Can Bly’s athleticism make for highlight reel plays?
One of the aspects of undrafted free agency is that it often comes down to the relationships built by scouts as they travel from school to school. Talking to players and coaches before games and during the week can lay the foundations for recruiting undrafted players.
Jordan Bly, a wide receiver out of Gardner-Webb, could be an example of just that.
Bly started his college career at Old Dominion, which could be where the New York Giants first uncovered him. They drafted Tre Hawkins III out of Old Dominion in 2023, and Bly played in 11 games for Old Dominion in 2022, catching 22 passes for 225 yards.
He transferred from Old Dominion to Gardner-Webb in 2024, where he had his best year to date and caught 32 passes for 333 yards and 3 touchdowns.
What does he bring?
Bly doesn’t have much of a track record to rely upon as a wide receiver. He flashed an understanding of how to find open space in the defense, but Gardner-Webb’s quarterback was often looking further down the field.
That said, Bly did have a stand-out performance at the North Carolina pro day.
Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football
Bly is very undersized — even for a slot receiver — however he has elite speed, quickness, agility, and explosiveness. He appeared to be playing at a different speed than the other 21 players on the field. Bly is quick, twitchy, and plays with a frenetic kind of athleticism that’s hard for defenders to match.
Bly has the potential to be particularly dangerous in catch-and-run situations, while his speed and acceleration could also make him a vertical threat out of the slot or in motion.
Can he stick?
Bly is something an unknown due to his level of competition and the fact that he didn’t see the ball much, and his size will certainly work against him at the NFL level.
His raw athleticism, however, does also bring the possibility of big play potential in camp and the preseason. Bly’s speed and agility could make him a big play waiting to happen and a walking highlight reel when matched up with other fringe players.
He caught the Giants’ attention for a reason, though whether he’s able to make good on the opportunity is another question. The competition between Bly and the Giants’ other slot receiver prospects will be fun to watch.