New York Giants: 5 Best players under 25 on the roster
Ranking the New York Giants’ five best players under 25 years old in 2020.
We’re entering a new era of New York Giants football, whether it winds up being good or bad. For the first time since 2004, someone other than Eli Manning will start at quarterback to open the 2020 season for the G-Men. Meanwhile, the offensive line is being rebuilt, as are the skill position players and the group on the defensive side of the ball.
Considering that this team ended the 2019 season with just a 4-12 record, things may not feel very optimistic for the Giants. However, when it comes to rebuilding teams, it sometimes takes a bit before they get to the destination. That may very well be where Big Blue is right now — especially because they have so many talented young players on the roster.
We’re going to look at some of those young players as we delve into the five best players under 25 years old on the New York Giants roster. These players must be under 25 years old when the 2020 season kicks off on Sept. 10. And with that, we start with a look into the secondary.
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5. Jabrill Peppers, S, New York Giants
Arriving on the Giants by way of the Odell Beckham Jr. trade, Jabrill Peppers has the pedigree as a former first-round pick. But with not a ton of defensive talent around him, there were questions about how effective he’d be in New York.
In truth, it was a mixed bag for Peppers in his first year with the G-Men. Even still, he registered one interception (a pick-six), five passes defended, three forced fumbles and 76 total tackles in only 11 games. If he can stay healthy, he’s a movable chess piece that can be incredibly valuable as New York reconstructs their defense.
4. Darius Slayton, WR, New York Giants
Considering that New York had three first-round picks in 2019, that trio of rookies received a ton of focus. However, it was fifth-rounder Darius Slayton who emerged as one of the true breakout players from the draft class.
Slayton established a rapport with Jones as a big-play threat who could make things happen. Playing in 14 games, the Auburn product racked up 740 yards and eight touchdowns on 48 receptions for the year. As the Giants search for more weapons in the passing game, it appears that they may have found a diamond in the rough in this guy.
3. Dexter Lawrence, DT, New York Giants
Dexter Lawrence is an eye-popping man at first sight with his 6-4, 342-pound frame. But what many people didn’t expect, even as the No. 17 overall pick in 2019, was that he would have the type of impact he did as a rookie.
The big defensive tackle appeared in all 16 games and registered 38 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and nine QB hits. More importantly, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as the 20th best defensive lineman in the NFL last season. If that’s where he’s starting out, the future is bright for the former Clemson standout.
2. Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
Myself and many others were quite down on Big Blue using a top-10 pick, No. 6 overall, on Duke quarterback Daniel Jones in 2019. However, once he got the starting job, he made many people look silly. Danny Dimes, though he went 3-9 as a starter, was quite good as he threw for 3,027 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 13 games and rushed for 279 yards and two scores as well.
Jones undeniably needs to work on his ball security as he fumbled 18 times last season. Having said that, he showed he has enough playmaking to be a potential cornerstone for the Giants.
1. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
While many people can still be critical of the Giants using the No. 2 overall pick in 2018 on Saquon Barkley, there’s no knocking the performance of the Penn State product. When on the field, he’s been as good as advertised.
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In 29 career games, Barkley has 2,310 yards on 478 carries with 17 touchdowns along with 143 receptions, 1,159 receiving yards and six more scores — and all that with a lackluster offensive line. With the line improving, we could see the king of quads become an even more dynamic force in the New York offense.