Projecting how New York Giants’ 2021 NFL Draft class will perform in 2022
DE Elerson Smith
With only 107 snaps under his belt from 2021, Elerson Smith saw very little improvement during his rookie season; a discouraging sign but unsurprising considering that the Northern Iowa product was considered a developmental prospect coming out of the draft.
Like Robinson, Smith missed most of the first half of the year due to injuries. However, he peaked at just 36% of defensive snaps in any given game despite little in-house competition for the edge position on the Giants.
The New York Giants seem destined to find another pass rusher to line up opposite Ojulari, as the team’s edge rushers combined for just 17.5 sacks, with eight of those coming from Ojulari himself, and another five coming from Lorenzo Carter, who will be with the Atlanta Falcons next season.
Having a new regime takeover doesn’t necessarily bode well for Smith either, as Schoen may not see the same upside that Gettleman saw. Smith will certainly get a shot to contribute, but the path to playing time comes with obstacles.