Get to know your NY Giants undrafted players: Derrick Dillon edition

Derrick Dillon’s career at LSU may not have worked out as planned, but he’s hoping to make his mark as an undrafted signee of the NY Giants.

When Derrick Dillon made the late decision to switch his college football commitment from Florida to LSU it made major waves as Dillon was a top-20 WR in the nation. When Derrick Dillon joins the NY Giants, it didn’t get near the attention as he’s coming aboard the Big Blue ship as a UDFA.

That doesn’t mean he can’t make his mark with Big Blue, as Dave Gettleman clearly had a post-draft strategy after not taking any WR’s that entailed signing three former big-time high school recruits who underperformed at big-time colleges.

Derrick Dillon fits that bill more than the other two UDFA WR’s (Austin Mack/Binjimen Victor), as he never eclipsed 307 yards in a season with the Tigers and only scored 4 TD’s in his five-year college career (he redshirted his freshman year).

You would think a WR that was in the NFL draft conversation at all that was on that 2019 record-breaking LSU Tigers offense would have put up numbers at least in 2019, but that wasn’t the case with Dillon.

Even though he actually started a few games filling in for Terrance Marshall, one of LSU’s ‘big three’ at WR, he still only compiled 15 catches for 202 yards and 2 touchdowns. His best year came as a redshirt junior in 2018 where he caught 22 balls for 307 yards, including a huge 71-yard score in a tight 22-21 victory over Auburn that gave up a glimpse into his potential.

Dillon was given the same amount of money as fellow undrafted wideout, Binjimen Victor, and was a priority UDFA signing for the NY Giants so he shouldn’t be counted out by any means.

What are his chances of sticking with the NY Giants?

While I do feel there is a chance that Derrick Dillon makes the 55-man roster – effectively winning that three-man UDFA WR battle – I wouldn’t want to see it, as his skill set is very repetitive with current NY Giants starters Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate.

At 5’11, 186 pounds, Dillon wouldn’t give us that big-bodied wideout that most NY Giants fans have been clamoring for. At the same time, the team clearly has a ‘type’ at wideout at the current moment, we’ll see how that changes in 2020.

If I had to guess, I would have to say it changes under Jason Garrett as he’s always run a more traditional offense with just one slot receiver, which is pretty much what Dillon is.

He’ll have a better chance of making the practice squad with the new NFL roster limits, so he should pretty much be considered a lock for that even though there already is some talent there on WR from last year.

Chance he makes the 55-man roster: 20%

Chance he makes the practice squad: 90%