Film breakdown: The movement and skills of Giants’ rookie OL Marcus Mbow

The New York Giants entered the third day of the 2025 NFL Draft with two players on their mind for Pick No. 105: Cam Skattebo (RB, Arizona State) and Marcus Mbow (OL, Purdue). Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll discussed the decision in their post-draft press conference. They acknowledged that it was improbable both players would fall to their following selection at No. 154.

A tide could be turning, ladies and gentlemen, for Mbow fell to Pick No. 154. Mbow started 32 of 36 games through college and was a Second-Team Freshman All-American as a right guard. He’s played 668 snaps at right guard and 1,167 at right tackle. Mbow allowed just 51 pressures over 1,092 pass-blocking snaps, and he had just four sacks allowed.

The Giants coached Mbow at the Senior Bowl, where he was part of the National Team, led by coaches such as Mike Kafka (offensive coordinator) and James Ferentz (assistant offensive line coach), among other Giants’ coaches. The Giants also hosted Mbow for a Top-30 visit.

For what it’s worth, Mbow’s arms grew half an inch at his Pro Day. Here’s my scouting report and synopsis on Mbow:

Strengths

• Solid overall height
• Feather feet – moves smoothly
• Excellent athlete with good agility and change of direction
• Excellent closing burst and control as a mover
• Excellent reactive quickness and athletic ability
• Fluid hips to open/close
• Very explosive out of his stance
• Solid overall play strength and lower leg drive
• Good quick feet to position himself – frames blocks well
• Good overall pass protector who wins with positioning
• Lightning quick jump-set and vertical set
• Elite recovery to transition off hammer to looper on twists/stunts
• Heavy hands into contact as run blocker
• Excellent angle discernment into contact as a run blocker
• Takes elite angles up to the second level
• Quickly fires out of stance – good overall run blocker
• Moves well with offensive line unit as a zone blocker
• Smooth operator in space – weapon as a screen blocker
• Provides good force into contact – heavy into COMBO blocks
• Very smart and aware in the trenches
• Elite hustle through the whistle – very aggressive player
• There’s some positional versatility, although his arm length may hurt his ability to play tackle

Weaknesses

• Underweight – looks small for an offensive lineman
• Only 32” arms, short arms for an OL, especially an OT
• Must play with a lower center of gravity – especially due to lack of mass
• Hand timing/placement are still a work in progress
• Way too many penalties – had 7 in 2024 and 16 total
• False starts way too frequently
• Play strength is only solid – anchor could be a problem against elite competition
• Could be more patient in pass protection
• Does have elite recovery vs. twists/stunts BUT does get baited too far out of position
• Can – at times – tip his assignment off by looking at him presnap
• Has not played OG since 2022 – likey where he will play in NFLc

Mbow is an undersized offensive lineman with short arms, but he overcomes those physical deficiencies with athleticism, intelligence, and competitive toughness. He’s very nimble and quick on his feet, with an explosive nature to his game. He takes good angles of attack with elite adjustment ability, due to his ability to open his hips and his controlled movement skills. Although he hasn’t played guard since 2022, that may be his likely destination when he turns pro.

However, Mbow must improve his anchor in pass protection, and could stand to be more patient and use his hands more effectively. Overall, his athletic ability can be an asset, but he must iron parts of his game out while adding more sand in his pants if he’s going to be successful in the NFL.

Backside blocks

Above is a thread on X of Mbow and what he offers. I truly enjoyed his tape, specifically in pass protection and as a back-side run blocker. His ability to judge angles, fires of his stance, be an offensive line heat-seeking missile, and his overall control as a mover is such an asset for the Giants.

Mbow won on the backside in a variety of ways. He understands how to frame his blocks and use his hands to manipulate the defensive player’s intentions and remove them as a threat, which also helps the runner find cut-back lanes. Smart is synonymous with Mbow.

In space

Designing screens with Mbow in space should allow the Giants to be effective in that area, which is something they’ve struggled with over the years. Mbow locates, closes width, and destroys the enemy with tenacity and a mean streak. He frequently pulled on counters and operated skip-pulls in a balanced manner.

COMBO blocks

Mbow’s profile suggests a strength deficiency; this may be the case when moving backward in pass protection but not when he’s moving forward. Mbow drives his feet through contact with solid aiming points on double teams, and he quickly redirects to find his target at the second level. He explodes low to high and uncoils his hips into contact to move defenders off the line of scrimmage.

Pass protection

I love watching Mbow’s feet in pass protection. His feet move so quickly, and they’re precise — whether it’s a run or a pass, Mbow understands angles and how to close the width on his attack. Watch the plays and see the variety he uses with engagement, the quickness in his jump set, and the smooth nature of his vertical while staying framed and protecting each of his edges. He may be able to exist as a tackle with slightly above 32-inch arms; if he does, it’s due to his feet/framing.

Could improve

Mbow varies his punches, but his timing and placement are not always consistent, and there are times when he gives defenders easy access to the backfield due to poor placement; this must be improved upon at the next level. Also, there are plays where his weight seems to be an issue.

Mbow is 303 pounds, which is very light for an offensive lineman. His anchor isn’t terrible, but cementing himself into the deck against better NFL competition could be a task difficult to overcome if Mbow fails to add strength. We see how he gets bumped back a few times on tape against a stronger defensive lineman. It’s something to take note of, and it could be a reason why this talented young man was available in the fifth round.

Final thoughts

The Giants identified and located a talented offensive lineman with excellent movement skills and control. He’s explosive with good acceleration, fluid hips, he can bend, and he moves very well laterally. New York will try him at right tackle behind Jermaine Eluemunor, and Mbow may be the future right tackle for New York. If tackle does not work, he has the athletic traits to kick inside; he played guard as a freshman. Either way, he does need to add strength to succeed at the next level. This was another quality add by Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll, and the New York Giants.