGE battles and seeing how each player has improved could go a long way in forecasting their success this upcoming year.

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