The New York Giants have been drafting high in the order in recent years and scoring big in free agency which has their fans enthusiastic about their chances this coming season.
They are producing their own stars as well as importing them. In a recent piece for CBS Sports, Cody Benjamin identified two Giants as candidates to become first-time Pro Bowlers in 2024.
The first is this year’s top draft pick, wide receiver Malik Nabers, taken sixth overall by the Giants out of LSU. They are hoping that Nabers follows the same path that other Tiger star wideouts (Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase) blazed the past decade.
The first rookie on the list, Nabers brings much-needed electricity to the Giants’ offense. Considering the dearth of other top-tier weapons in the lineup, he could receive a mountainous target share from Daniel Jones and Co.
Malik Nabers’ talent is special pic.twitter.com/q1aXrhKZWn
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) June 12, 2024
The other player is inside linebacker Bobby Okereke, who general manager Joe Schoen adroitly brought in on a four-year free agent deal last March.
A sideline-to-sideline force in his Giants debut, Okereke has been a tackle machine since his days with the Indianapolis Colts. With Brian Burns added to the front seven, his impact might be felt even more.
Okereke, who played 100 percent of the defensive snaps last year and called the defensive signals, had a career-tying 149 total tackles (92 solo, 11 for a loss) last season, which was ninth in the NFL.
He added 2.5 sacks, 10 passes defensed, two interceptions, six QB hits, and four forced fumbles.
Bobby Okereke is a BEAST 😤
1 RT = 1 VOTE#ProBowlVote + @BobbyOkereke pic.twitter.com/a9WmQutvmw
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 22, 2023
It’s honestly a travesty that Okereke was snubbed from the Pro Bowl last year in the first place.