Giants feature exciting group of young wide receivers

New York Giants GM Joe Schoen may finally have done something the Giants have been struggling to do for years. With the drafting of Malik Nabers, Schoen may finally have given the Giants not just a No. 1 wide receiver, but a playmaking group that can threaten opposing defenses.

Let’s focus on wide receiver today as we continue position-by-position previews entering training camp.

Key losses: Sterling Shepard, Parris Campbell
Key additions: Malik Nabers

Why the Giants might be better

The easy answer is ‘because they have Nabers’. And that of course is a big part of the answer.

“He gives us something we don’t have,” assistant GM Brandon Brown told GM Joe Schoen at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Yes, he does. He gives them a potential No. 1 wide receiver who will change coverages, demanding extra attention, and will likely produce quality numbers nonetheless.

BetOnline recently posted over/under betting lines for Nabers. Those numbers are 72½ receptions, 900½ yards, and 5½ touchdowns. The Giants didn’t draft Nabers No. 6 overall to produce less than those numbers. They expect and need more.

Nabers, though, is hardly alone as a play-making threat for the Giants at wide receiver. Nabers’ selection in the draft was the icing on the cake of a three-year effort by Schoen to give the Giants a dynamic receiving corps.

Wan’Dale Robinson, a shifty slot receiver, was drafted in the second round in 2022. Deep threat Jalin Hyatt was selected in Round 3 a year ago. We have seen glimpses of what both can do, but each could be poised to take steps forward this season.

If Nabers is what the Giants think he is, and Robinson and Hyatt take steps forward, Darius Slayton may go from the Giants’ leading receiver in four of the past five seasons to WR4 in 2024.

Why the Giants might be worse

Despite the expectations, Nabers has yet to play an NFL snap. Maybe he flops or gets injured. Maybe Robinson and Hyatt fail to take the anticipated steps forward. Maybe the Giants have injuries, and the depth players on the roster behind the Big 4 don’t get the job done.

The Giants should be better at wide receiver in 2024. Nothing, though, is guaranteed.

Roster projection

Locks: Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt
On the bubble: Miles Boykin, Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Isaiah Hodgins, Isaiah McKenzie, Gunner Olszewski, Allen Robinson II
Long shots: Dennis Houston, John Jiles, Ayir Asante

Will the Giants keep six receivers? Seven? What will they value in choosing the final two or three receivers on the roster?

There are experienced possession receivers like Isaiah Hodgins and Allen Robinson. Hodgins seems to have fallen out of favor a bit but is a dependable receiver. There are players with kick and punt return ability like Isaiah McKenzie and Gunner Olszewski. There are big, fast, potential special teams coverage players like Miles Boykin and Bryce Ford-Wheaton. There is also an intriguing undrafted free agent with kickoff return ability in Ayir Asante.

If I had to guess right now, I would bet seven make the 53-man roster. I’ll take Hodgins over Robinson because of the comfort level Daniel Jones has with Hodgins, McKenzie over Olszewski because McKenzie is a more versatile returner and a better receiver, and Boykin over Ford-Wheaton because of experience.