News Giants Team Notes

[New York Giants]

Giants news, 7/4: Key year upcoming for John Michael Schmitz, Malik Nabers, Lawrence Taylor, more headlines

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

New York Giants headlines for July 4th

Good morning, New York Giants fans! Happy Fourth of July! As Ed always says on his podcast, “stay safe out there.”

From Big Blue View​

• Where does Giants’ defensive coordinator Shane Bowen rank among his peers?
• Make or Break: Can John Michael Schmitz become the player he was drafted to be?

Other Giant observations​

Safety-Blanket WRs: Highest target rates when QB is under pressure | PFF​

6. Malik Nabers, New York Giants: 19.1% Threat Rate. Last year’s sixth-overall draft pick saw 41 targets with his quarterback under duress last season, the most for a rookie receiver since 2020. Nabers and Ladd McConkey were the only rookies to be targeted more than 25 times in such situations, and Nabers also tied McConkey with 24 catches. He finished with 311 receiving yards, 16 first downs and four touchdown catches. Nabers also ranked eighth in yards after the catch (79) and yards after contact (35) and generated the fourth-best deep target rate (31.7%) in pressure situations.

Malik Nabers takes a spin with NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.​

Malik Nabers trying to stay cool in a corvette with Dale Earnhardt Jr going 130mph

Via Bleacher Report pic.twitter.com/LTZJ6xpHM3

— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) July 2, 2025​

New Stat Underscores Key Area for NY Giants’ Offense to Improve | SI.com​

Gridiron Intelligence data showed that the Giants ranked in the bottom five league-wide in both passing to their tight ends and converting on third down. Of the Giants’ 232 third-down conversion attempts last year, 180 were pass attempts. The Giants’ tight ends were targeted just 19 times on third down, catching 12 such passes. Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger both converted just two third-down pass conversions apiece. Bellinger’s two conversions came on plays needing three or fewer yards, whereas Johnson’s two came on third-downs needing 6+ yards.

25 Questions in 25 Days: Draft picks to watch past Round 1 | Giants.com​

Thomas Fidone II, the young tight end that displayed great athleticism throughout the spring. Fidone was the top tight end recruit coming out of high school, ahead of Brock Bowers, before back-to-back ACL injures derailed the start of his collegiate career. Now fully healthy, Fidone showed some flashes of that potential with some impressive grabs during the spring.

The best NFL draft pick ever at every slot from No. 1 to 262 | ESPN.com​

2. Lawrence Taylor, OLB (1981). The best defensive player of all time is also the best second overall pick of all time. Taylor is one of two defensive players to ever win league MVP (in 1986, joining defensive tackle Alan Page in 1971), and that rarefied air all but cements him over contenders such as Marshall Faulk, Julius Peppers and Calvin Johnson. Modern contenders such as Von Miller, Saquon Barkley and Nick Bosa are excellent in their time but don't hold a candle to L.T., who finished his 13-year career with 142 sacks.

40. Michael Strahan, DE (1993). I really wanted to pick Thurman Thomas here -- an MVP winner at running back whose number is retired in Buffalo. But Strahan's 22.5-sack season in 2001, his final-season performance in the Giants' magical Super Bowl XLII run ... it's just too tough to argue against.

56. Osi Umenyiora, DE (2003). Umenyiora wasn't consistently dominant, but his peaks made him the pick at No. 56. In the 2007 Super Bowl season, Umenyiora was quieter in the postseason but excellent in the regular season, with 13 sacks and a Pro Bowl. In the 2011 Super Bowl season, he was quieter in the regular season but dominant in the playoffs -- 3.5 sacks over four games. Key roles in big seasons can make the difference in this exercise.

