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Getting to know your NY Giants undrafted players: Niko Laous edition

By Charles Vitolo

Stadium workers paint a New York Giants helmet on the field 22 January, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.The New York Giants will face the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV on 28 January, 2001 in Tampa. AFP PHOTO/Robert SULLIVAN (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP) (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Stadium workers paint a New York Giants helmet on the field 22 January, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.The New York Giants will face the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV on 28 January, 2001 in Tampa. AFP PHOTO/Robert SULLIVAN (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP) (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images) /
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In this edition of getting to know your 2020 NY Giants undrafted players, we examine edge rusher Niko Lalos and his chances of making the squad.

Again, I actually praise NY Giants GM, Dave Gettleman, for not likely wasting a high pick on a pass rusher in a weak pass-rushing class. Instead, he chose to even further his overall incoming rookie class by nailing his undrafted signings.

I believe Niko Lalos of the unheralded football school, Dartmouth, is part of that group. I mean, it’s so unheralded that I couldn’t even find a picture of a single Dartmouth football player – let alone Niko Lalos – to put as the feature photo for this piece.

Yet, with his strong build (6’5, 270 pounds) and athleticism, he has a real shot to at least stick with the practice squad which would be a real accomplishment for a player who wasn’t really on the NFL draft radar at all.

However, it’s not like he wasn’t on the college radar coming out of high school at all as he had preferred walk-on offers from Ohio State and Notre Dame which is no small feat.

He ended up being a late bloomer at Dartmouth, waiting until his senior season to bust out and make the first-team All-Ivy league squad. He made that team by notching a career-high 35 tackles (10 for a loss) and 5.5 sacks, finally showing off his potential.

So, what are his chances of sticking with the NY Giants?

As far as the practice squad goes, I think Niko Lalos’ chances of making it and sticking around the NY Giants organization are good. But, can he actually make the real squad?

His main competition, in my opinion, is 7th-round pick Cam Brown. Pending any further signings, they’ll be in competition for the final rotational edge-rusher spot.

dark. Next. What an ideal realistic 2020 NYG season should look like

It’s going to be a heck of a battle, but if Lalos can unleash that untapped potential his pass-rushing abilities might give him the edge over Brown and the other competitors.

Chances he makes the 55 man roster: 20%

Chances he makes the practice squad: 85%

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