The Giants announce their UDFA additions
The New York Giants announced Friday morning that they’ve officially signed eight undrafted free agents.
The announcement, which came shortly before the first practice of rookie mini-camp took place, included OG Jake Kubas, OT, Marcellus Johnson, WR Ayir Asante, WR John Jiles, EDGE Ovie Oghoufo, DL Casey Rogers, and K Jude McAtamney.
It’s worth noting that the Giants signed McAtamney, who was born and raised in Northern Ireland, as an “Exempt/International” player, so he doesn’t count against their 90-man roster. The Giants also announced that RB Deon Jackson was released in a corresponding roster move to make room for WR Allen Robinson.
Each of the undrafted players were offered guaranteed money to sign with the Giants after the draft. We’ll list how much each got when he signed his contract.
Jake Kubas (RG, North Dakota State) – $270,000
Kubas had 41 consecutive starts at right guard prior to injury. He has a long and athletic frame for a guard and is a natural fit in a zone blocking scheme. Kubas moves well and is a very tough blocker up front. The Giants obviously like him, and he might realistically compete for a reserve guard job.
Marcellus Johnson (OL, Missouri) – $170,000
Johnson transferred from Eastern Michigan to Mizzou in 2023 to show that he could hang with the big school players. The former left tackle didn’t get that chance, as his season was largely derailed by an ankle injury. He has a stocky frame and might not have the foot quickness to stay at tackle in the NFL. He could move inside at guard and compete with Kubas.
[Get to know Marcellus Johnson]
John Jiles (WR, West Florida) – $100,000
Jiles is a big, long wide receiver with a massive catch radius thanks to his 6-foot-3, 222 pound frame and 34-inch arms. He isn’t particularly quick or fast, but his size stands out on the Giants’ offense.
Ayir Asante (WR, Wyoming) – $4,000
Asante is a native of Franklin, NJ, who transferred from Holy Cross to Wyoming for the 2023 season. What the 5-foot-9, 181 pound Asante lacks in size he makes up for with athleticism. He’s a “quicker than fast” slot receiver who can make defenders miss in close quarters and also offers upside as a kick returner.
Casey Rogers (DL, Oregon) – $220,000
Rogers got the second-largest amount of guaranteed money, and presents an interesting skill set for the Giants’ defense. He’s built along similar lines as Jihad Ward at 6-foot-4, 294 pounds, and could fit into the defensive line as a one-gapping penetrator who plays the 3, 4i, or 5-technique. He’s also a very good athlete with a 9.82 RAS, and the Giants were clearly interested in what he brings to the table.
Ovie Oghoufo (edge, LSU) – $7,500
Oghoufo has average size (6-foot-3, 248 pounds) and athleticism for the edge position. However, he’s a highly competitive defender who plays with urgency and very active hands as a rusher. Oghoufo is also very well travelled, having played for Notre Dame, Texas, and LSU since 2018.
Jude McAtamney (K, Rutgers)
McAtamney is very new to American rules football and only started playing our version of the game (he grew up playing Gaelic Football) in 2020. His (American) collegiate career started at Chowan Unicersity in North Carolina in 2021 and he transferred to Rutgers in 2022. He was the Scarlet Knights’ kick-off specialist in 2023 and set a school record with 40 touchbacks on 60 kick-offs last year.
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