Outside the top 100: 105. Harry Carson, LB (1976), 160. David Diehl, G (2003), 207. Jessie Armstead, LB (1993), 211. David Tyree, WR (2003), and 221. Billy Ard, G (1981)

“If you have good players, it helps everybody...And that is what Abdul is”​

OLB Coach Charlie Bullen is excited to add Abdul Carter to the squad

The Drive : https://t.co/A9klfMxCUU pic.twitter.com/okZu9wgOyh

— New York Giants (@Giants) July 3, 2025​

2025 NFL Offensive Line Rankings, All 32 Teams | Sharp Football Analysis​

29. New York Giants. Along the offensive line, the Giants have moved out of the last spot in our rankings up to 29. LT Andrew Thomas was limited to just six games in 2024 and has yet to follow up on his outstanding 2022 season.

Ranking Each of the 25 Super Bowl Winners From the 21st Century | Bleacher Report​

25. 2011 New York Giants Pros: Behind a legendary pass rush, they dethroned the Patriots for the second time in a four-year span.

Cons: They are the only team on this list with just nine regular-season wins and a negative scoring margin (minus-6). Despite that pass rush, only the 2018 Patriots gave up more yards per play (5.62), and Jason Pierre-Paul was their only first-team All-Pro.

24. 2007 New York Giants Pros: They slayed the then-18-0 Patriots in one of the biggest upsets in NFL history.

Cons: They were only one win better than the 2011 team at 10-6, and their plus-22 regular-season scoring margin ranks second-last among the 25 teams on this list. They were also a horrendous 1-5 against teams with winning records, and they outscored their four playoff opponents by just 20 total points. They had just one Pro Bowler (Osi Umenyiora) and no first-team All-Pros.Around the league

Around the league​

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott ranked as most overrated by CBS Sports | Blogging The Boys

Schottenheimer looks to past stars to inspire Cowboys | ESPN.com

The Washington Commanders will reveal new alternate helmet and uniform next week | Hogs Haven

Report: Commanders' Plan B could involve going to President Trump, Congress | Pro Football Talk

As several NFL teams develop plans for new stadiums, will the Eagles follow suit? Looking at their options | CBSSports.com

JC Latham: Cam Ward doesn't expect to be handed starting job | Pro Football Talk

Josh Sweat embraces leadership role in Cardinals’ reunion | ESPN.com

Sauce Gardner "aware" what Derek Stingley, Jaycee Horn are making | Pro Football Talk

Will the NFL ever offer ‘Sunday Ticket’ on a single-team basis? | The Athletic

NFL salary cap changes could impact the way several teams do business | SBNation.com

BBV mailbag​

Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to [email protected] and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.

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Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/2025/7/...-michael-schmitz-malik-nabers-lawrence-taylor

 

[New York Giants]

The 4i-shade: Pros and cons

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

What is it, and how does a defense use it?

The New York Giants were blessed with excellent defensive tackles in recent memory. Damon “Snacks” Harrison, Leonard Williams, B.J. Hill, and Dalvin Tomlinson are former Giants who recently represented the organization well when donning blue.

Dexter Lawrence remains a Giant and is one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL. Lawrence is correctly heralded for his unique ability to generate pressure from the nose tackle position (directly over the center).

Since 2022, Dexter Lawrence has had 103 pressures from the nose tackle position alone. The next closest player is Tampa Bay Buccaneer Vita Vea with 23 pressures. However, Lawrence isn’t and wasn’t always exclusively used as a nose tackle.

According to Pro Football Focus, Lawrence aligned as a nose tackle or a 1-shade (aligned on the shoulder of the center) a collective 305 times under James Bettcher and Patrick Graham (2019-2021). In his first season with Wink Martindale in 2022, Lawrence aligned 660 times at the nose or 1-shade.

Bettcher used Lawrence at the nose or 1-shade much more than Graham. I detailed all this background to review the position Lawrence occupied under Graham, which is a nuisance to block — the 4i shade.

Graham ran a lot of hybrid fronts but used a lot of 4i-shades; here is a refresher on the techniques:

The 4i-shade​

The 4i-shade aligns on the inside shoulder of the tackle. It’s common in TITE fronts and is typically employed against spread teams when the defense aims to eliminate explosive passing plays with two-deep safeties. Martindale often utilized TITE fronts but would move Lawrence inside to the nose, whereas Graham would use him more frequently at the 4i-shade. But why?

