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2024 NFL Draft

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Giants feel they're in a 'good spot' after draft

JOE-SCHOEN-BRIAN-DABOLL

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Joe Schoen often says the Giants' roster is an evolving entity. But the heavy lifting is mostly finished regarding the construction of the 2024 team. This offseason, the Giants have signed 14 veteran free agents, traded for two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns, and this weekend, drafted six players. They will add several undrafted free agents, particularly before the rookie minicamp in two weeks.

Work remains to be done, but the current roster is likely similar to what it will be when the Giants begin playing games in September.

Coach Brian Daboll and Schoen are fine with that.

"I like some of the pieces we have," Schoen said after the Giants made their final selection in the NFL Draft. "I like some of the upgrades. Again, you can throw Brian Burns in the draft, as well, that pick 39, to bring on a 25-year-old, two-time Pro Bowler as a pass rusher as part of this draft class. I like some of the moves that we made in the off-season. We still have work to do and I just think it's year three and we are just going to continue to build the roster and the team. I think where we are with some of the contract status, like I talked about last night; that you can keep a core group together over a two- to three-year window, and you have another off-season and another draft, and then you look up and there's some really good pieces on the table."

The Giants concluded their 2024 draft with six players, three each on offense and defense. They chose three players Saturday on the draft's final day.

In the fourth round, No. 107 overall, the Giants selected Penn State tight end Theo Johnson. Their fifth-round selection, No. 166, was running back Tyrone Tracy, Jr. of Purdue. The Giants' final selection, a sixth rounder that was No. 183 overall, was UCLA middle linebacker Darius Muasau.

Johnson, Tracy and Muasau joined the three players the Giants added in the first two days of the draft: LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers in the first round, Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin in the second round, and Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips in the third.

"We always have room to grow and always have room to improve. I say it all the time, we don't play until September. So, there's still time between now and September where we can acquire players, the final cutdown, whatever it may be.

"I like the group that we have right now," Schoen said. "Excited to get the rookies in here, assimilate them into our culture, get on the grass, practice and then as we observe and evaluate players as we go through it, if we still have needs, there will be some vets that will be released over the next couple weeks as well. There's always going to be a time and a place where you can add more players. We'll see where we are now, and as we go through the competition period and training camp, if there are other areas we need to fill, we'll try to do that."

For the first time in his three years here, Schoen made no trades in the draft.

Also notable was that he did not select a quarterback. As they do every year, Schoen and Daboll thoroughly vetted the top players at that position, and the G.M. explored the possibility of trading into position to select one. But he chose to stick with the trio of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito. That's not exactly a shock, as Schoen said prior the draft, "we could go into the season with the three that we have and be comfortable with that."

"I think it's a different position when you are evaluating," Schoen said. "You can watch all the film you want, but there's a reason guys at that position, they succeed, and they fail and it's not just because of the tape. The three years we've been here, we have done a lot of work on the quarterbacks. Maybe it has not been as public or maybe it has not been as well covered, but we'll always do that because of the importance of the position."

Did either Schoen or Daboll discuss with Jones their thoughts on potentially acquiring another quarterback?

"I've talked to the entire team, but I meet with the quarterbacks daily," Daboll said. "I spend a lot of time with them every day. … You're just transparent with the entire team about the whole draft process. You're trying to improve your team."

Schoen believes they've done that on both sides of the ball, plus special teams. After the third round concluded Friday night, he was asked his thoughts about the defense.

"You know the players that are under contract for more than one year," he said. "Dexter (Lawrence) is under contract. Burns is for five years. Kayvon (Thibodeaux) for three, (Bobby) Okereke for another three, Tae Banks for four. Just got Nubin for four years.

"So, you've got a young core group of players that will be able to be together for - and again, I know people want instant gratification, but it takes time to build this, and then over time, you have guys that are able to create continuity because they play together year over year. I'm excited about the young core that we have together and the guys that are under contract for multiple years and even guys that may only have a year left that potentially we can extend down the road. I do think we have pieces in place that I like that are going to be together for a couple years here."

View photos from the college careers of all six members of the New York Giants 2024 Draft Class.

