NY Giants: 5 breakout candidates for defense in 2021

No. 3 Tae Crowder – LB

Mr. Irrelevant of the 2020 NFL Draft proved to be one of the best picks during his rookie campaign. And where Oshane Ximines could become a breakout specialist player, Tae Crowder has the chance to become an every down force as a NY Giants’ linebacker.

Crowder finished fifth on the Giants’ defense in tackles, with 57. Impressive enough, but what really stands out is the time it took him to rack up as many tackles as he did.

He was the only player in the Giants’ top five defenders who played in fewer than 15 games. In fact, he was the only player in the Giants’ top ten defenders who played in fewer than 15 games.

In his first two games (Weeks 2 and 3), he primarily played special teams. He only recorded one tackle between both games, in Week 2, when he didn’t get a single snap on defense. He played two snaps on defense in Week 3 but did not record a single tackle.

In eight of his nine subsequent games (he missed Week 7 – Week 11), he was on the field playing the majority of defensive snaps. He started in six games.

The Giants would be wise to keep starting Tae Crowder. In addition to his 57 tackles, he pressured the quarterback four times on 21 blitzes, and added a sack, a hurry, and a knockdown.

Crowder does have room to improve in his pass coverage; quarterbacks averaged a rating of 96 when he was covering the targeted receiver. That happened 24 times, and receivers had 18 catches for 181 yards on him.

But the good sign there is that he did not allow a single touchdown while in pass coverage.

The Giants’ defense has been in a linebacker drought since Antonio Pierce was on the field. Blake Martinez, who finished third in the NFL in tackles with 151, will be the anchor, the leader, and the voice of the defense going forward.

But Tae Crowder proved that he can hang. And if his rookie season is any indication, he’s in for a big year in 2021.