Although the 2021 season was one to forget for the New York Giants, each member of the rookie draft class saw a fair amount of playing time over the course of the year.
Despite a brand new general manager in Joe Schoen at the helm, it’s probably safe to say that all six of the New York Giants’ 2021 draft picks will remain on the roster, especially as we approach the 2022 Draft without any transactions involving that class.
Not to mention that the Giants are strapped for cap space, so retaining players on rookie contracts was seemingly a no-brainer.
It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the next draft following the conclusion of a season, especially after one filled with losses. However, it’s important to analyze and reflect on previous draft classes too, as plenty can change in terms of expectations.
With that being said, let’s explore the outlook for each and every player from the New York Giants’ 2021 draft class.
WR Kadarius Toney
Even with the moments of flashes we got to see briefly out of the Florida product, Kadarius Toney’s rookie season can be best characterized as frustrating.
Toney played in 10 games last season, but only seven of them saw the rookie play in over 50 percent of the snaps on offense; Weeks 3-5, 8-10, and 15.
In those spurts, he had his high points, like against New Orleans and Dallas, when he compiled 16 catches for 267 yards before injuring his ankle against the Rams the following week.
A large factor that’ll determine Toney’s 2022 is how healthy he’ll be. If he remains, there’s plenty to like about what this new coaching staff brings to the table and their potential to cater to Toney’s strengths.
With new offensive coordinator Mike Kafka coming in from Kansas City where he was not only the quarterback’s coach, but also the pass game coordinator, it’s encouraging given the experience he has with Tyreek Hill, a similar mix of speed and agility to Toney.
Similarly, Daboll used Isaiah McKenzie in an effective, albeit limited way which involved a heavy emphasis on getting yards after the catch.
That’s not to say Toney will all of a sudden produce like Hill, or that he’ll be used sparingly like McKenzie, as there are other factors in play, but expect Daboll and Kafka to do what they can to prioritize getting Toney the ball in his hands more often, as well as scheming him to get the ball in space. Another possible archetype for how Toney could be used is Deebo Samuel, having moved all over the field, possessing a combination of speed, physicality, and start-and-stop ability.
Expected Role: Starting Z-receiver, occasionally lined up in the backfield, potential to be used in motion often.
OLB Azeez Ojulari
The only member of the New York Giants’ rookie class to play all 17 games this year was Azeez Ojulari.
As Gettleman often liked to do, Ojulari was picked out of the vast talent pool that is the University of Georgia. After being given a hefty role in the defense to start his career, he didn’t disappoint.
Ojulari tallied eight sacks, which led the team and ranked 3rd amongst all rookies, behind only Micah Parsons (13) and Jaelan Phillips (8.5). He also racked up eight tackles for loss, the most on the Giants and tied for 4th in the 2021 rookie class.
Ojulari’s role for 2022 is one that’ll be dependent on a couple of things. First and foremost, the hiring of Don “Wink” Martindale and how it affects the way Ojulari is deployed will be intriguing. Secondly is who the Giants opt to add to their group of pass rushers, as Kayvon Thibodeaux said he believes he’ll be selected by the club.
Martindale will likely bring an extremely blitz-heavy defensive attack, one that could be described as organized chaos. Ojulari figures to play a huge role in that, given his position as an outside linebacker and speed is a strength of his game.
We didn’t see Ojulari drop into coverage all that often, and I don’t expect him to do so a whole lot more next season, but Martindale’s defenses are known to disguise linebackers as blitzers at the line, only to fall back in coverage at the snap. Ojulari certainly has the tools to serve in a dynamic role, but has been almost exclusively used as a pass rusher last year, there could be an adjustment period in the future.
Expected Role: Starting strongside linebacker, featured as a speed rusher off the edge, rarely tasked with covering a running back out of the backfield or a tight end.
CB Aaron Robinson
Originally at Alabama back in 2016, Aaron Robinson transferred to UCF where he played his final three collegiate seasons before being taken by Dave Gettleman in the 3rd round.
Like several other members of this draft class for the Giants, Robinson was sidelined through the team’s first seven weeks of the year due to injury, and he didn’t see significant time on the field until week 12 against the Eagles.
With Adoree’ Jackson and James Bradberry patrolling the outside, Robinson often lined up as the nickel corner, and barring a trade or cutting of Bradberry, Robinson figures to line up in the nickel primarily moving forward.
Given Martindale’s tendency to blitz often, Robinson will be tasked with playing man coverage in the slot in plenty of high-leverage situations. Additionally, he’ll likely see some opportunities to blitz as well when Martindale calls a cover zero.
It seems inevitable that Bradberry will be elsewhere in 2022, but Robinson still may have some competition in the DB room as the front office may look to address the cornerback position early in the draft. Nonetheless, Robinson will see plenty of time on the field next year as he looks to enter training camp healthy for the first time.
Expected Role: Nickel or CB2, with opportunities to blitz on occasion.
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.
Expected Role: Rotational defensive end, potentially buried on the depth chart as the front office looks to improve upon the team’s pass rush.
RB Gary Brightwell
After registering eight snaps on offense in the New York Giants’ week 1 loss to the Broncos, Gary Brightwell saw just four snaps in the backfield for the remainder of the season. The vast majority of Brightwell’s contributions came as a special teamer.
The Giants’ special teams unit ranked fairly well, which should help Brightwell’s case in securing a spot on the 53-man roster next season. On the flip side, Schoen’s first transaction as Giants’ GM was signing Bills RB Antonio Williams to a futures contract, potentially adding to a backfield that already has Saquon Barkley (for the time being) and Matt Breida on the books for next year.
There’s a realistic possibility that the Giants could trade Barkley to save about $7 million on the cap. Cutting Brightwell would save them just under $900 thousand, too, although that seems less likely.
Expected Role: Special teamer, 3rd or 4th string running back.
CB Rodarius Williams
The final selection the Giants made in the 2021 draft was Rodarius Williams, who unfortunately suffered a torn ACL in week 5 against the Cowboys.
Williams saw about a quarter of the snaps on defense in a three-week span before getting hurt, with limited snaps on special teams. It’s tough to say at this point what his future holds, given his injury and a new regime.
Like Brightwell, there’s a chance Williams emerges as a cut candidate given the Giants cap situation at the moment, although that could change depending on how Schoen opts to clear space, as aforementioned. Nonetheless, Williams doesn’t have a clear fit on the defense even when he returns from injury.