The New York Giants are a rarity in the NFL world. While most teams thrive with the power of being the Goliath every other team is hoping to slay, the Giants are at their best when they're underdogs. It's that same underdog mentality that resulted in their last two Super Bowl wins over the Patriots.
Big Blue's history as a franchise has been defined by defying the odds, and their current roster under John Harbaugh is hoping to do the same. Too many people are overlooking the amount of talent the Giants currently have, and that's especially prevalent in the case of one starter on the offensive line.
In Bleacher Report's Alex Kay's list of the five most underrated players in the NFL, New York was pretty well-represented. Kay made sure to give starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor his flowers, naming him someone who deserves more respect in NFL circles, though he's not a household name.
"Eluemunor has been a revelation since joining Big Blue, starting all but three games for the club while becoming one of the most important pieces in the offensive trenches," Kay wrote. "He thrived as a bookend to Andrew Thomas, holding up especially well in pass protection."
Jermaine Eluemunor is one of the most underrated tackles in the NFL
The 31-year-old has spent the last two seasons in New York after following former OL coach Carmen Bricillo from Las Vegas. He settled the revolving door at right tackle opposite Andrew Thomas, and played well enough to warrant being signed to a three-year, $39 million contract extension in March.
According to Pro Football Focus, Eluemunor's 76.7 pass block grade marked a career-high, and it ranked 20th out of 89 qualified offensive tackles. He's not elite as a run blocker, but now that first-round rookie Francis Mauigoa will start next to him at right guard, he'll benefit from the stability.
Through all of the instability the G-Men across the last two seasons, Kay noted that he remained a reliable pass-protector on the right side and (mostly) kept Jaxson Dart upright. All the Giants need to do to ensure their franchise quarterback takes that leap is to get stability on the OL, which he offers.
"Eluemunor may not ever get Pro Bowl recognition or become a household name, but he's a huge piece of the puzzle for a Giants team that will rely on his steady presence to get back into the playoffs."
Like Kay mentioned, Jermaine Eluemunor may never make a Pro Bowl or have an All-Pro appearance to his name, but Giants fans are plenty aware of the impact he's had both on their offensive line and in the locker room. So at least he's appreciated by the people that count.
Add us as a preferred source on Google