Pros​

The 4i-shade is a nightmare for guards to block if the tackle is occupied with an EDGE rusher. It’s a full gap away from the guard, and the thought of stopping a player as big and powerful as Dexter Lawrence from that angle is a nightmare altogether.

The 4i alignment shuts down the B-gap and doesn’t require the linebackers or the safeties to be aggressive with their run fit. Remember how good Blake Martinez was in 2020? Much of that was due to his skill set, of course, but the alignment in front of him allowed Martinez to operate with more liberty. He could more frequently discern and attack, rather than prioritizing the B-Gap, since the 4i (Dexter Lawrence) was clogging that avenue.

Offenses love to attack the B-Gap in the run game. The 4i-shade is great against inside zone rushing teams and DUO, for the angle is more difficult for the COMBOs to land effectively; couple this with the possibility of a blitzing linebacker and tackles having to worry about EDGE rushers, and miscommunications can happen, especially with less experienced offensive linemen.

The difficulty in forming double-teams also gives the linebacker more freedom and time to locate the ball-carrier and better position themselves before a climbing lineman can separate on the line of scrimmage — again, it’s an advantage for the linebacker, who can diagnose and fill with an easier path.

The 4i-shade also fits nicely into modern two-high defenses since controlling the line of scrimmage with fewer bodies is a necessity. The box can be “lighter,” and the defense doesn’t necessarily have to be even or win the mathematical run advantage due to the annoying nature of the 4i-shade.

Cons of 4i-shade​

The 4i-shade is not conducive for pass-rush wins unless it is paired with a twist/stunt. The body types of the 4i-shade are also hard to locate. A lighter defender or one who can’t anchor down or win with strength could be a liability that is easily exposed. Players like Aaron Donald (who aligned everywhere), Christian Wilkins, Greg Rousseau, Zach Sieler, and Kenny Clark, as well as Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne when they were together in Washington, are quality 4i-shades that offered their defense a gap-and-a-half ability.

4i-shades need to have length/strength, understand leverage, be disciplined run defenders, and be quick enough to slant when pass rushing; these types of defenders do not grow on trees, and 4i-shades who are exposed lead to defensive gashing versus the run.

Final thoughts​

Dexter Lawrence is a freakish football player who would be an elite 4i-shade. However, he’s also an elite nose tackle — pick where you want him to play. The 4i-shade is a run-stopping, gap-control alignment that hinders the offense’s ability to attack the B-Gap. It’s a critical way to steal gaps and stop the run with lighter boxes, and many defensive coordinators around the NFL utilize it.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/2025/7/4/24457807/the-4i-shade-pros-and-cons

 

[New York Giants]

Big Blue View mailbag: Fourth of July weekend edition

The mail’s here

Mark Cicio asks: Here’s a question/opinion that might sound a bit conspiracy-ish.

What would you say if I told you I felt that Schoen/Daboll didn’t resign Barkley because they wanted to prove to John Mara that Daniel Jones was not the QB Mara thought he was, and were willing to throw away a season because they felt it was best for the future of the team? That Barkley was the reason DJ was thought to be a good QB, while knowing that Barkley can make any QB look good, and make good ones look great? Then once proven they began to rebuild/draft the QB room into the way they envisioned it should look like?

Aside from the fact that I also feel Barkley had enough of losing and wouldn’t mind playing for his home team the Eagles. I do think pressure was put on Schoen/Daboll to help the kid who Mara famously said “we did everything possible to screw up this kid since he got here” and felt at least partially responsible for that.

Is that thought too far out there in space to possibly be true?

Ed says: Mark, I think you have been reading too many spy novels. No coach or GM is going to throw away an entire season on purpose to prove a point. Those jobs are not easy to get — or keep — and no one goes out of his or her way to put their job in jeopardy.

Schoen and Daboll were tasked initially with finding out if Jones was a guy they could work with going forward. After the way the 2022 season unfolded, the organization was curious if there was still untapped upside.

The reality, as I understand it, is this. The Giants wanted to get Barkley’s name on a long-term contract, at their number. They tried multiple times, and Barkley and his reps weren’t feeling the deal the Giants were offering.

