Freethinker
Hall of Famer
The New York Giants have long functioned as a quintessential "Caste Squad," drifting far from the era of Ernie Accorsi—may he rest in peace—when the roster featured White playmakers at cornerback, wide receiver, and running back. Since those days, the organization has largely restricted White talent to the trenches, the tight end position, and the occasional linebacker. While the Schoen and Daboll regime initially showed no deviation from this trend, the emergence of Cam Skattebo last year injected a rare spark of interest for those of us tracking the roster’s demographic makeup.
Fast forward through another losing season that saw Daboll fired, Skattebo lost for the year, and Jaxson Dart plagued by persistent injuries, and it was yet another failure for the franchise. Now, the organization has brought in John Harbaugh, the biggest coaching prize of the offseason, and hope springs eternal for a turnaround. However, considering Harbaugh’s history of leading predominantly black rosters during his two decades in Baltimore, there is little optimism that the Giants will see an increase in White player representation under his tenure.
Total White Athletes on Roster (Starters in bold):
12 Whites total, with 5 starters. Grade: D-
QB - Jaxson Dart
RB - Cam Skattebo
FB - Patrick Ricard
TE - Thomas Fidone II
LG – Jon Runyan Jr.
C - John Michael Schmitz, Bryan Hudson
WLB - Jack Kelly
MLB - Micah McFadden
K - Dominic Zvada
P - Jordan Stout
LS - Ben Mann
IR - Gunner Olszewski (WR)
PS – Jake Haener (QB), Dalen Cambre (WR), Braxton Berrios (WR), Charlie Jones (WR), Grant Finley (FB), Geno VanDeMark (OL)
Perhaps I'm being generous giving the Giants a D- again after dropping in roster and starters, but I attribute that entirely to Cam Skattebo being 1 of only 2 starting White running backs in the NFL. That alone will make them much watch each week along with the electric Jaxson Dart.
Cam Skattebo’s 2025 rookie campaign served as a brief but compelling disruption to the standard Giants roster model, demonstrating exactly why his presence on the field was so significant. In his eight games of action, Skattebo proved his utility as a dual-threat weapon, accumulating 410 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground, supplemented by 207 receiving yards and 2 additional scores through the air. His breakout performance, a dominant 98-yard, 3-touchdown display against the Philadelphia Eagles, provided a rare glimpse of high-level White production at a skill position. Unfortunately, his season was curtailed by injury, leaving his development in a state of suspended potential. Week 1 was the continuation of that potential and he put to bed any concerns about not being fully healthy again. He led the Giants’ ground attack with 18 carries for 81 yards, averaging a solid 4.5 yards per carry. Skattebo wasted no time making his presence felt, capping the Giants' opening drive with a bruising three-yard touchdown run. His physical style was instrumental in controlling the clock, as the Giants dominated time of possession in their 28-20 victory over their NFC East rivals.
Jaxson Dart’s turbulent rookie campaign under the doomed Daboll regime offered plenty of promising flashes despite a porous offensive line, as he completed 63.7% of his passes for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions while adding 487 yards and 9 scores on the ground before injuries took their toll. He bounced back in emphatic fashion to open the 2026 season, carving up the Dallas Cowboys in a 28-20 victory by completing 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, alongside 54 rushing yards. With John Harbaugh now at the helm and a healthy Cam Skattebo back in the backfield, the hope for the remainder of the year is that Dart can avoid the week-to-week physical beatings of his debut, capitalize on his high-IQ dual-threat upside, and finally anchor the offense for a franchise desperate for stability. I expect big things for the young man!
The new Giant I'm most excited for is the excellent fullback Patrick Ricard, who followed his coach over from Baltimore. Ricard’s remarkable journey from an undrafted free agent in 2017 to one of the league's premier fullbacks is defined by rare toughness and sustained excellence. Initially making a name for himself with his unique ability to play both defensive tackle and fullback, Ricard transitioned exclusively to offense in 2020 and established himself as a foundational blocking pillar for the Baltimore Ravens over nine seasons. His elite lead-blocking prowess earned him six Pro Bowl selections (2019–2022, 2024, 2025) and three All-Pro honors, alongside 49 receptions and eight total touchdowns. Ricard remains the ultimate physical tone-setter in the backfield and should open up the running lanes for Cam to have an excellent season.
