OT Brian Mihalik signed to Giants practice squad — 7 things to know

The New York Giants have reportedly made a move along their offensive line, adding former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Brian Mihalik to their practice. Dan Duggan of The Athletic had the news first.

Let’s get to know Mihalik.

Mihalik was a defensive end at Boston College

He compiled 8.5 sacks, 4.5 as a senior, and 16 tackles for loss, while playing for the Eagles.

He got drafted by the “other” Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Mihalik in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft, 237th overall, as a defensive end.

“The Eagles drafted him to play 3-4 two-gapping DE,” Brandon Lee Gowton of SB Nation’s Bleeding Green Nation told me. “Really athletic guy but he didn’t show anything and then got cut.”

Apparently, that’s when his switch to offense started

Current Giants head coach Pat Shurmur was an Eagles assistant at the time. This is what he told reporters Thursday about Mihalik:

“I was with Brian back in Philly, actually, and he’s played a little bit in the NFL and we like him, so we just added him to the practice squad,” said Shurmur, who was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator when Mihalik was drafted. “We’re always looking to make changes and get better so, this is a guy that we like.”

He’s crazy-athletic

This is a 6-foot-9, 315-pound athletic freak. It’s why curious NFL teams keep giving him chances.

Steelers and Lions

Since the Eagles cut him, Mihalik has done two stints each with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions since the Eagles cut him in 2015.

Mihalik started two games at left tackle for the Lions last season. He appeared in 15 games total, and played at least some offensive snaps in five of those.

In 192 snaps overall, his Pro Football Focus grade was 52.1 (66.9 run/37.5 pass). He surrendered two sacks and a total of 15 pressures in 125 pass-blocking snaps, that’s a pressure every 8.3 snaps.

“He played spot duty a couple times last season when the Lions needed him, and he played adequately,” Jeremy Reisman of SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit told me. “As you’d expect for a defensive convert, his mechanics and technique are lacking, but he’s one of the most athletic offensive tackles in the league.”

Where does he fit?

Don’t think right away that this guy can replace Ereck Flowers at right tackle. As Shurmur indicated above, the 26-year-old is still learning the offensive tackle position. Given a couple of weeks to learn the offense, though, I don’t think it would be surprising at all if Mihalik eventually finds his way to the 53-man roster.

The Giants cut LB Calvin Munson

Munson, who played 14 games for the Giants last season, was cut by the team at the end of the preseason and then re-signed to the practice squad. Here is what that 10-man unit looks like now:

— WR Jawill Davis
— TE Garrett Dickerson
— LB Ukeme Eligwe
— CB Grant Haley
— RB Robert Martin
— OLB Avery Moss
— RB Jhurell Pressley
— WR Alonzo Russell
— OT Victor Salako
— OT Brian Mihalik