They had to get one of Jones and Barkley to sign a long-term deal since there is only one franchise tag. Unable to get a deal with Barkley, they pivoted to Jones.

I have a question for you, Mark. I know it is summer and there isn’t much going on, but why are we re-litigating Barkley-Jones? At this point, it’s been discussed until there isn’t anything new to say. It’s time to move on.

---

Bob Donnelly asks: Last year there were numerous instances where the Giants “unforced errors” contributed to the losing record.

Things like:

• Delay of game
• Illegal formation
• Illegal shift/motion
• Ineligible lineman down field
• False start

The defense had its share of mistakes including off the ball penalties that extended drives and allowing conversions on third-and-long.

Given that the Giants will be facing many of the NFL’s best this year they can ill afford these types of mistakes.

In your view are these errors a reflection on the coaching or the players?

What can be done to reduce them going forward?

Ed says: Bob, to me one of the big factors is youth and inexperience. By snap-weighted age, the Giants were the second-youngest team in the league a season ago.

Final snap-weighted age data for the 2024 regular season Five oldest teams: Vikings, Dolphins, Falcons, Browns, 49ers Five youngest teams: Packers, Giants, Raiders, Cardinals, Chargers

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell.com) 2025-01-08T04:29:47.139Z

Reality is, young players make more mistakes. The Giants had the third-most pre-snap penalties in the NFL last year (56), behind the Cleveland Browns (61) and Chicago Bears (59).

Malik Nabers had six pre-snap penalties (five illegal shifts, one false start).

How do you fix them? I don’t think there is a perfect answer. I do wonder if head coach Brian Daboll giving up play-calling, as it seems he is going to do, will allow him to focus more of his time and energy on fixing small details.

Honestly, there isn’t any excuse for players not being focused enough to get into the proper formation or get set quickly enough before the ball is snapped.

---

ctscan123 asks: Was generally very happy with the offseason and agree with most that the quality of our roster, both starters and depth is much improved across the board. The one thing that still really concerns me is stopping the run. Alexander was a good get and I’m excited about him, but he doesn’t really project as a run stuffer. Golston? Really wish we could find a large Marge not named Nacho to start next to Lawrence on non-passing downs. Anyone left in free agency? Any possible trade targets? Anyone on the roster you’d be willing to move for such a player?

Ed says: CT, I am not sure there is anything else the Giants can do right now. The list of free agent defensive linemen is not impressive. Maybe someone shakes free when rosters are trimmed to 53, but there is nobody now.

Besides, the Giants did quite a bit. Darius Alexander was fourth in the nation in run stops with 23, and his Pro Football Focus run defense grade of 86.0 was excellent. Roy Robertson-Harris and Jeremiah Ledbetter are accomplished players. Chauncey Golston will help. Abdul Carter will help.

The front seven is already considered by many to be one of the best in the league. I understand the worry about Rakeem Nunez-Roches, but he’s a good player when used in a limited role. The Giants, because they had no choice, played him far too much in 2024.

I am really not sure how much more the Giants could have done to improve the front seven.

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Spencer Gross asks: I’m sure this won’t go over well after reading your most recent response on why the Giants shouldn’t trade Thibodeaux but after just seeing a report on ESPN about teams asking Pittsburgh about Watt’s availability after the recent trade with Miami, how about Thibs for Watt? Yes there’s an age gap and probably some draft compensation when the Giants are already light in that but the D line could be truly monstrous. Also I understand the compensation Watt would be looking for with the Giants limited cap space would be a headache but you can’t tell me that defensive line wouldn’t be epic.

Ed says: Spencer, let’s start with the reality that the Steelers have been clear that while teams are asking about T.J. Watt they have no interest in trading their best defensive player.

I understand that Watt is a tremendous player, but I can’t think of a good reason for making this trade from a Giants perspective.

Watt is a 31-year-old player in the final year of his contract. If you trade for him, you have to give him a rich long-term extension. The Giants are a young team looking toward the future, not a Super Bowl contender looking for one final piece to put them over the top.

