The 2022 NFL Draft was the first GM Joe Schoen-led draft for the New York Giants. Injuries have decimated the class, but a few picks have flashed potential. Here’s a breakdown.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, OLB (1st round, 5th overall)
Thibodeaux missed the first two regular-season games with an MCL sprain, but he’s back in full swing, terrorizing quarterbacks. In Week 15, he fully broke out on “Sunday Night Football” with 12 tackles, three TFLs, a forced fumble, and a TD. He was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded rookie defender (89.7) and named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
In addition to his elite first step, Thibodeaux's diverse repertoire of pass-rush moves will only get more creative with time. He’ll aim to add to his season sack total (three) as New York tries to clinch a playoff spot.
KAYVON THIBODEAUX SCOOP N' SCORE ‼️
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 19, 2022
(via @Giants) pic.twitter.com/Xt9fh68Op0
Evan Neal, OT (1st round, 7th overall)
A distinguished college career at Alabama has not translated into success in the NFL for the 6-foot-7, 351-pound tackle. His underwhelming rookie season can be attributed to an MCL sprain and a revolving door of tough defensive matchups. The Giants hope he will follow the same path as LT Andrew Thomas, who struggled mightily in his first two seasons.
Neal has allowed seven sacks, but there’s plenty of time to improve before the Giants need to worry about him. At his size, he has the potential to become one of the NFL's top tackles.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (2nd round, 43rd overall)
Robinson had 100 yards receiving in a Week 11 loss to Detroit before suffering a torn ACL. In six games, he caught 23 passes for 227 yards with one TD. The 5-foot-8 Robinson has experience as a RB, giving head coach Brian Daboll options to get creative.
Robinson was a solid selection if the Giants only desired a slot receiver in the second round. If they weren't, it’s unlikely they would still draft him over Pittsburgh WR George Pickens, who went nine picks later.
Joshua Ezeudu, G (3rd round, 67th overall)
Ezeudu, a guard out of North Carolina, became more comfortable as he gained experience. The Giants shut him down for the season due to a “long-term” neck issue that is not considered career-threatening. He’ll provide the Giants with solid guard depth and has the potential to become a starter.
Ezeudu appeared in 11 games, making two starts.
Cordale Flott, CB (3rd round, 81st overall)
Flott, like many of New York’s other CBs, has struggled. Although he isn't ready for NFL wideouts, New York has to play him because of injuries in its secondary. He has played in nine games, starting four.
When targeted, Flott has allowed an 80% completion percentage (12 catches on 15 targets). QBs have an above-average 131.7 passer rating when throwing his way.
Daniel Bellinger, TE (4th round, 112th overall)
Bellinger has become a trusted weapon for QB Daniel Jones and is the Giants’ best value pick of their 2022 class. The San Diego State product is third among rookie TEs in receptions (27) and fifth in receiving yards (226) despite missing four games with a gruesome eye injury. He'll be relied on down the stretch in a passing attack with few household names.
Daniel Jones to Daniel Bellinger! One-score game at MetLife.
— NFL (@NFL) October 16, 2022
: #BALvsNYG on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/a2TYogddvg pic.twitter.com/jPDrlmfE4p
Dane Belton, S (4th round, 114th overall)
After suffering a broken collarbone in training camp, it was unclear what kind of role Belton would find himself in this season. In Week 10, he started in place of injured S Xavier McKinney. After making a huge interception, Belton injured his clavicle and has seen limited action since.
The former Iowa Hawkeye has played in 14 games, making four starts. He’ll provide the Giants with solid depth in the secondary once he is back to full speed.
Micah McFadden, LB (5th round, 146th overall)
New York ended the Tae Crowder experience, leaving McFadden with a chance to contribute. However, it doesn’t appear that he’s a long-term solution at LB. Despite being New York's sixth-leading tackler (47), McFadden is a nonfactor in coverage. He has an 84.2% completion percentage when targeted (16 catches on 19 targets).
He's better suited for a reserve and special teams role, but with the Giants extremely thin at LB, they have no choice but to play him.
D.J. Davidson, DT (5th round, 147th overall)
Before suffering a torn ACL in Week 5, the 6-foot-3, 327-pound defensive lineman logged 43 special teams snaps and 43 defensive tackle snaps, making four tackles. As long as Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams are in New York, it's unlikely Davidson will receive an expanded role.
Marcus McKethan, G (5th round, 173rd overall)
McKethan, North Carolina's other starting guard in 2021, suffered a torn ACL during New York’s Blue-White Scrimmage in August and has not played this season. With his ability to play guard and tackle, McKethan will make a valuable addition to the offensive line once healthy.
