Last season, the New York Giants receiver corps was… bland. Sure, Darius Slayton and Richie James had their moments. But, more juice was needed. Kenny Golladay was a fluke signing, Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson were hurt. Things seemed hopeless.
Then, a savior arrived in East Rutherford. The Buffalo Bills released wideout Isaiah Hodgins on November 1st, 2022. He only appeared in three games with them, recording just four receptions for 41 yards.
Big Blue claimed him off waivers the next day, and many didn’t think of the signing as impactful. Hodgins proved them wrong.
Becoming Dependable
Hodgins appeared in his first game with the Giants in week ten, securing two catches for 41 yards. Not eye-popping, but it was nice to see Jones start to build a rapport with the tall wideout.
On 3rd & 7, Daniel Jones to Isaiah Hodgins for 26-yds#Texans 10 #Giants 14 3rd pic.twitter.com/5nkCy4DK7n
— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) November 13, 2022
Things started to get better for Hodgins, as the number of receptions continue to increase every week. Also, the number of snaps increased gradually as well.
In week 16, he was on the field for 67 snaps against Minnesota. It turned out to be the best game of his young career.
Mostly matched up against cornerback Patrick Peterson, Hodgins recorded eight catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Isaiah Hodgins anota y los @Giants están a 3 puntos de los @Vikings ?
— NFL México (@nflmx) December 24, 2022
? #NFLGamePass#NFLMX |#TogetherBlue pic.twitter.com/oAl3eSmNjK
To complete the 2022 regular season, the 6’4 receiver finished with 33 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns. Interestingly enough, all of those scores came in the red zone.
Shined In The Postseason
The playoffs are the times for guys to make their names known and step up. For someone like Hodgins, a man who was claimed off the waiver wire, you don’t expect him to make much noise.
Once again, the wideout proved the doubters wrong. Becoming Daniel Jones’s favorite target, he was thrown the ball nine times in the wild-card game against Minnesota. Hodgins rewarded his quarterback’s trust in him, catching eight passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Daniel Jones —> Isaiah Hodgins = #Giants 14-7 lead!
— BetFTW (@Bet_ForTheWin) January 15, 2023
Odds via @tipico
Hodgins anytime TD (+260)✅?#TogetherBlue #NFLPlayoffs #Vikings
pic.twitter.com/ob4Ryciqeu
Isaiah Hodgins vs. the Vikings:
— ESPN Fantasy Sports (@ESPNFantasy) January 16, 2023
? 8 Rec
? 105 Yds
? 1 TD
A breakout star is emerging ? pic.twitter.com/4ZLbsOFv5z
A breakout game for the young man, indeed.
The divisional game against the Eagles brought Hodgins back to earth, recording just one catch for three yards in the loss. Even though the season ended early for New York, it was an unexpected run for a team and a player who looked like he wouldn’t receive another chance in the NFL.
Hodgins Could Make Fans Forget About Signing DeAndre Hopkins
The Giants re-signed the young wideout this offseason. It wasn’t too difficult of a decision, as he was an exclusive rights free agent and doesn’t cost much at the league minimum.
His familiarity with Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen during his time in Buffalo made this move so much easier. Daniel Jones trusted the wide receiver on multiple occasions last season, and there’s no question the chemistry will still be there once the 2023 season starts again.
With a crowded wide receiver room and Hodgins’s breakout last year, signing DeAndre Hopkins may not be necessary. After all, you already have a clone already on the team; just taller and cheaper.
If he continues to show flashes of what he did last year, Isaiah Hodgins may be a Giant for life. His height allows him to compete for those one-on-one balls in the air and win those matchups. He isn’t the fastest. But, his sure hands were the reason why the Giants loved him.
Who needs DeAndre Hopkins? Possibly, not the Giants.
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