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Giants' Suddenly Popular Rookie Might Be Showing Warning Signs
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- Giants' Suddenly Popular Rookie Might Be Showing Warning Signs
The New York Giants knew they had a massive hole at defensive tackle entering the NFL Draft after trading Dexter Lawrence . Defensive tackle was a significant need with Lawrence; without him, it was a gaping chasm.
While the Giants didn't select an interior defender early on in the draft, they did circle back around to nab Auburn's Bobby Jamison-Travis in the sixth round.
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Most didn't know exactly what to make of the pick at first. Jamison-Travis wasn't a known commodity, and it wasn't like he posted huge numbers at Auburn.
However, his size (6-foot-4, 328 pounds) was a big selling point, particularly with New York desperately needing help against the run. The fact that the Giants also went out and signed DJ Reader and Shelby Harris also took considerable pressure off of the Day 3 rookie.
But little by little, hype began to build around Jamison-Travis, who was cited by ESPN's Field Yates — a well-known draft expert — as one of the top Day 3 players who could make an immediate impact.
New York Giants defensive tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis. Credit: USA TODAY Network.
Then, fellow defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris tore his Achilles right at the onset of the Giants' offseason program, which opened the door for Jamison-Travis to make a big move in the spring.
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Unfortunately, Jamison-Travis didn't ascend on the depth chart at all. In fact, even after the Robertson-Harris injury, Jamison-Travis had been working with the third team.
We know that Reader and Harris will be the top two defensive tackles for New York to begin 2026, but the hope was that Jamison-Travis would make a serious push and at least start getting some second-team reps.
Obviously, that could change in training camp. Perhaps the 25-year-old will make a notable impression this summer and will cause John Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson to have second thoughts.
For now, though, it appears that the Giants are treating Jamison-Travis for exactly what he is: a sixth-round pick.
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That's entirely fair, and perhaps fans were expecting a bit too much from a player that most people had never heard of prior to the draft. But it's also a bit disappointing given the buzz that began circulating around Jamison-Travis.
We'll see if the Minneapolis native can ultimately make an impact with the G-Men in Year 1, or if he will simply become practice squad fodder.
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