Would it be smart to give Watt such an extension if you are the Giants? They wouldn’t give it to Saquon Barkley, and I still think that was the right call even if the way it was handled was messy. I don’t think giving Watt that kind of money would be a smart move for the Giants.

Thibodeaux’s cap hit this year is $9.971 million. Watt’s base salary is $21.05 million. That increases the need for the Giants to get a long-term deal done that would drive Watt’s 2025 cap hit down.

Thibodeaux is 24 years old and I have said again and again that I think his best football is stil ahead.

On top of that, you still have the three players for two spots issue if you trade Thibodeaux for Watt.

In my view, it isn’t as simple as “Watt is better than Thibodeaux.”

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Walker Joyce asks: Re your analysis of Robinson’s game, the thing that has always frustrated me is how often—I’d say 90% of the time—he fails to run past the sticks on a 3rd down play.

This chronically leaves him a yard or so short of earning a first down.

I can’t imagine why this hasn’t been corrected, ‘cause it’s clearly a mental error, not a physical issue.

I also don’t like how Daboll has used his tight ends, who ought to be the real go-to guys on short yardage passing downs. They’re bigger targets and ought to routinely be able to haul in a 10-yard hook. They’ve wasted Bellinger since his promising rookie year.

Do you agree?

Ed says: Walker, why are we continuing to pick on the little guy?

I get that fans still think he wasn’t worth a second-round pick. But, I think we’re at the point of making up things that aren’t his fault.

I also get frustrated when players run routes that leave them a yard short of a first down, but this isn’t a Robinson problem. It happens with every team. Sometimes I think it’s a play calling problem. A route is practiced over and over and over and over at so many steps and so many yards, and that is what guys end up running no matter the situation.

All I can do here is look at receiver success rate. In 2022, 61.3% of Robinson’s catches were deemed “successes.” Meaning, per Pro Football Reference, 40% of needed yards on first down, 60% on second down and getting the first down on third or fourth down. That dropped to 53.8% in 2023 and 42.1% last season. You know what also fell off in those two seasons? The quality of the quarterback play.

So, is that a Robinson problem? Or, is it a quarterback problem?

I’m not here to tell anyone Robinson is an All-Pro. He’s not. It is entirely possible his role in the offense will be reduced this season because Russell Wilson has not historically thrown in the middle of the field a ton. I think, though, some of the Robinson criticism is going too far.

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Submit a question​

Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to [email protected] and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/2025/7/5/24458990/new-york-giants-mailbag-fourth-of-july-weekend-edition

 

[New York Giants]

2025 Summer Scouting - Is Penn State DL Zane Durant a player to watch for the Giants?

Photo by Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Can Durant take another step forward in 2025?

Could the New York Giants look to reinforce their defensive line again in 2026?

Rakeem Nunez-Roches will likely be a former Giant, as may be Jordon Riley and D.J. Davidson. The top of the Giants’ depth chart should be stout with Dexter Lawrence and Darrius Alexander, but their depth may once again be suspect.

If so, Zane Durant out of Penn State might already be a familiar face who’s caught their eye.

The Giants have scouted Penn State heavily in recent years, drafting Theo Johnson in 2023 and Abdul Carter in 2024. Durant is undersized for a defensive tackle, but he’s also explosively powerful and athletic.

Durant has taken a step forward in each of the last two years. Is he on the verge of breaking out?

(Durant is the Penn State iDL wearing No. 28, with short sleeves and short pants.)

What he does well​

Durant is, first and foremost, a freak athlete.

He’s made Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” the last two years and was ranked 18th on the 2024 edition — just a few spots below Abdul Carter at 12th. Per Feldman, Durant set a record for the Penn State defensive line by squatting 660 pounds at a bodyweight of 290. He has a remarkably thick and powerful lower body, so the squat number is definitely believable.

He also, reportedly, ran a 4.66-second 40-yard dash at that same bodyweight, so he hasn’t sacrificed speed for strength. He’s also reportedly bench pressed 425.

Durant is truly explosive off the line and plays with great leverage. Not only does he have natural leverage, but he’s good at keeping his pads low to keep blockers from getting under them.

