New York Giants: Nikita Whitlock Added Weight, Poised for More Defensive Snaps

Nikita Whitlock’s NFL journey may still be in its infancy, but going into his third season, the undrafted rookie free agent out of Wake Forest has gone from an afterthought to one of the most unique three-way players in the league.

After successful High School and college careers playing along the defensive line, where he was named AP Texas 5A Defensive Player of the Year (2008) and Second-Team All-ACC (2012, 2013) the 5-11, 249-pound Whitlock entered the NFL with a lot of uncertainty due to his size. However, because of his unquestioned athletic ability, the Cincinnati Bengals took a chance on the rookie in 2014, but made it abundantly clear out of the gate: he would be strictly a fullback, never again sniffing the defensive line.

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But Whitlock’s time in Cincinnati was short-lived and he eventually found his way to Texas, having been signed as a member of the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad.

Again, Whitlock’s stint was short-lived and he eventually found himself released and suspended by the NFL for four games (unknown violation).

With his NFL career in doubt, Whitlock was given one last chance when the New York Giants came calling. And despite a veteran fullback presence in Henry Hynoski, the team signed Whitlock to a deal prior to training camp in 2015 and gave him the opportunity to win a spot on the 53-man roster — an opportunity he then seized by out-performing Hynoski and shockingly landing himself on the active roster.

Unlike his time with the Bengals however, the Giants had different plans for Whitlock. And while he still acted as the team’s primary fullback — a position that’s becoming scarcely used in today’s NFL — he was also given the opportunity to play some defense.

As Michael Strahan would say, what happened next was “improbable.”

Whitlock embraced his new role with the Giants immediately, soaking up as much knowledge as he possibly could. He routinely attended not only the team’s offensive and special teams meetings, but he also joined the team’s defensive meetings, glomming onto defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul in particular.

The hard work paid off and in his 41 defensive snaps, Whitlock was credited with six tackles and one sack. But the most impressive numbers, as provided by Pro Football Focus, were his six quarterback pressures accounting for a pressure rate of 14.4%.

Overall, Whitlock was given a defensive grade of 70.7, which was the second-highest grade handed out by PFF for a Giants interior lineman. He was also given a 75.7 pass rushing grade.

He wasn’t too shabby when used on offense, either. While the Giants didn’t lean on the fullback in Ben McAdoo’s offensive system quite as much as they had under Kevin Gilbride, there were several instances in which Whitlock paved the way with a punishing block.

To put icing on the cake of versatility, it’s fair to point out that Whitlock also performed well on Special Teams.

Although Whitlock eventually went down with a knee injury, landing on season-ending Injured Reserve (IR) in late December, his 2015 performance was enough to open eyes across the league. He was even compared favorably to New England Patriots do-it-all legend Dan Klecko.

“Dan Klecko is a guy that when we were looking at Whitlock, I saw a lot of similarities to Dan Klecko, who played with New England, and he was a versatile player who played fullback, d-line, had good pass rush skills, and he could contribute in the kicking game,” then-Giants special teams assistant Larry Izzo said via Giants.om in November.

“Anytime you can add a versatile player that can wear many hats when you’re building your roster, I think that adds value, and can help you in a number of ways. When you combine that with looking for hard-nosed, tough football players, he fits the mold. Those things are valuable and I’ll take more like him.”

More nfl spin zone: New York Giants: Nikita Whitlock Still A Defensive Option?

So what does the 2016 season hold in store for Whitlock and his role with the Giants?

In one of the team’s first offensive moves of free agency, General Manager Jerry Reese added bruising fullback (h-back) Will Johnson, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers. And while that signing was a bit under-the-radar, it’s almost guaranteed to alter Whitlock’s overall role.

The good news for Whitlock? That seems to have been the plan all along.

Jordan Raanan of NJ.com reports that Whitlock went into the offseason with the understanding that he’d likely see more defensive snaps in 2016, so the focus has been adding some muscle to his frame. And as it stands, Whitlock has now raised his weight from 249-pounds to somewhere in the 260 range.

With the Giants having added Damon Harrison, formerly of the New York Jets, to fit in alongside of Johnathan Hankins, the team’s starting interior defensive line is set. But with Steve Spagnuolo’s love of the “NASCAR” package, there’s little doubt that the determined, versatile and surprisingly productive Whitlock will find an appropriate role in 2016.