New York Giants: Will David Njoku give team buyer’s remorse?
By Zac Wassink
The New York Giants selected tight end Evan Engram instead of David Njoku in the 2017 NFL Draft. Will Big Blue regret this decision?
Recent history suggests NFL teams using first-round draft picks on tight ends is unwise and unnecessary. Rob Gronkowski, probably the best overall player at the position today when fully healthy, wasn’t a first-round selection. The Dallas Cowboys grabbed Jason Witten in the third round of the 2003 draft. Travis Kelce, Antonio Gates, Hunter Henry and Jimmy Graham are all additional examples.
Related Story: Evan Engram needs more targets in the preseason
Regardless of the current state of the NFL as it pertains to the position, both the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns spent first-round picks on tight ends. The Giants grabbed Evan Engram with the 23rd overall selection, while the Browns acquired David Njoku six picks later. Both men are expected to take the field when the Browns host the Giants at FirstEnergy Stadium for an exhibition game on Monday evening.
By all accounts, Engram was as good as advertised, if not better, during training camp sessions. The 22-year old often described as being a wide receiver who happens to line up at tight end flashed tremendous athleticism, routinely beat defenders and left fans dreaming of a New York offense that could, potentially, be the best in all the NFC East.
On Friday, John Schmeelk of Giants.com offered high praise for the rookie:
More from New York Giants
- New York Giants deliberately disrespecting Saquon Barkley at this point
- 2023 NFL Season: Saquon Barkley signs silly deal with Giants
- New York Giants make big move with star RB disgruntled
- NFL: Which Giant deserved a contract extension – Barkley or Jones?
- 5 NFL teams that will definitely disappoint fans in 2023
"He has been a weapon in the red zone, but what has caught my attention the most is his work during one-on-one drills. It’s not that he has beaten the safeties assigned to cover him since that’s expected for offensive players in those drills, but rather the way he is beating them. He has turned them around, juked them, and done pretty much whatever he has wanted to them. He has receiver skills and it looks like teams will have to assign a corner to cover him if they want a chance to stop him."
Njoku, meanwhile, has been far more of a question mark throughout the summer. The 21-year old struggled with drops during his college tenure, and that problem presented itself in July. He’s also been sidelined a handful of times because of a back injury, which is a concern considering he has yet to deal with the crunching hits he’ll sustain during the regular season.
With that said, Njoku has looked like a physical freak when on the field during practices. The 6-4 talent is the type of weapon New York quarterback Eli Manning would love to target in red zone situations, and the perception is that he’s a better blocker than Engram. It probably doesn’t hurt that Njoku is built like a tank and often resembles a linebacker more than a player who can stretch the field on offense.
The Giants defense will be the first to truly test Njoku, which will generate multiple interesting storylines. Beyond the fact New York chose Engram over Njoku, the first-round pick of the Browns has ties to New Jersey and to the Giants. As Andrew Gribble of ClevelandBrowns.com wrote, the native of Cedar Grove watched the Giants back in the day, but there were indications in April the club wasn’t particularly keen on drafting him:
There is currently no reason to believe Njoku holds any ill feelings toward the Giants or that there is any animosity between the two entities. New York merely went a different direction in the draft. That’s the nature of the business. Still, it’s not a stretch to suggest Njoku wouldn’t mind showing the Giants on Monday what the team could’ve had.
There are a couple of important things to remember before Njoku ever lines up against the side that passed on him. For starters, Njoku and Engram are different athletes who will be asked to play different roles for their clubs. It’s also worth noting the Giants signed veteran Brandon Marshall in March, a transaction that, theoretically, made Njoku surplus to requirements. Lastly, the Giants understandably didn’t want to take on a project such as Njoku while pursuing a Super Bowl championship during his debut season.
Next: 15 Greatest fantasy football team names for 2017
Little, if anything at all, will likely change Monday night regarding the club’s attitude about taking Engram instead of Njoku. A walkthrough only tells the two teams involved so much, after all. Nevertheless, following the career paths of Njoku and Engram over the next several years will be an interesting exercise, especially if the Cleveland talent shines during that franchise’s latest rebuilding effort.