Darius Slayton wasted little time introducing himself to the NFL during his rookie campaign. How does his impressive rookie year stack up to the rookie seasons of previous NY Giants greats?
Rookie wideout Darius Slayton was the perfect low-risk, high-reward prospect when he was taken in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the NY Giants. The speedy playmaker out of Auburn averaged over 20 yards per catch in college, but concerns surrounding his drops and lack of production were red flags.
After missing most of the preseason and the first two games of the regular season with a hamstring injury, there was some warranted skepticism surrounding Slayton.
That skepticism didn’t last long once he made his NFL debut in week three vs the Buccaneers, where Slayton and fellow rookie quarterback Daniel Jones connected three times for 82 yards. The numbers weren’t head-turning, but the eye-test certainly was. Slayton was as fast as advertised and looked the part of a speedy, homerun hitter.
From that game on, Slayton didn’t miss a start and put together one of the most productive seasons of any rookie receiver in the NFL, tying Tennessee’s AJ Brown for most receiving touchdowns by a rookie with 8.
Only once the rest of the year was he held without a catch, which came in Week 16 vs Washington.
Overall, Slayton’s final stat line would have been above average for most NFL wideouts, let alone a 22-year old rookie who missed two games. He finished the season with 48 receptions, 740 yards, and 8 touchdowns, averaging over 15 yards per catch.
While it was just one year, the future looks promising for Slayton with the G-Men, and he proved to have all the tangibles and skills needed to grow into a #1 receiver for Daniel Jones.
There’s no doubt that Slayton’s impressive rookie season puts him in a prime position to take on a larger role within the New York Giants offense, but how does it stack up to the rookie campaigns of previous Giants greats?
Let’s take a look.