The New York Giants will hold their local prospects workout on Thursday, looking at NFL draft prospects who have ties to their metropolitan area either as collegiate or high school players. This workout does not count against the 30 prospect visits/workouts NFL teams are allowed prior to the draft.
The main attraction will be Hobart College offensive lineman Ali Marpet, a player who has risen from Division III obscurity to a guy most draft analysts expect to be selected on Day 2 of the 2015 NFL Draft.
We know that Marpet, who attended Hastings High School, grew up as a Giants fans and would to play for Big Blue. We know that the Giants need to continue adding to their stable of offensive linemen and could be looking to do so on Day 2 of the draft. In our Marpet prospect profile, 'Raptor' indicated the 6-foot-3, 307-pound Marpet is a fit for the Giants:
Marpet projects to play a position of need for the Giants, has the length the Giants tend to covet in players, the strength and agility to play either a man or zone blocking scheme. More importantly, he seems to have the personality to fit in perfectly with the Giants' team concept. He is a well-spoken, apparently intelligent young man, who has taken every opportunity to compete with big-school prospects, and has showed he belongs.
Not only is he a guy who fits what the Giants want to do, he strikes me as a player that the coaches, Tom Coughlin in particular, would absolutely love. In fact, if I had to come up with an NFL comparison, he's beginning to remind me of Chris Snee. I won't say that Marpet will become a top-five guard like Snee was, but his combination of feet, power, and toughness is very Snee-like.
What about some of the other players who will be working out for the Giants on Thursday?
Seven Rutgers players are known to be attending the workout, including quarterback Gary Nova and fullback Michael Burton. None of the Rutgers players known to be attending the workout are considered to be draft-worthy. Nova, Burton and offensive lineman Kaleb Johnson might be players who receive training camp invites from an NFL team.
One former Scarlet Knight who is expected to be drafted, tight end Tyler Kroft, reportedly met with the Giants during the Rutgers pro day. Kroft is considered a likely Day 3 selection.
Workout list
NOTE: These are players reported by a variety of sources to be working out. The list, of course, is subject to change.
Ali Marpet, OL Hobart College
Mike Reilly, DE, William & Mary
Spencer Kulscar, WR, UPenn
Shakim Phillips, WR, Boston College
Kevin Haplea, TE, Florida State
Adrian Coxson, WR, Stony Brook
Michael Burton, FB, Rutgers
Gary Nova, QB, Rutgers
Andrew Turzilli, WR, Rutgers
Kaleb Johnson, OL, Rutgers
Betim Bujari, OL, Rutgers
Kevin Snyder, OL, Rutgers
Lorenzo Waters, SS,Rutgers
Neal Sterling, WR, Monmouth
Tebucky Jones Jr., WR, Fordham