UPDATE: Five High-Interest Areas for Giants to Monitor at the Senior Bowl…

On February 3, the Senior Bowl will take place. Shea Tierney, the quarterbacks coach for the New York Giants, and

Mike Adams, the assistant special teams coach, will be closely observing their respective teams during the game. We

examine some of the players Giants supporters may want to pay particular attention to throughout the week of

practices preceding the game in this analysis.

THE BIG 12 RIVALRY’S BIG ARMS: Bo Nix of Oregon and Michael Penix Jr. of Washington, who just finished their

second outstanding season for their respective colleges, will be in Mobile displaying their abilities for teams. These

two players are ones that most people predict will be in the Giants’ target area, either as first-round picks or early

Day 2 selections. The Giants are looking for a quarterback who can either step in and start or sit behind Daniel Jones

for a few seasons.

After blowing up at Auburn, Nix found his game at Oregon, where he improved all the areas he struggled with for the

Ducks, including decision-making and accuracy. He was able to demonstrate the physical attributes that made him a

five-star prospect right out of high school by transferring as well. In addition to being able to score from the pocket

and be utilized as a rushing weapon, Nix’s body is made to take minor hits.

Penix’s health allowed him to reach his full potential at Washington. While in Indiana, he had numerous injuries to

cope with. In his two seasons at Washington, he started more games than he did in his four years with the Hoosiers.

Penix displayed his arm talent this past season after being healthy. The Giants ought to be drawn to his ability to

drive the ball downfield. While at Washington, he also shown his accuracy and composure under duress. His athletic

ability is the one thing he hasn’t truly demonstrated while attending college. Despite being a low-key great athlete, he

is consistently picked to highlight his throwing ability. He might choose to use his athleticism to the fullest at the

next level.

SEARCHING FOR AN X: The Giants still lack a real X-receiver to compliment Jaylin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson, and

seasoned Darius Slayton, despite having a good group of receivers. The Giants may give Johnny Wilson of Florida

State and Devontez Walker of North Carolina some serious consideration.

Wilson’s size is the first thing you notice about him. He will be a matchup nightmare for every defensive back at 6-

foot-7 and 235 pounds, especially if he can maintain the speed he showed at FSU. He enters and exits breaks like a

smaller receiver and moves well for his size. Despite his drop concerns and extreme inconsistencies as a blocker, he

should be selected late in the second or early in the third round of the draft. Should he achieve his full potential, he

might be a fantastic addition to a squad.

In comparison to Wilson, Walker’s modest 6-foot-3, 175-pound stature only seems little, but in the NFL, he can

function as an X-receiver. Walker is a big-play receiver who hasn’t yet developed to the fullest extent possible.

He has the ability to rapidly grab possession of the ball, take the defenders by surprise, and get busy. He possesses

excellent hands and a great catch radius. He possesses adequate body control to respond to passes that are thrown

away from coverage and is adept at tracking deep passes. Many predict that he will be selected on Day 2.

SECURITY FROM WITHIN: The Giants will be searching for internal stability in addition to addressing their

offensive line problems and the concerns surrounding right tackle Evan Neal. A couple prospects will likely be under

the team’s radar during Senior Bowl week. Troy Fautanu, a tackle for Washington, has been shielding Penix. Because

of his 6-foot-3 height, some think switching to guard would be in his best interests in the NFL. Either way, his

athleticism is undeniably appealing. He is nimble on foot, has good movement in space, and can pick up blitzes and

stunts to control rushers while providing pass protection. When he advances to the second level of the screen game

and spring rushers for long gains, he may be very effective.

Layden Robinson of Texas A&M has the vicious streak that guards need. In summary, he moves bodies. Teams that

can run the ball and move the line of scrimmage will win in the postseason, as the playoffs are once again

demonstrating. There are doubts regarding Robinson’s athleticism, so practice week will shed a lot of light on that

front. However, his persistence and ability to take down opponents once he gets their attention are undeniable. It

will be fascinating to see him.

REMAIN CURRENT:  The Giants lack a reliable presence on the edge except for Kayvon Thibodeaux, so they need

players who can pressure the quarterback. Eyes will be on individuals who can harass the quarterback because you

need more than two in the NFL, even if Azeez Ojulari recovers fully. Laiatu Latu, an outside linebacker for UCLA, is

ideal for the position. He can produce and has potential. He is tall and strong at 6 feet 5 inches and 265 pounds. He

has amassed 23.5 sacks in the last two seasons.

His best feature is his motor abilities, which allow him to hunt regularly despite his excellent instincts, good

technique, and hand-eye coordination. Latu’s collegiate career began at Washington with a couple of years of injury,

but he has demonstrated at UCLA that those days are behind him. It will be interesting to observe, though, as the

procedure moves forward. Chris Braswell of Alabama is an emerging athletic marvel who can rush the passer. He

trailed Will Anderson in 2022 with 4.5 sacks; in 2023, he nearly quadrupled that total with 8 sacks.

At 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, he is dense and very strong, but what coaches and fans should be most excited about is

his speed, especially his explosion off the line. Most offensive tackles will find it difficult to maintain him in front of

them on a regular basis.

Additionally, he is accustomed to playing in committees, so he shouldn’t have any trouble being productive without a

cap on snap counts. It should be entertaining to watch him display his speed in the 1v1 pass rush exercises. SEEKING

COMPLETE COVERAGE:  The Giants appear to have choices at safety in the secondary, but there are still concerns

at cornerback, particularly since Adoree’ Jackson is unlikely to return and other young players haven’t exactly shown

the consistency the team would like to see. Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo is a gifted athlete who has the potential to

play zone cornerback or great man. He is 6 feet and 196 pounds, which makes him similar to the long and athletic

cornerbacks the Giants have been pursuing.

His aggressive style of play fits well with the team’s defensive

philosophy from the previous few seasons. It is troubling that he

was exposed to the big play because of how fluidly he moves. It

seems as though he was unaware of his responsibilities.

Another possibility Giants fans should keep an eye on is Kalen

King. He is a man-to-man, aggressive cornerback from Penn

State. At five feet eleven inches and 191 pounds, he is a fit man.

His ability to match patterns and his footwork are what allow him to shadow receivers. He intercepts a number of

passes. When plays go longer, his aggressive style may often lead him into difficulty, but it also works well for him in

the short and intermediate passing game.