Darrian Beavers, LB (6th round, 182nd overall)
Beavers flashed potential in training camp, but suffered a torn ACL in the Giants’ preseason game against the Bengals and did not play this season. In 2021, he helped lead Cincinnati to its first College Football Playoff appearance, earning first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors.
If Beavers cracks the roster next season, he’ll likely see time on special teams. He may also get reps at LB.
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The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
The Kansas City Royals were hoping to bolster their outfield ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. They were able to do just that in a trade on Saturday. Steve Gilbert from MLB.com reported that the Royals have acquired outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mark Feinsand from MLB.com reported that relief pitcher Andrew Hoffman will head to Arizona in exchange for Grichuk. The Royals desperately needed help in their outfield. Royals outfielders had been the worst in the majors, posting an atrocious .219/.273/.328 batting line with just 19 home runs entering Saturday's action. Although Grichuk is in the midst of a disappointing season himself, he is an immediate upgrade over whatever the Royals have sent into the outfield. Grichuk had posted a .243/.280/.462 batting line in 186 plate appearances entering Saturday, hitting seven homers and 15 doubles. In exchange, the Diamondbacks receive Hoffman, who FanGraphs ranked as the Royals' 22nd-best prospect entering the season. His upper-90s fastball and new kick change are both considered plus offerings, although his ability to command his arsenal is questionable at best. Hoffman's potential and flaws were evident this season. He made his major league debut for the Royals, allowing six runs, two earned, on seven hits and four walks over 4.2 innings, striking out five. However, Hoffman had dominated at Triple-A, posting a 3.60 ERA and a 1.125 WHiP over his 40 innings, striking out 55 batters with just 10 walks. He is another intriguing addition for a Diamondbacks team that has prioritized pitching in their two trades thus far. The same upside does not exist for the Royals. Kansas City had the same record as the Diamondbacks entering the second game of their doubleheader against the Guardians. Grichuk signed a one-year contract with $5 million guaranteed for 2025. There is a mutual option worth $5 million, with a $3 million buyout, for 2026. Theoretically, Grichuk could be part of the Royals' plans next season. However, mutual options are rarely picked up. As the Royals are currently under .500 and need to pass four teams in the standings to seize the final wild-card spot, adding a rental option does not make sense. It is possible that both sides can work out an arrangement for 2026, but unless that happens, the Royals' latest move is questionable at best.
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh clubbed his 40th home run of the season on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Angels, not only extending his major league lead but also making him the first player in baseball to reach the 40-home run mark this season. It also helped him make some history. With his 40th home run, Raleigh became both the first catcher and the first switch-hitter in baseball history to reach the 40 home run mark before the end of July. Here is a look at his 40th home run. He is already in the process of having one of the best seasons ever for a Mariners player, and also one of the best seasons ever for a catcher, for any team. Especially when you add in his defense, where he is one of the best defensive catchers in the league. His only serious competition for the American League MVP Award remains New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge. But with Judge sidelined for a period of time now due to an elbow injury, it might open the door for Raleigh to really put himself in the lead for that award.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks may have already sealed his fate ahead of a make-or-break 2025 season. On Saturday, the No. 18 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft suffered a broken collarbone while making an outstanding diving catch along the sideline during training-camp practice on a pass from rookie quarterback Cam Ward. The play was a distillation of Burks' pro career thus far, one that could be special if not beset by injuries. Burks has only appeared in 27 of a possible 51 career regular-season games. During his rookie season, Burks missed Weeks 5-9 with a foot/toe injury. He also suffered a concussion against the Philadelphia Eagles, forcing him to miss two additional games. In 2023, he was sidelined by a knee injury from Oct. 1 through Oct. 15, followed by another three-game absence the next month after he was carted off with a head injury in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last season, Burks was limited to five games after tearing his ACL during practice. He appeared to be in prime form on his spectacular grab during the play he was injured, showing off his tantalizing potential (and no lingering effects from his knee injury) by laying out to make the catch. But as has been the case throughout Burks' career, his giant step forward was met with two backward strides. In May, the Titans declined to pick up Burks' fifth-year rookie option, which would have paid him a projected $15.493 million in 2026, per Over The Cap. Over his first three seasons, Burks has 53 receptions, 699 receiving yards and one touchdown. Tennessee invested heavily in improving its wide receiver depth this offseason, insulating it from the effects of Burks' most recent injury. During free agency, the Titans added Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson. They selected Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft while also signing Ward's college teammate, Xavier Restrepo, as an undrafted free agent. Burks' path to playing time was already challenged by the offseason moves, but his broken clavicle could knock him out of the rotation for good. If Burks is ever going to live up to his draft status, it's become increasingly more likely it won't be in Tennessee.