The New York Giants didn’t have much to cheer about this season, but their rookie class is one of the very few things that they can feel good about. The stellar play of WR Malik Nabers, CB Dru Phillips, RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., and others stood out. However, another rookie’s play went under the radar this season.
Giants’ Elijah Chatman had a strong rookie campaign
Undrafted rookie defensive lineman Elijah Chatman had an encouraging rookie season. He earned a spot on the roster after some stellar moments during the preseason, including one vital moment where he chased down a running back in a preseason game.
On the season, Chatman totaled 19 pressures, which was fourth among all rookies and only two behind first-round rookie Byron Murphy (h/t David Syversten on X). Chatman also recorded 16 hurries, two quarterback hits, and a sack. Additionally, he did not miss a single tackle this season as he recorded 22 total tackles.
His performance was sneaky good for an undrafted rookie. Chatman’s PFF grades don’t do it justice, as he had just a 58.9 overall grade on Pro Football Focus, but he had plenty of encouraging moments as a rookie, which is big for his development.
Chatman could develop into a starter one day for the Giants
The former SMU Mustang flashed potential this season. The Giants will hope that he could develop into a long-term contributor on their defensive line and help create a formidable front with Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns. The Giants graded highly in pass rush by PFF, as they had the sixth-best grade at 76.3.
However, run defense was a glaring issue, as they allowed an average of 136.2 yards on the ground in the regular season, which was the sixth-most in the league. Their 64.0 run defense PFF grade was the 10th-lowest in the NFL as well.
As Chatman continues to develop, the hope is that he will become more effective in run defense. He has shown the potential to be a great pass rusher, but in order for the Giants to have success, they have to be able to stop the run as well.
Nevertheless, Chatman showed great promise during a dark 2024 season, and New York may have found a diamond in the rough with him for the long haul.