Drafting well is the key to building a championship-caliber roster in the NFL. Let’s just say, the Giants don’t always draft well.
General manager Joe Schoen has been praised for the impact made by his two most recent draft classes. However, he has faced a growing level of scrutiny this season for swings and misses that he made in the draft during his first two offseasons as the team’s boss.
There are two draft picks in particular that stand out as major disappointments and, at this point, huge wastes of roster space.
The Giants don’t trust Evan Neal at guard
This summer, the Giants transitioned former top-10 pick Evan Neal from right tackle to right guard. They seemed initially encouraged by Neal amidst his transition and gave him a real shot to win the starting job.
However, Neal’s struggles persisted in the preseason, and he has since fallen out of favor (again) with the coaching staff.
Neal has been a healthy inactive in each of the Giants’ first two regular-season matchups. The team went from giving him a chance to start to not even trusting him as a backup.
To some extent, it’s understandable, considering how poor Neal has been when he’s been on the field. But if they feel like he’s a lost cause, then the Giants should just admit defeat and cut their losses.
Jalin Hyatt has yet to see the field this season
Another hyped-up draft pick was WR Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the 2023 class. He had some flashy moments as a rookie, but fell out of favor with the coaching staff in 2024 and seemingly has not recovered.
Hyatt has not been on the field for a single snap yet this season. He has been completely buried on the depth chart, despite being one of only five rostered wide receivers. Even undrafted rookie WR Beaux Collins has seen the field over Hyatt.
QB Russell Wilson shared praise for Hyatt throughout the summer, telling the media that he feels like the young receiver has “untapped” potential.
The Giants don’t even seem interested in tapping into that potential after Hyatt disappointed during the preseason. Now, he’s just another body taking up space on the roster.
Hyatt and Neal are taking up valuable roster space
The Giants’ depth on their roster is thin at several positions.
Injuries have decimated their linebacker corps. Their safety depth entering the season was a red flag. Their special teams depth has been suspect. The list goes on, yet the upgrades haven’t started rolling in.
Neal and Hyatt are clearly considered unplayable by the Giants’ coaching staff at this point. However, they remain on the roster, taking up space, while other position groups suffer as a result.
If the Giants don’t feel like either Neal or Hyatt will be able to contribute this season, they should find a way to move on, attempt to recoup some value, or, at the very least, open up the roster spots for players who can make an impact.