Micah McFadden, Inside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 232 pounds
2022 Stats: GP 17 / GS 7, 59 tackles (36 solo), 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, one forced fumble
Among all the surprising storylines to come out of the New York Giants 2022 season, one of the most pleasant was the arrival and performance of inside linebacker Micah McFadden. A native of Tampa, Florida, the 23-year-old Indiana product landed in East Rutherford last spring after being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft and quickly rose to the occasion when his name was called amid injuries to the position.
Before the NFL, McFadden played four seasons with the Hoosiers. As his role in the defense increased each year, he amassed 216 tackles (149 solos), 37 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. His tackles-for-loss still ranks sixth in program history, and all his impressive numbers helped him earn two All-Big Ten team nods and two inter-team recognitions.
The rookie began earning significant snaps in Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks when he made his first NFL sack and had his best outing of the year in both run and pass rush defense. In the second half of the season, McFadden notched seven games with at least 30 snaps and was one of the best tacklers on the Giants, with an average missed tackle rate of 9.1%.
Unfortunately, McFadden was inactive for the Giants' postseason contests in Minnesota and Philadelphia, but his regular season stat line finished fifth-best on the defensive leaderboard. It was a pretty impressive debut for the aggressive rookie, and he’ll look to maintain his presence in the interior of the defense next fall.
Best Case Scenario
Heading into the summer, the Giants’ inside linebacker group is far from a settled operation compared to the counterpart on the edge. After Jaylon Smith and Landon Collins went unsigned by the organization during free agency and former Colts’ stud Bobby Okereke nabbed a four-year, $40 million pact to don a new shade of blue, the team has a slew of young, hungry players who will compete for a role on the depth chart.
McFadden, who defensive coordinator Wink Martindale singled out as someone who has improved significantly, is certainly someone to watch this summer. Not only did he blow most of his teammates out of the water statistically, but he also stood tall above them in tackling and pass rush efficiency.
Even then, he’d be a more active force in stopping the run game coming up middle, given most of his snaps came on rushing plays. His coverage game could use some work, but he isn’t afraid to step outside the box and man up with opposing pass-catchers downfield. In short, McFadden feels like one of the most NFL-ready products in the Giants' circle of youth, and he should be able to repeat his success barring no injuries rear their ugly head.
Worst Case Scenario
Teammate Darrian Beavers is The only player who could put a wrench in McFadden’s plans to earn one of the starting inside linebacker spots. A sixth-round pick by the Giants in the 2022 draft, Beavers will soon return to the field after missing his entire rookie season with an ACL tear sustained during the second week of the preseason.
Like McFadden, Beavers was a highly productive linebacker at the college level, tallying 195 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks in three seasons with the University of Cincinnati after transferring there from UConn. His Bearcats tenure earned him a first- and second-team All-AAC recognition and made him a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award for the nation’s best linebacker in his senior year.
While the Giants already know what to expect from McFadden heading into camp, they may want to look at Beavers again and see if he brings anything more substantial to the table post-injury. If he shines early in his return, the team could let him run alongside Bobby Okereke and cut into the snaps destined to be relegated to McFadden.
What to Expect in 2023
When it comes time to make the tough decisions regarding the 53-man roster at the end of August, I see Micah McFadden having no issues making the Giants’ 2023 regular season roster and becoming a big-time contributor on the defensive end for another year. He is very aggressive, physical, impactful, and reliable, and that is exactly what the team needs out of its best players.
With some departures within the position taking place over the past couple of months, the door has been opened for McFadden to have a breakout season if he remains healthy. The sky's the limit for the sophomore linebacker, and increased production could cement his presence within the organization beyond the impending campaign.
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