The offensive line drops to 2/5th White after yet another 1st round non-White was selected. Most of these picks have bombed but why not keep trying and trying again and again. Runyan is now the veteran on the line and just signed a 2-year extension. Good news, especially considering he's not highly rated by PFF (a black mark for White players). The center Schmitz is in a similar situation that he needs to have a good season to establish himself as the man going forward with his rookie contract nearly up. I think this is an area where Harbaugh's presence will actually help and younger players can get better coaching vs the previous clown regimes.
Wide receiver is an interesting position as the Giants technically have 4 on the team. The bad news is that none are on the 53 man roster as I type this. Gunner Olszewski was very good last year as the main kick and punt returner. He also got some chances at WR, which culminated with his first 100 yard game in the final week of the season. Unfortunately he was lost for the season with a training camp injury so in has come Braxton Berrios and Charlie Jones to replace him. Berrios will probably become an active member of the roster after he uses up his 3 PS "standard elevations". In week 1, that was the plan and Berrios was used for returns and also saw 17% of the offensive snaps without a catch though. Jones appears to be a backup plan after getting cut by the Bengals before the season. He's too good of a return man to sit on the PS all year. I'd expect him to be poached at some point if the Giants themselves don't use him. Dalen Cambre was with the Giants last year and got a few chances with the team but seemingly only as a special teams ace. I would not expect anything more this year either.
If week 1 is telling, then the defense is going to be dark this year. Neither Micah McFadden nor Jack Kelly received a single snap. McFadden is a former starter and proven WTM who is coming back from a lost season to injury. He was replaced with Tremaine Edmunds as the starting MLB but perhaps opportunity will present as I feel he's too good to keep off the field entirely. Jack Kelly of BYU could end up being a late round steal. @Truthteller wrote an excellent piece on him in the New York Giants general thread which highlights his elite athleticism. Expect this year to be a "redshirt", serving on special teams but I'm hopeful that the team has plans for him long term.
So that's it. Lots of bad, but what's good is uniquely good, and makes them the rooting favorite at least as far as the NFC East goes (unless you prefer the DeJean / Shipley pairing on the Eagles). Mark your calendar for December 6th against SF. Baring injury, it will (likely) be the only time this NFL season a game features 2 starting running backs.
Fast forward through another losing season that saw Daboll fired, Skattebo lost for the year, and Jaxson Dart plagued by persistent injuries, and it was yet another failure for the franchise. Now, the organization has brought in John Harbaugh, the biggest coaching prize of the offseason, and hope springs eternal for a turnaround. However, considering Harbaugh’s history of leading predominantly black rosters during his two decades in Baltimore, there is little optimism that the Giants will see an increase in White player representation under his tenure.
Total White Athletes on Roster (Starters in bold):
12 Whites total, with 5 starters. Grade: D-
QB - Jaxson Dart
RB - Cam Skattebo
FB - Patrick Ricard
TE - Thomas Fidone II
LG – Jon Runyan Jr.
C - John Michael Schmitz, Bryan Hudson
WLB - Jack Kelly
MLB - Micah McFadden
K - Dominic Zvada
P - Jordan Stout
LS - Ben Mann
IR - Gunner Olszewski (WR)
PS – Jake Haener (QB), Dalen Cambre (WR), Braxton Berrios (WR), Charlie Jones (WR), Grant Finley (FB), Geno VanDeMark (OL)
Perhaps I'm being generous giving the Giants a D- again after dropping in roster and starters, but I attribute that entirely to Cam Skattebo being 1 of only 2 starting White running backs in the NFL. That alone will make them much watch each week along with the electric Jaxson Dart.
