New York Giants: Are Moore and Kennard the Real Deal?

In the 2013 NFL draft, The New York Giants selected Damontre Moore in the 3^rd round out of Texas A & M. Initially, many viewed the selection as a steal as Moore was projected by many experts to go in the 1^st round.  In his rookie season, Moore was a non-contributed mostly due to injuries and lack of experience. Fast forwarding to the 2014 season, Moore was healthier and ready to be a major contributor for the Giants defensive unit. Unfortunately, Moore has not been the player the Giants had envision as he only has 12 tackles and 2 sacks through the first 6 games.

With the departure of Justin Tuck and the lack of production thus far from Jason Pierre Paul, the Giants desperately need a player with Moore’s abilities to make an impact on the pass rush. Although the verdict is still out on Moore, he must develop sooner and become one of the main cogs in the Giants DL if this team has any expectations of making the playoffs. Moore can’t do this alone, as it would take a team effort on both sides of the ball. However; during the Giants last two Super Bowl Championships; one of the main reasons for their success was their ability to get to opposing quarterbacks. Creating constant pressure and causing the opposition to turn the ball over at crucial times.

In the 2014 draft, the Giants selected Devon Kennard out of USC in the 5^th round.  Perhaps Kennard’s stock fell due to the fact that he played four different positions (DE, MLB, SSLB,WSLB) at USC and never really established himself as a bona fide NFL prospect.  After a solid pre-season, Kennard has been hampered with nagging injuries and has not been able to fully contribute thus far.  However, all the ingredients are in place for Kennard to develop into a solid defender and pass rusher for the Giants.

There is still time for Moore and Kennard to be that type of impact players the Giants are envisioning and the Giants could have something very special in the foreseeable future. This team needs to get back to what made them champions in the first place and that is a power running game to go along with ferocious  pass rush. With Moore and Kennard, it’s a good start.