Giants might have found a gem in this UDFA wide receiver

At 6-foot-4, 221 pounds, Ford-Wheaton possesses a rare blend of size and athleticism. He ran a 4.38s 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, (fourth fastest among wide receivers at the combine) and posted a 41-inch vertical jump (highest among receivers). 

Ford-Wheaton put up seven touchdowns and 675 yards on 62 receptions as a senior for West Virginia in 2022.

The Giants were quick to target Ford-Wheaton, though they did have some competition. Upon going undrafted, Ford-Wheaton received immediate calls from Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. The two teams were racing to sign Ford-Wheaton.

Instead, Ford-Wheaton opted to sign with Big Blue, citing HC Brian Daboll and fellow Mountaineer David Sills V as the primary reasons why. 

“I talked to (Daboll) for a long time,” Ford-Wheaton said, per The Athletic. “My phone was blowing up while I was on the phone with him. I was sending everybody else to voicemail because in my head I was already like, ‘This is where I want to go.'”

Ford-Wheaton praised the Giants head coach's openness saying, “He’s just a real honest, up-front dude. He’s just real blunt."

Sills spent the past three years with the Giants after starting his career as an undrafted free agent in 2019. 

Ford-Wheaton has expressed a desire to replicate Sills' success, saying, "The determining factor was I had David Sills, one of my old teammates, up there. He’s done what I’m trying to do right now.”

When asked about Ford-Wheaton, Daboll described him as "a big-body guy who's got pretty good numbers in terms of explosiveness and running."

The Giants appear confident in Ford-Wheaton's ability to make the roster. According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, New York gave the rookie $236K guaranteed on his contract. "That's a full season salary on the practice squad ($216K) plus a $20K signing bonus. Clearly someone they want to develop." 

As an undrafted free agent, the odds are stacked against Ford-Wheaton. But he will have a chance to compete for a roster spot during training camp this summer. 

With the Giants committed to developing his skills, Ford-Wheaton could sneak his way onto the roster.