DT Tyrell Chavis a long-shot to earn spot with Giants

New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman makes no secret of the fact that he is trying to build a deep, talented defensive line. The idea being that a deep rotation means fresher players able to perform at their best.

Can undrafted and unheralded defensive lineman Tyrell Chavis find his way into that rotation? Let’s take a look as we continue player-by-player profiles of the 90-man roster the Giants will bring to training camp.

The basics

Age: 23
Experience: 0
Position: Defensive tackle
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 305

2017 season in review

Chavis wasn’t even a starter for the Nittany Lions. He did appear in 13 games with 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two passes defensed.

2018 outlook

Considering his limited playing time at Penn State, perhaps the Giants see Chavis as a late-blooming developmental prospect. The words that intrigue me in the scouting report from The NFL Draft Report are “pass rush interior line force.”

The NFL Draft Report says:

Despite emerging as a pass rush interior line force as a senior, the Nittany Lion could move to the opposite side of the line at the professional level. He attended Nassau Community College for two seasons after failing to secure a roster spot with the Virginia Cavaliers and was seldom used at Penn State during his first campaign. He would go on to post 32 tackles with three sacks and 7.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage at weak-side defensive tackle for the Nittany Lions.

Chavis is likely too small to play the nose in a 3-4. Perhaps the Giants want to see if he can become a 5-tech end in the 3-4, or even a pass-rush specialist from defensive tackle when they use four down linemen.

Either way, considering the number of players in front of him Chavis would seem to be — at best — a practice squad candidate.