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Giants to deploy rookie Evan Engram as inline tight end

OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 05: Evan Engram #17 of the Mississippi Rebels runs with the ball as Jessie Liptrot #30 of the Georgia Southern Eagles defends during the first half of a game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 5, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

By Ryan Smith
Posted May 15, 2017 11:42 am EDT • New York Giants

Giants OC Mike Sullivan explained how the team intends to employ rookie Evan Engram as an inline tight end this season, rather than as a big slot receiver — his primary role during his final season at Ole Miss.

The Giants ran 90 percent 11-personnel (1 RB, 1 TE) and just 6 percent 12-personnel in 2016. Moving Engram to the slot would likely send second-year receiver Sterling Shepard to the bench.

Engram ran 73.2 percent of his routes from the slot in his final college season and led the TE draft class with 2.59 yards per route run.

Engram's run-blocking grades progressively declined each year: 76.3 (2014), 68.1 (2015), and 49.1 (2016).

Engram has shown that he can run-block, but just not on a consistent basis, so there is a lot of projection in this move that the Giants plan to implement.

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