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The New York Giants got a huge unexpected boost at wide receiver last November when they claimed former Buffalo Bills sixth-round pick Isaiah Hodgins off waivers.
Hodgins became one of their top targets in the passing game, filling a void caused by several injuries to key wideouts.
In a recent piece for Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine listed Hodgins as the Giants’ “best-kept secret.”
Giant fans know better, however. And so do the teams they faced in the second half of the season. At one point, Hodgins had scored four touchdowns over a five-game stretch. It’s no secret he can play.
The Giants simply didn’t have much at wide receiver. Darius Slayton led the way with 724 yards while Richie James and Saquon Barkley were tied for the lead with 57 receptions apiece.
One underrated element of the passing game was Isaiah Hodgins, who was third on the team in yards with 351 on 33 receptions in just eight games.
Hodgins was released by the Bills on November 1 with the Giants successfully claiming him off waivers the next day. It took a few weeks for Hodgins to get acclimated, but by the end of the season he had some strong performances including eight catches for 89 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets against the Vikings in Week 14.
There will be more competition for the 6’3″, 201-pound receiver this fall. The Giants drafted Jalin Hyatt and signed Parris Campbell in free agency, but Hodgins has earned the right to be included in the game plan.
Giants fans and every draft pundit under the sun clamored for them to go out a get a “No. 1” receiver this offseason and they may have done that with the addition of Hyatt and Campbell not to mention tight end Darren Waller, who lines up as a wideout in many formations.
But they also have a short memory when it comes to Hodgins’ accomplishments last season. He sure looked the part in the small sample of games in 2022.
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