New York Giants News

New York Giants draft picks 2016: TE Jerell Adams is Giants' sixth-round pick

There it is, the Giants' final pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. A tight end.

By Ed Valentine@Valentine_Ed Updated Apr 30, 2016, 4:34pm EDT

With their final pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, the New York Giants used their sixth-round selection (184th) overall on South Carolina tight end Jerell Adams.

The immediate reaction from our own Chris Pflum?

"Great blocker, athletic, soft hands. NICE!!!!"

Adams is 6-foot-5, 247 pounds. NFL.com says:

"Tall and lanky for a tight end, Adams actually has better play strength than the eye test might indicate. Adams doesn't have the surest hands in this draft, but he is unique in that he can challenge defenses down the field and shows the potential to be helpful as a run blocker. Adams should come in as a quality backup with an "eventual starter" tag tied to him."

Adams caught 28 passes for 421 yards last season, averaging 15.0 yards per catch and scoring three touchdowns. He said he "made the best" of a muddled quarterback situation with the Gamecocks.

"Honestly, I didn't have the progress yet that I wanted at South Carolina because of the quarterback situation but I felt like I made the best out of it and did what I could do," Adams said.

What is his skill set?

"I feel like I'm an overall tight end," Adams said in a conference call with Giants media. "I feel I can block very well and I can catch very well."

"Honestly, I didn't have the progress yet that I wanted at South Carolina because of the quarterback situation but I felt like I made the best out of it and did what I could do."

Here is a summary from Dane Brugler of CBS Sports in his 2016 NFL Draft Guide:

"A two-year starter for the Gamecocks, Adams lined up primarily inline and wing and was vastly underutilized in the South Carolina offense. He has above average speed for the position to be a seam buster down the field, but the rest of his route tree is limited due to robotic movements at the stem and catch point. Adams is unreliable as a blocker due to lack of mechanics, but flashes upside in this area when he plays like a low-post power forward, boxing out and using his core strength. Although his role will be limited in the NFL, he can be as productive as his volume at the next level with his combination of size and straight-line speed to test defenses - projects as a solid No. 2 option, but will likely be drafted higher than he should due to his raw measurables."

The Giants' tight end competition just got a whole lot more interesting. Will Tye emerged last season, and Larry Donnell had 63 catches in 2015. Neither are great blockers. Youngsters Jerome Cunningham and Matt LaCosse are promising, but unproven. The Giants also signed veteran fullback/tight end Will Johnson as a free agent.