A new but under-the-radar (and not necessarily ideal) storyline recently in Giants land has been the injuries that have plagued some of their starters, wiping out much of that first season, only to see the rookie of mentioned to return in year 2 to make an impact.
Receiver Victor Cruz, offensive lineman Nick Gates and, most recently, safety Xavier McKinney are homegrown giants who lost all or part of their rookie seasons to injuries, only to come back strong. And now defensive end/outside linebacker Ellerson Smith hopes to be the latest member of that club.
Smith played his college ball at Northern Iowa, where according to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 75 quarterback pressures, 14 sacks, 37 tackles and 45 stops over two years. Smith’s 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he had put enough on tape to convince the Giants that he was worthy of a fourth-round draft pick in the 2021 draft.
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Unfortunately, when Smith arrived in East Rutherford, he immediately began dealing with injuries, including a hamstring strain that landed him on the injured reserve list after missing most of training camp.
By the time Smith was ready to go, he had missed most of his rookie campaign, and while he returned later in the year, he missed the final game of the season with a neck injury.
As the Giants prepare for a new season, Smith is still very much in the team’s plans. He took advantage of some extra reps he got in the spring when guys were sidelined with injuries and did well enough to earn even more reps in training camp. What he does with those reps — assuming he can stay healthy — will determine whether he has a spot on this list.
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