Rookie offensive guard Will Hernandez has become the Giants most improved rookie after being selected in the second round of the 2018 draft.
It seems like Giants GM Dave Gettleman did a great job with his first draft as the headman of Big Blue’s front office.
Second round selection (pick 34) guard Will Hernandez has very quietly become one of the most productive players on the Giants offense. A rookie from UTEP, he’s one of two players that has played every offensive snap this year. The other is the man to the left of him on the line, newly-signed left tackle Nate Solder.
“Will had come from a smaller program… so he had to jump a couple of levels and get thrown in there right away,” Hunter said Friday, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “I think the one thing that’s helped him is he’s been able to adjust to the speed of the game.”
Hernandez missed some assignments early on in the year, and it helped contribute to the Giants starting out the first half of the season with a record of 1-7. This is common among rookie offensive lineman, especially ones who are thrown into the starting spot instantly. However, Hunter has acknowledged his improvement throughout the second half of the season.
[membership level="0"] [/membership]“His missed assignments have just gone way [down]. The first and second half of the season have been like night and day,” Hunter mentioned.
Through the first 15 games of his NFL career, the rookie guard has maintained an above average Pro Football Focus grade of 65. The Giants hope he can take what he’s learned and improved on this season and carry it over to 2019. He will most certainly maintain his starting spot next season, as there’s no reason not to play him.
Hernandez will start his 16th game of the year this Sunday. The Giants take on the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium at 1 p.m. EST.