The 2020 NFL regular season has come and gone, which means it’s time for analysts to begin breaking down what they saw and handing out various rewards and honors.
The Athletic was among the first to get things underway, announcing their 2020 All-Rookie Team on Thursday. And while no one on the New York Giants was able to crack the roster, a handful received honorable mentions.
Tristan Wirfs (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) earned the starting spot at offensive tackle and Michael Onwenu (New England Patriots) was named the runner-up, but two Giants rookies also got a shout: Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart.
Thomas struggled to start his season but rebounded nicely towards the end, while Peart certainly flashed after he was thrust into the offensive line rotation.
On the interior, Damien Lewis (Seattle Seahawks) was named the starter with Jonah Jackson (Detroit Lions) the runner-up but again, a Giants rookie received a shout: Shane Lemieux.
Like Peart, Lemieux was added to the O-line rotation and played well. He eventually took over the starting job from Will Hernandez, but was a notably better run blocker than pass protector.
At linebacker, Patrick Queen (Baltimore Ravens) unsurprisingly received the most praise with Kenneth Murray (Los Angeles Chargers) being named the runner-up, but Tae Crowder also earned a tip of the cap.
Crowder appeared in 11 games (six starts) for the Giants, recording 57 tackles, three QB hits, one sack, one pass defensed, one fumble recovery and one touchdown. He also received hefty praise from his teammates, including defensive captain Blake Martinez.
Meanwhile, at cornerback, Trevon Diggs (Dallas Cowboys) drew the starting nod and L’Jarius Sneed (Kansas City Chiefs) was named the runner-up. Giants rookie Darnay Holmes drew the honorable mention.
In 12 games (five starts) as a rookie, Holmes recorded 30 tackles, two QB hits, 0.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, five passes defensed and one interception. He played much better down the stretch and looks to be a long-term piece to the Giants’ defensive puzzle.
Finally, Antoine Winfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) earned the starting nod at safety with Jeremy Chinn (Carolina Panthers) named the runner-up. And although he only played late in the season, Giants rookie Xavier McKinney earned the honorable mention.
In six games (four starts), McKinney recorded 25 tackles (one for a loss), one pass defensed and one interception. The INT was off the arm of Andy Dalton in the final moments of a Week 17 tilt against the Dallas Cowboys.
