Giants returning to the Coughlin era, sort of

The New York Giants are returning to the Coughlin era, but that has nothing to do with Tom Coughlin and everything to do with Carter.

There’s more to the New York Giants’ seventh-round draft pick Carter Coughlin than his familiar last name. The 218th overall selection out of Minnesota is no relation to the Giants’ former Super Bowl-winning coach, but he will be attempting to forge his own legacy in Blue.

Coughlin, a 6-foot-3, 236-pound outside linebacker who ran the 40-yard dash at this year’s NFL Combine in 4.57 seconds is a solid contender to contribute both on defense and on special teams for the Giants this season — and beyond.

Coughlin can get after quarterbacks (he was second in the Big 10 in sacks in 2018 behind Chase Young and A.J. Epenesa) and has penchant for creating turnovers. He had six forced fumbles in his final two years in Minnesota.

“Another tall linear guy out of Minnesota,” Giants GM Dave Gettleman said of Coughlin. “He’s 6’3″ and change and 240. He can run. He’s got some versatility to him.”

“He’s a guy that gives us more speed on the edge,” head coach Joe Judge said. “He brings some length with him. He plays with a high motor and a lot of aggressiveness. He was productive in Minnesota’s scheme and with the way we are going to play guys on the edge in different packages, he’s someone with a lot of value. He will come in here and compete.”

Coughlin’s tape and resume are impressive yet he somehow slipped to the seventh round.

“He’s relentless, I think it’s a nice pickup,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. said. “I thought he would go a little bit earlier in this, maybe in the fifth round.”

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