New York Giants: 5 players on offense who could surprise in camp
By Ed Stein
Number 4: Nick Gates – OG/OT
In three years as a tackle for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Nick Gates started in all 35 games he played. He left after his junior season and was thought to be a mid-to-late round pick in 2018. It didn’t happen for him as the offensive lineman eventually went undrafted.
He signed as a free agent with the New York Giants, shortly after. Gates was doing well for himself in camp last summer before he was derailed by a foot injury that put him on injured reserve for all of 2018.
A big man at 6-5, 305 pounds, Gates isn’t cut out to play tackle in the NFL. The G-Men moved him to guard to maximize his strengths and avoid some of his weaknesses. He moves well and has a strong upper body. As a tackle, he got stood up and driven back too often. Playing guard, however, it’s easy to envision him leading a back either by pulling or in a kick-out block situation.
Number 3: Reggie White Jr. – WR
He’s the son of a former NFL player, just not the “Minister of Defense.” White went to FCS Monmouth College (N.J.), so he didn’t attract many pro scouts to his games. Nevertheless, he has an intriguing combination of size, speed, and ability. White possesses raw skills that can be molded into an effective NFL receiver
What stands out about the undrafted rookie is his ability to win 50-50 balls as well as his catching radius. He uses his size and length to make tough catches. Some of them are tough because he doesn’t get much separation from opposing cornerbacks, especially when pressed at the line. Once he has the ball however, he uses his 4.45 speed to pull away.
The good news about White is that many of his positives are unteachable. With good coaching, many of his negatives can be ironed out. He’s likely never going to be the receiver that the previous owner of NYG’s number 13 was, but the building blocks are there for him to be a good one.