*Giants.com updates the progress of the rookies after the Giants' win over the Jets: *
Preseason in the NFL means different things to different players.
For the young guys, it's about getting an opportunity to prove the stage is not too big and that your team's assessment of you was justified. And the New York Giants got another good look at their youth on Saturday night against the Jets.
Here is a recap of how the six draft picks fared in the MetLife Bowl:
TE Evan Engram
Depth chart: TE2
Preseason Week 1: 2 TGTS, 1 REC, 11 YDS
Preseason Week 2: 4 TGTS, 3 REC, 32 YDS
Preseason Week 3: 3 TGTS, 2 REC, 32 YDS
With playmakers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall out with injuries, tight end Evan Engram got a lot of attention with the first team on Saturday night. The first-round pick notched 32 yards, the same total he had last week, including a 19-yard catch-and-run on third-and-eight to move the chains.
"Evan's a playmaker," said quarterback Eli Manning, a fellow Ole Miss alum. "He did some good things tonight. He made some nice catches and some runs after the catch. I think he's done a good job to learn the offense and find ways to get open."
Manning added: "Well, he's improved a bunch. He's just playing faster now, has the timing of the routes and he's sharpened his assignments and playing fast and making some plays for us. So, that's good to see."
DT Dalvin Tomlinson
Depth chart: RDT2
Preseason Week 1: 4 TCKLS (2 SOLO)
Preseason Week 2: 3 TCKLS (2 SOLO)
Preseason Week 3: 2 TCKLS
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes the growth he's seen in Tomlinson from week to week. While Jay Bromley is getting the starts, Tomlinson is still seeing a healthy number of snaps in the interior rotation. The top defensive groupings could not have played much better against the Jets, accounting for two touchdowns and a safety as the Giants built a 29-3 lead at halftime. Meanwhile, keep an eye on the status of Bromley, who left early with a sprained knee.
QB Davis Webb
Depth chart: QB4
Preseason Week 1: 8/16, 67 YDS, 61.2 RTG
Preseason Week 2: DNP
Preseason Week 3: 2/4, 20 YDS, 64.6 RTG
Webb, who did not play in Cleveland on Monday night, quarterbacked the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter when things got interesting after the Jets outscored the Giants, 28-3, in the second half to get within one point. He was asked mostly to chew up the clock as the team held onto its lead, but he did get the honor of taking the knee for the Giants' first victory of the preseason. In front of him, the competition to back up Eli Manning continued with Josh Johnson going second and Geno Smith playing third.
RB Wayne Gallman
Depth chart: RB5
Preseason Week 1: 5 CAR, 11 YDS; 1 REC, 4 YDS
Preseason Week 2: 5 CAR, 22 YDS, LOST FUM; 2 REC, 20 YDS
Preseason Week 3: 12 CAR, 43 YDS; 1 REC, 11 YDS
The Giants mixed and matched their offensive line all night against the Jets to see how certain combinations would hold up in the run game against a talented defensive front. The result was a preseason-high 91 yards on 30 carries. Gallman led the way with 43 yards on 12 attempts, both team highs. The rookie was trying to make up for the dropped pass and lost fumble that he had last week in Cleveland.
"We came out to evaluate to see if we could run the ball a little bit against a good front," coach Ben McAdoo said. "We had our ups and downs with it, but we'll take a look at the tape."
DE Avery Moss
Depth chart: RDE4
Preseason Week 1: 2 TCKL (1 SOLO)
Preseason Week 2: 1 SOLO TCKL
Preseason Week 3: 1 TCKL
Just like last week, Jason Pierre-Paul showed there is a lot to live up to when it comes to the Giants' defensive ends. Pierre-Paul had a sack, broke up a pass, and tackled running back Matt Forte in the end zone for a safety. Meanwhile, Moss is focused on making the most of every rep as the Giants look to find a healthy rotation of defensive ends. The backups, though, will hear plenty from the coaches after giving up 28 points in the second half.
OT Adam Bisnowaty
Depth chart: RT2
Preseason Weeks 1-3: Relieved starter Bobby Hart
Ahead of him, the Giants tinkered with different combinations on the top line, including Brett Jones and D.J. Fluker taking turns at right guard while Chad Wheeler saw some time at left tackle. However, those changes did not include right tackle Bobby Hart, meaning Bisnowaty waited his turn, like he has all summer. That didn't mean he didn't get a lot of reps in the second half as the offense had its best night of the preseason.
"We had a few guys we rotated in there with the first group on the offensive line," McAdoo said. "I thought we moved the ball. We started a little bit slow, but I thought we moved the ball, and we ended up running it fairly decent there, which was encouraging to see against a very physical front."
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Undrafted wide receiver Travis Rudolph had a game-high 81 yards on three catches, including a 57-yard spin-and-catch-and-run; Chad Wheeler took some snaps on the first-team offensive line at left tackle; linebacker Calvin Munson, who has seen increased reps with some injuries at his position, was second on the team with six tackles (four solo).
"I thought [Rudolph] did some good things," McAdoo said. "He was productive. I thought there were some contested balls that he should've came down with, but he made the most of his opportunity. He had a chance to shine, and he took advantage of it."