His raw strength and explosiveness, as well as speed and agility, allow Penn State to use him in a variety of ways. He was used everywhere from nose tackle to 5-technique, depending on the down, distance, and subpackage called. Durant’s power and leverage allow him to stand up to guard-center double teams, while his explosiveness off the ball make him disruptive when attacking individual gaps.

Durant plays with solid competitive toughness and offers very good effort when the play is within his range. He has good awareness and processes quickly, which allows him to identify misdirection and retrace to pursue the ball.

What he needs to improve​

First and foremost, length will always be a concern for Durant, unless his arms measure out to something like 34 inches. He’s listed at 6-foot-1, 294 pounds, and while his legs certainly make the weight believable, he might be closer to 6-foot. That could be a real problem for teams if his arms are short as well.

Speaking of arms, Durant needs to continue to work on his technique. He flashes the ability to attack blockers’ hands and prevent them from latching on, allowing him to attack into the backfield or make plays off of blocks. However his hands are still mostly blunt objects and he didn’t show much precision or diversity in his moves (at least in the tape viewed).

Skilled linemen who are ready for his explosiveness can blunt his rushes or latch on when run blocking. Durant usually winds up tangled in blocks in those instances and isn’t a consistent factor.

Final thoughts​

I feel as though I’ve been saying this for years now, but what are they putting in the water down at Penn State?

Every year it seems as though they’re putting another freak athlete into the NFL. Even among powerhouse schools, they seem to be more common at Penn State than anywhere else.

As for Durant himself, it will be fascinating to see what the NFL makes of him next spring. Teams are getting better about recognizing that traits aren’t necessarily skills, and players with uncommon traits for a position can be successful because they don’t fit into the archetype. Ultimately, it might come down to just how productive Durant is this season, and how well he tests in the Draft Process.

If he takes another step forward in his technical development, his production this year should continue to improve. And if he isn’t too short (height and arm length), he could see his draft stock soar.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/2025/7/...-zane-durant-a-player-to-watch-for-the-giants

 

[New York Giants]

8 Giants, including David Tyree, among best draft picks of all-time at their draft slot

Any reason to run this photo is a good reason. | Photo by Corey Sipkin/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

Tyree is the best 211th pick ever

Before heading off to enjoy his Fourth of July weekend, Ben Solak of ESPN did a fun exercise in which he named the best NFL draft pick ever from picks 1-262, the entire seven-round format.

There are a number of New York Giants on the list, some of whom are obvious and some who you may not think of as a “best draft pick ever.”

Here’s the list of Giants:

No. 2 — Lawrence Taylor (1981)

Solak says:

The best defensive player of all time is also the best second overall pick of all time. Taylor is one of two defensive players to ever win league MVP (in 1986, joining defensive tackle Alan Page in 1971), and that rarefied air all but cements him over contenders such as Marshall Faulk, Julius Peppers and Calvin Johnson. Modern contenders such as Von Miller, Saquon Barkley and Nick Bosa are excellent in their time but don’t hold a candle to L.T., who finished his 13-year career with 142 sacks.

No. 40 — Michael Strahan (1993)

Solak says:

The little 8-year-old Eagles fan in me still resents Strahan, who terrorized Donovan McNabb and my beloved Birds for years. I really wanted to pick Thurman Thomas here — an MVP winner at running back whose number is retired in Buffalo. But Strahan’s 22.5-sack season in 2001, his final-season performance in the Giants’ magical Super Bowl XLII run ... it’s just too tough to argue against.

No. 56 — Osi Umenyiora (2003)

Solak says:

Umenyiora wasn’t consistently dominant, but his peaks made him the pick at No. 56. In the 2007 Super Bowl season, Umenyiora was quieter in the postseason but excellent in the regular season, with 13 sacks and a Pro Bowl. In the 2011 Super Bowl season, he was quieter in the regular season but dominant in the playoffs — 3.5 sacks over four games. Key roles in big seasons can make the difference in this exercise.

