New York Giants

2017 NFL Draft Grades: New York Giants Select Evan Engram

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:18 p.m. ET

Fansided, Dan Schmelzer/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

In the 2017 NFL Draft, the New York Giants landed tight end Evan Engram on Thursday night. What is the grade for the 23rd overall selection?

The 2017 NFL Draft has been wild and crazy all night. There have been many surprising picks and if we are being honest, it set up well for the New York Giants. Going on the clock at No. 23, the Giants had many players who would have made sense for their team.

Instead of taking an offensive lineman like Forrest Lamp, the polarizing defender like Reuben Foster or the traditional tight end David Njoku, the Giants swung for the fences with Evan Engram.

Engram is listed as a tight end but is basically a wide receiver. He absolutely killed it at the combine and is going to be a matchup nightmare at the next level. Engram ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash, had a 36-inch vertical leap and a 6.92 three-cone drill. He has fantastic speed, athleticism and quickness, especially for a guy who is 6-3, 234 pounds.

Engram will take over as the Giants' primary tight end, and make no mistake about it, he is an elite offensive weapon. Adding Engram to the mix with Odell Beckham, Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard should be incredibly exciting for Eli Manning and company.

Evan Engram

Tight End, New York Giants

The Giants do not really add to a position of need here, but Engram is a potentially special player who can take their already impressive offensive attack to the next level. Engram can stretch the middle of the field with his speed and has the overall quickness to make plays after the catch.

He is also a massive weapon in the red zone, using his big body to make plays over defenders in the end zone. The Giants already had a strong offensive attack, but adding Engram to the mix could make them elite.

He will not be the favorite, but do rule out Engram as a possible 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. He is an explosive player in an even more explosive offense. Big-time production is possible here early on.