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The New York Giants, regardless of need, are always looking to add some talent at the wide receiver position. They just so happen to have a big need this year and what a year for that. Haven't seen this much talent at one position in years.
As a result of all this talent, you've got some really nice prospects that will fall and fall hard. Josh Huff of Oregon is one of those receivers, and if the Giants don't go wide receiver early in the draft, he could be one of their prime mid-to-late round targets.
Pros
- Smooth acceleration off the snap. Deceptively quick off the line and can win consistently out of the gate.
- Great combination of hands and body control. Can contort his body to make some tough, contested catches.
- Solidly built at 5-foot-11, 208 pounds. Muscular.
- Is a good blocker. Definitely one of the better ones in the draft. Helped D'Anthony Thomas out a TON downfield.
- Very intelligent and aware. Always was within Mariota's line of sight when the play broke down.
- Above average when it comes to yards after the catch.
- No character concerns that I could find.
Cons
- Is not a perfect route runner. Rounds off a lot of his cuts and doesn't accelerate well after making one.
- Straight line speed is merely average.
- Can make contested catches when he's moving, but he won't win when he has to stop and go vertically
- He can be beaten by press coverage
Does He Fit With The Giants?
Eh. I suppose he fits, but a lot of what he does is already done by Victor Cruz. If the Giants feel like they want Cruz to play outside, Huff would be an excellent replacement in the slot. Some scouts think he can play both the "Y" and the "Z", but it's clear to me that he's an inside only guy. In a WCO, he would thrive. It's just a matter of figuring out if he can get any playing time with both Cruz and Jerrel Jernigan here. Watch the tape below, definitely a talent.
Prospect Video
Josh Huff vs Oregon State (2013) (via Adrian Ahufinger)
Big Board Rankings
Big Blue View - Not in top 100
Mocking The Draft - 141
CBS Sports - 136
Draft Countdown - 136
Draft Tek -118
Final Thoughts
Like I mentioned previously, had he been in any other draft, he likely is a late Day 2 pick. With this draft however, he's probably in the range of a late fourth or early fifth. He's got boatloads of talent and many believe that he's going to be a very strong slot receiver.
He's also got great special teams experience and could be effective in that aspect as well, which obviously helps his draft status. Needs to work on refining his route running, and if he can do that - sharpen his cuts, drive with his feet down better to accelerate - there's no reason why he can't be a strong contributor for an NFL team come his rookie year.