Cam Skattebo’s 2025 rookie campaign served as a brief but compelling disruption to the standard Giants roster model, demonstrating exactly why his presence on the field was so significant. In his eight games of action, Skattebo proved his utility as a dual-threat weapon, accumulating 410 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground, supplemented by 207 receiving yards and 2 additional scores through the air. His breakout performance, a dominant 98-yard, 3-touchdown display against the Philadelphia Eagles, provided a rare glimpse of high-level White production at a skill position. Unfortunately, his season was curtailed by injury, leaving his development in a state of suspended potential. Week 1 was the continuation of that potential and he put to bed any concerns about not being fully healthy again. He led the Giants’ ground attack with 18 carries for 81 yards, averaging a solid 4.5 yards per carry. Skattebo wasted no time making his presence felt, capping the Giants' opening drive with a bruising three-yard touchdown run. His physical style was instrumental in controlling the clock, as the Giants dominated time of possession in their 28-20 victory over their NFC East rivals.
Jaxson Dart’s turbulent rookie campaign under the doomed Daboll regime offered plenty of promising flashes despite a porous offensive line, as he completed 63.7% of his passes for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions while adding 487 yards and 9 scores on the ground before injuries took their toll. He bounced back in emphatic fashion to open the 2026 season, carving up the Dallas Cowboys in a 28-20 victory by completing 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, alongside 54 rushing yards. With John Harbaugh now at the helm and a healthy Cam Skattebo back in the backfield, the hope for the remainder of the year is that Dart can avoid the week-to-week physical beatings of his debut, capitalize on his high-IQ dual-threat upside, and finally anchor the offense for a franchise desperate for stability. I expect big things for the young man!
The new Giant I'm most excited for is the excellent fullback Patrick Ricard, who followed his coach over from Baltimore. Ricard’s remarkable journey from an undrafted free agent in 2017 to one of the league's premier fullbacks is defined by rare toughness and sustained excellence. Initially making a name for himself with his unique ability to play both defensive tackle and fullback, Ricard transitioned exclusively to offense in 2020 and established himself as a foundational blocking pillar for the Baltimore Ravens over nine seasons. His elite lead-blocking prowess earned him six Pro Bowl selections (2019–2022, 2024, 2025) and three All-Pro honors, alongside 49 receptions and eight total touchdowns. Ricard remains the ultimate physical tone-setter in the backfield and should open up the running lanes for Cam to have an excellent season.
The offensive line drops to 2/5th White after yet another 1st round non-White was selected. Most of these picks have bombed but why not keep trying and trying again and again. Runyan is now the veteran on the line and just signed a 2-year extension. Good news, especially considering he's not highly rated by PFF (a black mark for White players). The center Schmitz is in a similar situation that he needs to have a good season to establish himself as the man going forward with his rookie contract nearly up. I think this is an area where Harbaugh's presence will actually help and younger players can get better coaching vs the previous clown regimes.
Wide receiver is an interesting position as the Giants technically have 4 on the team. The bad news is that none are on the 53 man roster as I type this. Gunner Olszewski was very good last year as the main kick and punt returner. He also got some chances at WR, which culminated with his first 100 yard game in the final week of the season. Unfortunately he was lost for the season with a training camp injury so in has come Braxton Berrios and Charlie Jones to replace him. Berrios will probably become an active member of the roster after he uses up his 3 PS "standard elevations". In week 1, that was the plan and Berrios was used for returns and also saw 17% of the offensive snaps without a catch though. Jones appears to be a backup plan after getting cut by the Bengals before the season. He's too good of a return man to sit on the PS all year. I'd expect him to be poached at some point if the Giants themselves don't use him. Dalen Cambre was with the Giants last year and got a few chances with the team but seemingly only as a special teams ace. I would not expect anything more this year either.
If week 1 is telling, then the defense is going to be dark this year. Neither Micah McFadden nor Jack Kelly received a single snap. McFadden is a former starter and proven WTM who is coming back from a lost season to injury. He was replaced with Tremaine Edmunds as the starting MLB but perhaps opportunity will present as I feel he's too good to keep off the field entirely. Jack Kelly of BYU could end up being a late round steal. @Truthteller wrote an excellent piece on him in the New York Giants general thread which highlights his elite athleticism. Expect this year to be a "redshirt", serving on special teams but I'm hopeful that the team has plans for him long term.
So that's it. Lots of bad, but what's good is uniquely good, and makes them the rooting favorite at least as far as the NFC East goes (unless you prefer the DeJean / Shipley pairing on the Eagles). Mark your calendar for December 6th against SF. Baring injury, it will (likely) be the only time this NFL season a game features 2 starting running backs.