The Top 15 best rookie season players in NY Giants history
The NY Giants have had many successful players play for the franchise.
Several of those players have shown it all during their rookie season with the team.
From Phil Simms making a run at Rookie of The Year in 1979 to Odell Beckham Jr. immediately emerging as one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers, and most dangerous deep threats in the vertical passing game, several NY Giants have made impressive first impressions as rookies.
Here’s a look at the NY Giants’ most impressive 15 rookie seasons in franchise history:
15. David Diehl (2003
In his rookie season, Diehl started all 16 games, becoming the first Giants rookie to do so since Mark Bavaro in 1985. He was the only rookie to start at the same position each game during the 2003 season.
14. Phil Simms (1979)
Simms won his first five starts of his rookie year. He was 6-4 as a starter, threw for 1,743 yards and 13 touchdown passes, and was named to the NFL All-Rookie team. He was also a runner-up for Rookie of the Year.
13. Sterling Shepard (2016)
Shepard started his career by playing in the NY Giants season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. He made three receptions for 43 yards and caught his first career touchdown on a nine-yard pass from Eli Manning, helping the Giants win 20-19. He finished the season with 65 receptions for 683 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. Shepard was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team following the season.
12. Darius Slayton (2019)
Slayton led the NY Giants with 740 receiving yards and eight touchdowns and was fourth with 48 catches, after being chosen in the fifth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The eight touchdown receptions tied him with Tennessee’s A.J. Brown for the highest total among NFL rookies. He was the first NFL rookie with multiple 100-yard, 2-touchdown games since 2014. Slayton’s final touchdown of his rookie season was the 366th and final touchdown pass of Eli Manning’s 16-year career.
11. Mark Bavaro (1985)
Bavaro earned the nickname “Rambo” early in his rookie season due to his intense playing style, quiet personality, and physical resemblance to Sylvester Stallone. NY Giants coach Bill Parcells called Bavaro the most impressive rookie during training camp. He finished his rookie season with 37 receptions, 511 yards, and four touchdowns. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
10. Evan Engram (2017)
Engram was named the starting tight-end to start his rookie season. He finished the season with 64 receptions for 722 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 11 starts and 15 games. He was named to the the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
9. Emlen Tunnell (1948)
Tunnell was the first African-American signed by, and the first to play for, the Giants. As a rookie, he appeared in 10 games and intercepted seven passes, including one returned 43 yards for a touchdown.
8. Landon Collins (2015)
Collins was named the starting free safety to begin his rookie year. He was switched from his natural strong safety position since he was better suited to play free safety. He finished his rookie named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team
7. Harry Carson (1976)
Carson was immediately named moved to the linebacker position starting his rookie year and won the starting linebacker position halfway through his rookie season. He went on to be named to the All-Rookie Team.
6. Daniel Jones (2019)
In his first start, Jones completed 23 out of 36 passes for 336 yards with a 112.7 passer rating and two passing touchdowns along with 28 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He became the first Giants’ rookie quarterback to win his first career start since 1980. Jones became the seventh rookie quarterback since 2010 to have a game-winning drive in their first career start. He finished his rookie season with 3,027 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions to go along with 45 carries for 279 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns.
5. Hakeem Nicks (2009)
In his rookie year, Nicks racked up 790 yards and six touchdowns in six starts, and 14 appearances. He was the first rookie since Bob Gaiters to score touchdowns in four consecutive games. Nicks was also named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month.
4. Jeremy Shockey (2002)
Shockey instantly delivered on the field, catching 74 balls for 894 yards while being named First-Team All Pro as a rookie. His best game that year came in the Giants 44-27 blowout win over the Indianapolis Colts, when he made seven catches on eight targets for 116 yards.
3. Saquon Barkley (2018)
Barkley led the NFL with 2028 yards from scrimmage (1307 rushing and 721 receiving) and racked up 15 total touchdowns en route to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. How Barkley returns from a torn ACL, suffered in Week 2 of last season, will play a vital part in the NY Giants’ fortunes in 2021. Barkley returning to form from his dominant rookie season just might dictate his future with the franchise.
2. Lawrence Taylor (1981)
Taylor’s rookie season in 1981 came just before the NFL started tracking sacks as an official stat, but unofficially he had 9.5 sacks that year. His rookie season is considered one of the best in NFL history. He took home Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. LT remains the only player in history to earn both awards in the same season.
1. Odell Beckham Jr. (2014)
His first few weeks as a rookie were only modestly productive. From week 8 on, he went on a historic streak. Beckham led the NFL in yards per game while having 12 touchdowns and 1305 receiving yards. His famous catch against the Dallas Cowboys is considered to be the greatest of all time. He went to the Pro Bowl that year and won Offensive Rookie of the Year.