Giants Most Likely Breakout Players

Optimism for the New York Giants is higher than it’s been in half a decade. A young and talented roster, combined with an energetic second-year head coach in Joe Judge and a splashy offseason has put playoff expectations on a club that’s gone 18-46 over the last four years. If Big Blue should reach the postseason as many fans are anticipating, significant improvement will have to be shown by a number of their players.

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Of course, free-agent signings of established veterans such as Kenny Golladay, Adoree’ Jackson, and Kyle Rudolph have contributed to New York’s heightened outlook. Still, they won’t make the leap to contendership unless the draft picks at it’s core fulfill their promise. In order to determine which youngsters are ready to show out in 2021, let’s rank the top five Giants poised to breakout from least to most likely.

5. OLB Azeez Ojulari

Rookies don’t usually come to mind when projecting breakout players. Ojulari, however, is in a uniquely auspicious position to make an immediate impact. The second-round pick out of Georgia joins a crowded but mediocre EDGE group in New York. Former third-round picks Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines have yet to develop as hoped, and behind them are a bunch of late-round picks and cheap free agents. Enter Ojulari, whose springy pass-rushing chops bring a dynamic to the position that’d otherwise be lacking. There’s a strong chance he earns a starting role out of camp. Given Ojulari was a projected first-round pick, he’s capable of putting up better numbers than your average second-round rookie, especially in coordinator Patrick Graham’s creative scheme.

4. S Xavier McKinney

Like Ojulari, McKinney was a projected first-round pick that slipped to the second-round, much to the Giants benefit. The Alabama product missed 10 games as a rookie last season, but impressed late in the year with 25 combined tackles in six games, including a game-sealing interception againt the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. The versatile safety could have a starring role in Graham’s defense, as the notoriously cunning coordinator should make great use of his varied skill set. McKinney will walk into a deep safety room, as veterans Logan Ryan and Jabrill Peppers are in line to start ahead of him. But that could simply free him up to be the unpredictable swiss-army knife in Big Blue’s defense.

3. OT Andrew Thomas

The 2020 fourth-overall pick understandably struggled early on as a rookie last season, as he rebuilt his pass set on the fly while dealing with an ankle injury. Still, Thomas improved in the second half of the year. Giants fans hope he can be the franchise left tackle he was drafted to be. Having a full offseason to prepare and a healthy ankle should help the Georgia product in his second year. So should New York’s improved overall offensive talent. Defenses will be less eager to blitz the Giants now that they have dangerous weapons on the outside, which should improve Thomas’ pressure numbers in and of itself. Add in natural development as a sophomore, and Thomas could show himself to be truly worthy if his draft status.

2. QB Daniel Jones

Ever since Jones was controversially drafted sixth overall in 2019, the Giants fan base has been in a civil war over whether he’s capable of becoming a franchise quarterback. The 2021 season should go a long way towards settling that debate. The third-year man out of Duke will by far have his best set of skill position players as a pro. Big Blue’s young and unproven offensive line is still a major concern, but if it can play to a league-average level, Jones will have everything he needs to take a leap in production. And it’s not like Jones hasn’t shown us flashes of his high-end potential. If he can combine the downfield playmaking of his rookie season with the improved ball security from the second half of last season, Danny Dimes can be the breakout player of not only the Giants, but the NFL.

1. DL Dexter Lawrence

Lawrence will have the breakout recipe of increased opportunity and proven production entering his third season. The departure of nose tackle Dalvin Tomlinson should increase the Clemson product’s snap count, and his four sacks and 30 solo tackles on just 60 percent of defensive snaps last year suggest he’s worthy of greater playing time. Lawrence, taken 17th overall in 2019, has already shown to be one of general manager Dave Gettleman’s better selections. His rare combination of power and mobility has always made him an intriguing player to forecast. Now, with only the newly extended Leonard Williams to share in the d-line spotlight, Lawrence is poised to make a star turn in 2021.

– Ryan Cuneo is the Managing Editor of Full Press Giants. He covers the New York Giants. Like and follow on Follow @ryan_cuneo Follow @FullPressGiants and Facebook.