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The development that is raising Giants rookie TE Evan Engram's ceiling even higher


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http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2017/11/the_part_of_giants_rookie_te_evan_engrams_game_tha.html#incart_river_index

 

 

The development that is raising Giants rookie TE Evan Engram's ceiling even higher
Updated 8:47 AM; Posted 8:34 AM
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Giants tight end Evan Engram (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
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By Dan Duggan

dduggan@njadvancemedia.com,

NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Giants rookie Evan Engram ranks sixth among tight ends in receptions (40), eighth in receiving yards (443) and third in touchdowns (five). While impressive, the production isn't necessarily surprising for a player who became a first-round pick due to his speed and receiving skills.

The most encouraging development of the season has been Engram's progress as a blocker. While far from a finished product, Engram has shown a willingness to block, which isn't a given among receiving tight ends.

"Definitely I think I can do some things better," said Engram, who is graded as the 62nd-best run-blocking tight end by Pro Football Focus. "Just kind of just getting in some positions, hold my ground a little bit more, just small things I'm working on. There's some things I'm doing pretty well, but definitely kind of more focused on the corrections I can make."

 

Engram bristled at the label of "big wide receiver" that has been attached to him since the draft.

"I'm a tight end," Engram said. "People can say (big wide receiver) all day, but I do everything every other tight end does. I don't really pay too much mind of it, but I'm just doing what I'm asked to do."

Engram has been asked to line up as a traditional tight end more than he expected. He has run 61 percent of his routes at in-line tight end or H-back, according to PFF.

"It creates a lot of mismatches and it opens up a lot of things," Engram said. "So, I'm definitely in-line a lot, but I love it."

 

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The in-line work has been an adjustment for Engram, who ran 73 percent of his routes from the slot in his senior season at Ole Miss, according to PFF. Instead of lining up in space across from linebackers and safeties, the 6-foot-3, 236-pound Engram now must get off the line against defensive ends.

"It's definitely tough, but that's the game," Engram said. "I love to compete. Those guys are huge, but I'm in there trying to compete with them."

Engram's transition to the NFL has been accelerated due to the injuries that decimated the wide receiver corps. Instead of being a supporting piece to Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard, Engram has been thrust into a lead role.

"I've just had to grow up a little bit faster, mature a little bit more," Engram said. "I'm learning a lot. I think that's probably going to be the biggest step that I'm going to take, just learning the importance of just being a big playmaker, just stepping up in big moments, kind of having to deal with a lot of adversity. So, definitely going forward it will make me a better player, a better person."

 

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No doubt he and Beckham are building blocks. Need offensive line, QB of the future, and I think we're good offensively. I'll roll with Perkins and Darkwa at RB, maybe a cheap vet for insurance purposes. I'll roll with Shepard too as WR2.

 

Defensively, we need linebackers, a DE, and likely a CB.

 

It's a large shopping list for the offseason...but this team CAN get turned around if done correctly.

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No doubt he and Beckham are building blocks. Need offensive line, QB of the future, and I think we're good offensively. I'll roll with Perkins and Darkwa at RB, maybe a cheap vet for insurance purposes. I'll roll with Shepard too as WR2.

 

Defensively, we need linebackers, a DE, and likely a CB.

 

It's a large shopping list for the offseason...but this team CAN get turned around if done correctly.

 

Yea it's a bright spot in an otherwise miserable season.

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Him and Shepard are learning how to be the man which is looking good for us next year. I hope itll stop whoever the gm is from making old declining Y-receivers our number 1 offseason priority.

 

I find it funny the last number of WRs the Giants have drafted highly, how everyone would go on and on about how they were just "slot WRs"

 

Nicks, OBJ, Smith, Shepard, Randle to an extent.

All turned out to be legit number 1 guys.

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I find it funny the last number of WRs the Giants have drafted highly, how everyone would go on and on about how they were just "slot WRs"

 

Nicks, OBJ, Smith, Shepard, Randle to an extent.

All turned out to be legit number 1 guys.

No, of that list, only Smith and Shepard are considered "slot: guys, because that's what they are (or were in Smith's case). But I wouldn't preface that with "only" - a good slot receiver - see Wes Welker - can be deadly.

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I find it funny the last number of WRs the Giants have drafted highly, how everyone would go on and on about how they were just "slot WRs"

 

Nicks, OBJ, Smith, Shepard, Randle to an extent.

All turned out to be legit number 1 guys.

 

Randle despite his size played like the smallest guy on the field...

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RR was a 3rd WR at best.

 

I never heard OBJ listed as a slot guy, or Nicks for that matter.

 

Smith, was one hell of a slot guy, but I bet he could've held his own on the outside. To date, I've never seen a player find the holes in a zone defense like he did. It was like every 3rd down, he knew where the marker was, where the hole in the defense was, and he got there. It was and is, a damn shame he tore up his knee when he did. He could've set some records.

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RR was a 3rd WR at best.

 

I never heard OBJ listed as a slot guy, or Nicks for that matter.

 

Smith, was one hell of a slot guy, but I bet he could've held his own on the outside. To date, I've never seen a player find the holes in a zone defense like he did. It was like every 3rd down, he knew where the marker was, where the hole in the defense was, and he got there. It was and is, a damn shame he tore up his knee when he did. He could've set some records.

 

Yep.

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