Late last week, the NFL informed all 32 teams that the supplemental draft would return in 2023 and take place on July 11.
The league last held the supplemental draft in 2019. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and a temporary shift in both college and professional rules, the draft had been suspended over the previous three years.
As of now, only one prospect — Purdue wide receiver Milton Wright — has been deemed eligible but more names are likely to be added in the coming days and weeks.
Since it was established in 1977, 46 players have been selected in the draft — some of them Hall of Famers and some of them forgotten. And of those 46 picks, the New York Giants have made three.
Here’s a brief history of the Giants and the NFL supplemental draft:
1992: QB Dave Brown
The Giants selected Duke quarterback Dave Brown in the first round of the 1992 supplemental draft. He was the last player ever taken in Round 1.
Giants fans of that era are all too familiar with Brown and the hardships the team faced during those years.
Brown spent six years with the Giants before wrapping up his career with the Arizona Cardinals from 1998-2001. In 73 games (60 starts), he completed 54.6% of his passes for 10,248 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 58 interceptions. He also gained 669 yards and scored seven additional touchdowns on the ground.
The Duke product compiled a career record of 26-34.
1994: DB Tito Wooten
In 1994, the Giants selected Houston defensive back Tito Wooten in the fourth round of the supplemental draft. He spent five years with Big Blue before closing out his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts (1999).
Wooten appeared in 83 games (47 starts) and recorded 324 tackles (241 solo), one safety, one forced fumble, eight interceptions, and three defensive touchdowns.
Wooten was a high-quality player at times (see: 1997 season) but by his own admission, was a bit of a problem. He had several serious off-field incidents and his violent lifestyle, both on and off the field, led to an early exit from the NFL.
2018: CB Sam Beal
The Giants selected Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal in the third round of the 2018 supplemental draft, hoping he would become a CB1 or CB2 for the team.
That did not happen.
Beal missed his entire rookie season due to a shoulder injury sustained during training camp. A year later, Beal missed a significant amount of time due to a hamstring injury and then sat out the 2020 season due to COVID-19.
In 2021, Beal spent the vast majority of his time on the Giants’ practice squad. He also plead guilty to a pair of gun charges stemming from a 2020 arrest, which landed him on probation. The team released him on December 28, 2021.
In nine career games (three starts), Beal recorded 27 tackles (21 solo, one for a loss), one safety, and one pass defensed. He remains out of the league.
