Notes & Stats: Giants start 5 rookies; all 6 draft picks play
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Notes and statistics from the Giants' 28-6 season opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings in MetLife Stadium.
*Five rookies started the game for the Giants: wide receiver Malik Nabers, the team's first-round draft choice and tight end Theo Johnson (fourth round) on offense; safety Tyler Nubin (third round), linebacker Darius Muasau (sixth round) and defensive tackle Elijah Chatman (undrafted) on defense.
This is the 55th season since the 1970 merger, and it's the first time the Giants a) started five rookies in a season opener, and b) started two rookies on both offense and defense in an opener.
Muasau's inclusion in the lineup marked the second straight year the Giants' sixth-round draft choice started the first game. Last year, it was cornerback Tre Hawkins.
Chatman was the first undrafted rookie defensive player to start for the Giants in a season opener since the merger. He was the first undrafted free agent to start since fullback Shane Smith in 2017.
*All six of the Giants' 2024 draft choices played. Nabers caught five passes for a team-high 66 yards, including a team-long 25-yarder. Nubin led the Giants with seven tackles (five solo). Cornerback Dru Phillips had four tackles (three solo), one of them for lost yardage, and forced one fumble. Johnson picked up 18 yards on his only catch. Running back Tyrone Tracy gained two yards on two carries and caught one pass for five yards. Muasau intercepted a pass and was right behind Nubin with six tackles (four solo). He was the first Giants defender to intercept a pass in his NFL debut since Niko Lalos at Cincinnati on Nov. 29, 2020.
Chatman was credited with one solo tackle.
*Wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton, who missed the 2023 season with a torn ACL, also made his NFL debut, on special teams.
*The Giants' defense forced a turnover on Minnesota's third play of the game when Vikings fullback C.J. Ham caught a Sam Darnold pass and ran for eight yards before he lost the ball on a hit by Phillips – who was credited with a forced fumble on his first career snap. The ball was recovered by linebacker Bobby Okereke. It was his first fumble recovery with the Giants and first since Nov. 6, 2022, when he played for Indianapolis at New England.
This was the Giants' third takeaway on an opponent's first position since the middle of the 2023 season. On Oct. 29 vs. the Jets, Kayvon Thibodeaux sacked Zach Wilson for a 10-yard loss and forced a fumble that was recovered by Jihad Ward. Three weeks later in Washington, Nick McCloud intercepted a Sam Howell pass intended for Dyani Brown.
The defense had a takeaway on an opponent's initial offensive series of the season for the first time since Sept. 12, 1999, when Jessie Armstead sacked Buccaneers quarterback Trent Dilfer at Tampa Bay and forced a fumble that Christian Peter returned 38 yards for a touchdown.
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