The New York Giants initially signed eight undrafted free agents following the 2024 NFL Draft.
Of those eight, LSU pass rusher Ovie Oghoufo — who also spent time at Texas and Notre Dame — was given the best chance to make the 53-man roster according to Bleacher Report analyst Ryan Fowler.
“After spending time at Notre Dame, Texas and LSU, edge-rusher Ovie Oghoufo enters the NFL with as much experience as anyone in the class,” Fowler reasoned on May 5. Noting: “Oghoufo is an aggressive, upfield pass-rusher with the athleticism and lateral agility to work the fringe areas. His 1,967 snaps within the front seven give him the ideal floor to compete for rotational snaps with the New York Giants.”
The NFL writer also pointed out that the Giants were “tied for the fourth-fewest sacks last season,” concluding that they could use more impact at the position beyond Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns.
Giants UDFA Ovie Oghoufo Will Have Shot at Backup OLB Role
The Giants edge rushers are stout at the top with the aforementioned Burns and Thibodeaux, but the depth is very shallow. Azeez Ojulari is the odds-on favorite to claim the third outside linebacker role, no doubt, but who will earn the fourth job in the rotation?
Or what happens if Ojulari suffers another injury, or simply isn’t the same player?
The Giants have a depth issue at this position and assuming general manager Joe Schoen doesn’t choose to address it with a late veteran addition, Oghoufo could have a real opportunity in New York.
Perhaps that goes into Fowler’s line of thinking here. With Big Blue, Oghoufo’s top competition will likely be fourth-year veteran Boogie Basham, third-year journeyman Benton Whitley, second-year UDFA Tomon Fox and 2023 pickup Jeremiah Martin. Along with Ojulari and special teams signing Matthew Adams.
Giants UDFA Ovie Oghoufo Profiled as Well-Rounded in College, But Lacked Breakout Sack Total
The 6-foot-3 pass rushing prospect has shown flashes at the collegiate level, but he’s never been dominant in the sacks department.
Oghoufo recorded 8.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks in 2022, as a member of the Longhorns.
He consistently managed 2.5 sacks in four out of his five NFL campaigns, with 2.0 sacks in the fifth.
However, he did not have a breakout season as a pass rusher. to PFFAdditionally, he had a decent tackling record with 163 total credited tackles as an edge defender, and a missed tackle rate of around 11%.
He also performed well as a run defender, according to PFF, showing consistent performance with his run defense grades rarely below 70.0 out of 100.
So, the NYG coaching staff, led by new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and new outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen, will be responsible for bringing out the best in Oghoufo and the other OLBs. Bullen was the outside linebackers coach/pass rush coordinator for the Illinois football team in 2023. He came to the Fighting Illini in January of 2023 with 11 years of experience coaching in the NFL, including four years with the Arizona Cardinals.Arizona Cardinals
A writer who covers the NFL predicted which undrafted free agent from the Giants is most likely to be on the 53-man roster in 2024. Arizona Cardinals.
