WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton tries to make Giants roster after a knee injury
New York Giants wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton (6) makes a catch as Carolina Panthers safety Sam Franklin Jr. (42) defends during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium.
When you think of a modern-day prototypical NFL WR1, you think of a player who looks like Bryce Ford-Wheaton. The former West Virginia wideout stands 6-foot-4, weighs 220 pounds, and ran a blazing 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
Despite the A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf-esque physical gifts, Ford-Wheaton went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft before signing with the G-Men. He was a raw prospect with limited experience and production, but his physical gifts were too much to ignore.
Ford-Wheaton got some run in last year’s preseason, taking the field for 94 snaps in three games and making two catches for 24 yards. Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka lined him up in all different spots, though, which shows the coaches were trying to figure out how to best use the physical phenom.
Unfortunately, Ford-Wheaton tore his ACL in the third and final preseason game, ending his 2024 season before it ever got started.
Ford-Wheaton is now healthy and back to vie for a spot on the 2024 Giants roster among what is now an incredibly deep wide receiver depth chart. In addition to returning vets like Slayton and first-round pick Nabers, the Giants also have Jalin Hyatt, Isaiah Hodgins, Wan’Dale Robinson, Isaiah McKenzie, Allen Robinson II, Gunner Olszewski, Miles Boykin, Dennis Houston, and Ayir Asante.
Even if the Giants keep six wideouts on the 53-man roster, Slayton, Nabers, Hyatt, Hodgins, and Wan’Dale Robinson seem like locks. That leaves just one spot open for the remaining seven candidates. Or, if the Giants surprisingly cut a veteran like Slayton to save some money, it still only leaves two openings.
What gives Bryce Ford-Wheaton a real chance to make the roster as a hidden gem is his combination of size and speed. No other New York WR has that.
Sure, Hodgins and Allen Robinson have good size but they aren’t that fast. And Wan’Dale Robinson, Nabers, and Hyatt can fly, but none are that big. That leaves an opening for Ford-Wheaton and makes him a name to watch in training camp.
