WR John Jiles, West Florida

The New York Giants added some talent at the receiver position over the NFL Draft weekend. Their first-round selection, Malik Nabers, and , bring multiple dimensions to this Giants receiving corps, but the one thing neither brings is a big body. 

They’ve also added 6-2, 219-pound John Jiles from Division II University of West Florida. Jiles started his collegiate career at Fort Scott Community College, where he amassed 1,543 receiving yards and back-to-back six touchdown seasons over two seasons. 

He then transferred to Virginia Union where he hauled in nine more touchdown passes before finishing his final season at West Florida. 

In 2023, Jiles caught 54 passes for 1081 yards and 13 touchdowns, which squarely put him on the radars of NFL scouts and draft prognosticators everywhere. 

Many believed that he would hear his name called on Saturday during the final four rounds of the draft, so when the draft ended and he was still on the board, it was impressive that the Giants were able to secure him as a Priority Free Agent signing. 

What To Love

Jiles has an absolutely ridiculous catch radius, which has allowed him to catch so many errant throws by his quarterbacks. He truly embodies the saying, “Just put it somewhere close, and I’ll go get it.” 

Several elements make his catch radius so massive in comparison to others. The first is his natural freakishly long arms. They are so long that he can stand straight up and touch his knee. 

Second is his reaction and hand-eye coordination. For a man with arms this long, you would think he’d be a little more clumsy, but his arm movement is actually fluid and he works them within the framework of his body. 

So he is not only able to track the football, but he can also get his hands to the target on time to grab it. 

He also has excellent hands and is a natural hands catcher. That helps him pluck the football out of the air. 

Needs To Improve

There are some things that Jiles will need to work on if he wants to make it through training camp and survive in the NFL. 

The big issue is his route running, where he has issues getting in and out of his breaks. Right now, his bread-and-butter routes are stop routes and straight-line routes. 

How He Fits

Jiles will need to diversify his route tree to accommodate the multifaceted talents around him. 

He will be looking to prove that he can be better than the other big bodies (like Bryce Ford-Wheaton) the Giants have on the roster. 

The receiver room is crowded with talent and these improvements will go a long way in earning him a roster spot. 

12th-ranked Split End in Football Gameplan’s 2024 Draft Guide (Emory Hunt)

“Tremendous athlete and athleticism; very Stacey Augmon-like in that regard. Excellent leaping ability and can win above the rim more often than not. – Confident and arrogant hands. Really trusts his mitts and his wingspan to make the grab. Will be a QB’s most trusted option in a tough situation.”