No. 105 — Harry Carson (1976)

No. 160 — David Diehl (2003)

Diehl and Umenyiora in the same draft. Not bad.

No. 207 — Jessie Armstead (1993)

Not a bad Robin from that draft class to Strahan’s Batman.

No. 211 — David Tyree (2003)

A third Giant from the 2003 class. No other 211th overall pick has a helmet catch to help his team win a Super Bowl.

No. 221 — Billy Ard (1981)

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/2025/7/...t-draft-picks-of-all-time-at-their-draft-slot

 

[New York Giants]

2025 Summer Scouting - Can Utah OT Spencer Fano become an elite prospect?

Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Will Fano’s versatility make him a valuable commodity?

If there’s one constant at the NFL level, it’s that every team always needs offensive linemen.

It isn’t just the New York Giants — there are 64 starting offensive tackles, 64 starting guards, and 32 starting centers in the NFL, but not that many good starters. Include depth and future concerns at the various positions, and every team can always use another good lineman.

Utah tackle Spencer Fano is entering his junior season, but he has the potential to be a sought after prospect whenever he enters the NFL Draft. He’s athletic, competitive, and highly versatile in his technique and alignments.

Just about any team can find a place for him in their offensive line room. And considering the Giants always seem to have questions on their offensive line, they should probably be paying attention.

What he does well​

Spencer Fano has solid size for an offensive tackle. He appears to match up with his listed at 6-foot-6 height, though he looks bigger than the listed 302-pound weight. Regardless of his actual measurements, he carries his weight well and is a solid athlete for the position.

Fano is a versatile lineman and is coming into the 2025 season with 13 starts at right tackle and 11 starts at left tackle. He should be able to project to either tackle position at the NFL level.

He’s an easy mover when asked to slide laterally and is explosive when blocking downhill. Fano quickly hits his landmarks in pass protection and has the requisite mobility to redirect back inside or mirror athletic rushers off the edge.

Fano is a reliable pass protector who’s able to match up against speed or power under most circumstances. He has a relatively smooth kick-slide with little extraneous or wasted movement. He’s also a natural knee bender who’s able to drop his hips and play with good leverage. That helps maximize his play strength to sustain blocks or diffuse power from bull rushers.

He plays with solid competitive toughness and strains to sustain his blocks for as long as possible. He has solid grip strength when locked in and does a very good job of using his feet to deal with power and stalemate bigger defenders. He also has very solid awareness to pick up late pressure due to blitzes or looping defenders.

Finally, Fano is a versatile and capable run blocker. As mentioned above, he’s explosive when firing off the ball, engaging defenders with good leverage and driving them off the ball. He naturally uncoils his hips once he’s under their pads, leveraging them and driving them off the ball. His athleticism and movement skills also translate well to zone blocking schemes as well as blocking at the second level.

What he needs to improve​

Fano’s primary area in need of improvement appears to be his hand usage.

He flashes good hand usage when he’s balanced and in rhythm. However, if he finds himself off balance trying to match a defender who is particularly athletic, powerful, or skilled, his hands can suffer badly.

Fano has a slight tendency to let his hands drift wide while moving lateral, either kick-sliding in his pass set or redirecting back inside. Those wide hands can fail to find opponents’ chest plate or are easily swatted aside by defenders. Not only does that limit Fano’s ability to control the defender, but he can be prone to lunging.

Those lunges not only sacrifice Fano’s balance, but force him to give up his chest plate as well as his ability to anchor against power.

Final thoughts​

Spencer Fano might not be an “elite” prospect at the offensive tackle position, but he should be a very good one.

He has a very solid foundation that should allow him to push for a starting job very early in his career, and his exceptional versatility should make him attractive to pretty much any team. Fano has the ability to play left or right tackle, as well as execute any blocking scheme commonly called at the NFL level.

Fano obviously still has work to do in 2025. There are certainly rough patches in his game, and he needs to become a more consistent technician to take his game to the next level. That said, he has the potential to be an easy and safe pick for pretty much any team when he enters the draft.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/2025/7/...utah-ot-spencer-fano-become-an-elite-prospect