They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but it apparently falls far from grace.
When the New York Giants drafted Eli Apple a decade ago, fans hoped they’d found their lockdown cornerback for the next decade. Instead, they watched a top-10 pick slowly fizzle out into a glorified journeyman. The downward spiral officially bottomed out over the weekend when the San Francisco 49ers released the soon-to-be 31-year-old.
After appearing in just two games for them last season, Apple became an easy roster casualty over the weekend when San Fran cut him to make room for training camp signings Khalil Herbert (RB) and Titus Leo (DL).
The release marks a brutal trend for Apple, who had played for four different teams in as many years. For Giants fans, the news is a familiar reminder of a draft day that went horribly wrong and feels like the end of the road for a career that always seemed doomed from the moment it started in New York.
Giants draft night put Eli Apple on a path he never escaped
When then-general manager Jerry Reese selected Apple with the 10th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, it was considered an instant panic move.
The Tennessee Titans traded up to grab offensive tackle Jack Conklin at No. 8. Then, the Chicago Bears leaped ahead of New York to steal linebacker Leonard Floyd at No. 9. Add in the absolute chaos of Laremy Tunsil's draft-night video dropping at the worst possible time, and Reese acted like a GM who lost his marbles.
New York reached for a corner who almost instantly became one of the most frustrating draft busts in team history.
Apple’s time in East Rutherford unraveled in spectacular fashion. Between public family drama, a locker room suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, and teammates labeling him a "cancer," his tenure was defined by chaos. By his third season, Big Blue admitted defeat and traded him to the New Orleans Saints.
Since leaving New York, Apple has somehow carved out a strange, near-decade-long career as an NFL journeyman. He's played for seven teams in 10 years: the Giants, Saints, Panthers, Bengals, Dolphins, Chargers, and finally the 49ers.
He even started in a Super Bowl with Cincinnati, but his play was routinely mocked by opposing fan bases, who dubbed him “burnt toast” after he gave up Cooper Kupp’s game-winning touchdown.
At this point in his career, it's safe to say the market for his services has all but dried up. He played just four games for the Chargers in 2024 and barely touched the field for the Niners last year. Teams are no longer willing to gamble on a veteran corner who provides minimal special teams value and a history of coverage liabilities.
For a guy who blamed the New York media and picked fights with Giants fans, the reality of his current situation is simple. The former 10th overall pick was supposed to lock down the secondary for a decade. Instead, he'll go down as one of the biggest draft busts in franchise history, who might've already played his last snap in the NFL.
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