When the New York Giants made the change from Eli Manning to Daniel Jones going into Week 3, they knew they would get to see what they had in the quarterback they took sixth overall. What they did not know is that they may have found a gem in the fifth round when they selected wide receiver Darius Slayton.
Slayton emerged as a nice option for Jones throughout the season and it may be a duo we see for years to come. Because of their rookie campaigns, both Jones (7th) and Slayton (25th) were named to NFL.com’s list of Top 25 Rookies in 2019.
“Jones showed the ability to make every throw and create plays with his legs. He needs to clean up his fumbling issue (11 lost), but overall, it was a very promising campaign,” Daniel Jeremiah wrote.
“Slayton was known as a speed guy coming out of Auburn, but he’s proven he’s also a very adept route runner. He has outstanding chemistry with Daniel Jones, from whom he caught 41 passes for 561 yards and five touchdowns.”
Jones, of course, was selected to be the Giants quarterback of the future when Big Blue took him 6th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Although Jones had problems with ball security, he showed promise in his rookies year both through the air and in the rushing game as well.
Slayton took advantage of his time on the field in a season where the Giants’ receiving core was decimated by injuries. Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard and receiving tight end Evan Engram all missed time due to injury. In quite possibly his most impressive game of the year, Slayton notched 154 yards and two touchdowns on Eli Manning’s first game back in Week 14.
The Giants were one of seven teams to have multiple players make NFL.com’s list. NFC East rivals, the Washington Redskins, led the list with three players on the list.
The Giants are one of the youngest teams in the league so it’s fitting to see two of their players on the list. The success of Jones and Slayton is something many Giants fans hope to see continue in years to come. But let’s not ignore the fact that Dexter Lawrence was severely overlooked here.
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