A look at the three players the Giants selected on the third day of the NFL Draft:

Theo Johnson, Tight End, Penn State, 6-6, 260, fourth round, No. 107 overall.

Johnson played in 45 games with 29 starts in four seasons at Penn State. He caught 77 passes for 938 yards (12.2-yard avg.) and 12 touchdowns. In 2023, he started all 13 games and posted career-high totals of 34 receptions, 341 yards, and a team-high seven touchdowns, and was selected honorable mention All-Big Ten. Johnson was a two-year letterman at Holy Names High School in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He is the third oldest of six brothers. His father, Nate Johnson, played all 16 games of the 1980 season for the Giants, primarily on special teams, and averaged 17.8 yards on five kickoff returns. Nate Johnson was a 1980 seventh-round draft choice by Pittsburgh who joined the Giants after he was released by the Steelers.

"I'd describe my game as gritty, explosive and powerful," Johnson said. "I think that I can get dirty in the trenches but also be a real factor in the pass game.

"I give defenses a real problem because I have the speed and also the sheer size and power. When you have both of those as a tight end, it makes it really hard to defend, because I can get up in your body and create separation or use my speed or use both. I think that's going to give a lot of people challenges when it comes to defending me."

Tyrone Tracy, Jr., Running Back, Purdue, 6-10, 210, fifth round, No. 166 overall.

Tracy played six seasons of collegiate football, the first four as a wide receiver at Iowa and the final two at Purdue. He played 63 games with 30 starts and finished his career with 146 rushing attempts for 947 yards, and 10 touchdowns, plus 113 receptions for 1,201 yards and five scores. At Purdue, Tracy also averaged 25.2 yards on 17 kickoff returns, including a 98-yard touchdown. In 2023, Tracy played in 11 games with nine starts, missing one game with an injury. He posted career-high totals of 113 carries, 716 yards, and nine touchdowns (eight rushing, one on a kickoff return). Added 19 receptions for 132 yards. Named Academic All-Big Ten.

Darius Muasau, LB, UCLA, 6-1, 230, sixth round, No. 183 overall.

Muasau is another two-school standout. He played three seasons at the University of Hawaii and two at UCLA and totaled 440 career tackles, 16.5 sacks and five interceptions. In each of his two seasons in Westwood, Muasau led the Bruins in tackles and was named second-team All-Pac 12. In 2023, he started all 13 games and tallied 75 tackles (43 solo), 10.5 stops for loss, 4.0 sacks, six passes defensed, and one interception. At Hawaii, Muasau was a two-time All-Mountain West Conference performer. In 2021, he totaled career highs of 109 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, and five forced fumbles. Muasau is a Hawaii native, who, like Johnson, has five brothers.

The Giants had good intel on Muasau because new special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial coached him at Hawaii.

"Ghoby is my guy," Muasau said. "I was at the University of Hawaii with him. He was my special teams coordinator. I was on the phone with him just chopping it up and he told me that I was getting drafted. Man, I was just very excited and just happy at the moment."

*Nubin arrived at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center this afternoon just as Lawrence, a two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, stopped in.

"I actually just met Dex outside like five minutes ago," Nubin said. "That was awesome. That man is huge, Bro, man, that man is a giant."

Asked his thoughts about the defense the Giants are building, Nubin said, "Man, it's going to be exciting. Got some monsters up front. You got some great guys in the back end. I'm excited. I'm excited to get to work. I can't wait."

*Asked about Nabers becoming a weapon for Jones, Daboll used a new word to describe the type of player he is looking for.

"Generators," he said. "People that can do stuff with the ball in their hands. Whether that's take a jet sweep and go 30 yards or whether that's running a double move and catch it 50 yards down the field to help you score points. Just to go back to Malik, I feel that he is that.

"Now, he's got a lot of work to do. There is a big playbook to learn. You've got to try to slow it down for these young players when they get in. But anyone who can touch the ball - and linemen can be generators, too, in a different way by keeping the pocket clean, by getting movement at the line of scrimmage.

"You've got to wait to see what you have and then try to move pieces around and see where - Theo, where he fits in or Malik fits in, different positions to play. There's five eligible players on every play and you try to use those guys the best you can. But they have to come in here and prove it and earn the right to play. "

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