Could the younger Cross be a second generation Giant?
It’s starting to be a familiar sight to see the scions of familiar names from the NFL’s past as draft prospects.
Notre Dame defensive tackle Howard Cross III is a name that will stand out to Giants fans in particular. After all, his father, Howard Cross Jr., spent 13 seasons (from 1989 to 2001) as a tight end for the Giants, and is currently a sideline reporter for the Giants Radio Network.
It also just so happens that the Giants could certainly use an additional defensive lineman. Could the younger Cross follow in his father’s footsteps as a Giant?
Prospect: Howard Cross III (56)
Games Watched: vs. Texas A&M (2024), vs. Stanford (2024), vs. Navy (2024), vs. Ohio State (2024)
Measurables
Height: 6-foot (estimated)
Weight: 290 pounds (estimated)
Strengths
Best traits
- Quickness
- Agility
- Hand usage
- Versatility
Cross III is a good sized defensive tackle prospect with solid athleticism and technical foundation.
Cross has a good frame to be a B-gap defender, likely a 3 or 4i-technique, at the NFL level. He has adequate size at 6-foot-1, 290 pounds (listed, though he appears bigger than that on the field), as well as good initial quickness and lateral agility. Cross typically times the snap well and has a crisp first step with little wasted motion or energy.
He’s an experienced defender with six seasons at Notre Dame, and has a solid repertoire of pass rush moves as he enters the NFL. Cross mixes power and finesse with a bull rush, club-rip, arm-over, and push-pull moves when attacking individual gaps. He also understands how to work as a part of a larger play and uses his lateral agility to occupy blockers and allow his teammates to flow to the ball.
Cross generally plays with good leverage and discipline, allowing him to control individual blockers – and occasionally double teams – in the run game. Likewise, he seldom overruns plays or bites too hard on misdirection. He’s typically quick to disengage in pursuit and shows good hustle when running down ball carriers.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Top end athleticism
- Technique consistency
Cross is best described as a “good but not great” athlete. That isn’t a weakness in and of itself, but it does limit his game somewhat as he doesn’t have stand-out size or length. He doesn’t quite have the explosiveness or power to consistently overwhelm blockers, nor does he have elite length to have a big tackle radius.
As such, he can miss tackles if the ball carrier makes sufficiently fast moves in close quarters. Likewise, because he isn’t particularly explosive or twitchy, he needs consistently good technique to be a consistent threat as a pass rusher. Cross’ hand usage is good overall, but it can be unfocused or sloppy at times, leading to blockers stymieing his initial rush or him struggling to neutralize blocks quickly.
Cross also shouldn’t be asked to hold up to double-teams on a regular basis. He can do so occasionally, but he lacks the strength and mass to consistently control multiple blockers. He can also struggle to disengage at will or make plays off of blocks as well.
Game Tape
(Cross is the Notre Dame defensive tackle wearing No. 56)
Projection
Cross III projects as a rotational defensive tackle in a one-gap defensive scheme.
He would likely be best as a B-gap defender in a 4-3 defense, or a Multiple defense that uses 3 or 4i techniques when in nickel packages. He could also play in the A-gap or as a defensive end in a 3-man front, though a B-gap penetrator is likely his best role.
Cross has enough play strength to stand up to, and control, blockers when he plays with good leverage and technique. However, playing as a penetrator in an attacking defense is the best fit for his traits and skill set.
Cross could still use reps polishing his technique to allow him to consistently neutralize blocks, but he should be able to find his way into a defensive line rotation relatively early in his career. And while he may never be an every-down player, teams would likely feel good about rotating him onto the field in most situations.
Does he fit the Giants?
Yes
Final Word: An early Day 3 value