Cam Skattebo didn’t think he was getting drafted by the New York Giants. Not because of fit. Not because of the scheme. Not even because another team had him on their radar. He just thought he blew his shot.
During a recent appearance on the St. Brown Podcast, the Giants’ fourth-round pick shared the story of his Top 30 visit to New York—specifically the part where he showed up late to the team bus. That made him late for his first meeting. And in a job interview setting like that, even five minutes can feel like a death sentence.
"I never thought it was going to be New York because I was actually late to the first meeting ever, on my 30 visit," he said on the podcast. "I was late to the bus pickup... five minutes late to the bus pickup. So, I thought I was cooked there."
Cam Skattebo would’ve been shown the door under Tom Coughlin
Let’s just say this wouldn’t have flown in the Tom Coughlin days. Back then, being on time meant being early. Facility clocks were set ahead. Players were fined for showing up when meetings actually started, which normal people typically refer to as "on time."
Skattebo being late would’ve earned him a lecture, a permanent spot on the “do not draft” board, and most likely a therapy session.
But head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen clearly didn’t see it as a dealbreaker. They looked past the timing slip and focused on the player. Skattebo wound up being the 105th overall pick, despite thinking he’d blown his shot before the meetings even got going.
“When they FaceTimed me after the pick, I told them, ‘I’ll never be late again,’” Skattebo said while laughing. “The one team I did anything wrong drafted me.”
Suffice it to say, he was more than a little surprised when the call came in. San Francisco had shown some interest in him too and was picking just a few spots ahead. When they went in a different direction, the G-Men jumped, scooping up the Arizona State standout before he slid any further. Cameras caught Skattebo’s emotional reaction, but what they didn’t show was the flood of relief behind it.
Big Blue drafted a physical, throwback-style runner in Skattebo, who can also catch out of the backfield, hold his own in pass protection, and lean on defenses when the weather turns. He’s also probably not making the same mistake with a bus again anytime soon.
Skattebo might have thought he blew his shot by missing the bus. Now he’s out to prove the Giants were right to pick him anyway. He might just want to set his clocks five or ten minutes ahead for the future.