NY Giants brought in yet another under-the-radar RB for a pre-draft visit

The NY Giants have a significant task ahead this offseason, and as the NFL Draft looms, they are poised to address all their positional needs. Anticipate the G-Men to make strategic moves, potentially securing a wide receiver and quarterback in the draft's first two rounds. However, the team might also consider bolstering the running back position, especially after the departure of star halfback Saquon Barkley to NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million contract in free agency. 

The Giants have addressed running back this offseason by bringing in veteran Devin Singletary on a three-year, $16.5 million deal. The 26-year-old RB has played with the Buffalo Bills under Giants head coach Brian Daboll and, most recently, the Houston Texans. The Giants are without a reliable second option behind Singletary, which means they could look to draft a running back in the later rounds and potentially find a hidden gem.

Notre Dame's Audric Estime is a running back who could significantly impact the Giants. The New York native, who recently had a Top-30 visit with the team, played three seasons with the Fighting Irish, but is coming off his best season at the collegiate level. His performance at Notre Dame's Pro Day and his meetings with several teams at the NFL Combine have only added to his potential. With his roots in New York and his impressive track record, Estime could be a player that Giants fans can get excited about. 

Should the Giants draft a running back this year?

Estime rushed for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns on 210 carries at Notre Dame. Last campaign, in a 56-23 win over Stanford, Estime put on a show: he rushed the ball 25 times for a mind-blowing 238 yards and four touchdowns. That game alone had plenty of fans dreaming about what he might be able to get done in the NFL.

The Giants need more depth behind Singletary, and with an offensive line that has been unreliable in years past, the Giants must add depth in the backfield. The G-Men list Eric Gray, Gary Brightwell, Deon Jackson, and Jashaun Corbin as backups behind Singletary, but with a weak running back room, Joe Schoen should look to add a halfback starting in Round 3. There's no guarantee Singletary will stay healthy for the entire season, and with a new-look offensive line, the Giants need a reliable RB2 if they would like to succeed on offense. 

If the Giants miss out on Estime, some other options they could pursue later in the draft at running back are Marshawn Lloyd out of USC, Braelon Allen out of Wisconsin, or Will Shipley out of Clemson. Lloyd shows the qualities of a starting running back in the NFL and will only get better learning behind a veteran like Singletary. Allen is an enormous running back who can create space after contact if he trusts his vision more than in 2023.

Allen looks like a perfect fit as a goal-line halfback and could complement Singletary very well. Lastly, Shipley brings a lot to the table as a runner, receiver, and someone who can contribute to the special teams unit. Regardless, the G-Men could go right with exploring running backs in the later rounds and should explore all these options.