Giants sign firstround pick Engram
» The New York Giants have signed first-round draft pick Evan Engram, the speedy tight end who coaches believe will be a tough matchup for opposing defenses.
The Giants announced the signing on Thursday, shortly after the team finished a mandatory threeday minicamp. The Mississippi product is the last of the team’s six draft picks to sign.
The 23rd pick overall, Engram got a four-year deal that will pay him just under $11 million.
Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants leading receiver the past three seasons, said that Engram can create the types of mismatches that will open things up for Eli Manning and the offense.
“He is a real hybrid,” Beckham said on the opening day of the minicamp. “If you put him out there (on the outside) — and you have a safety guard him that is going to be trouble.
“If you put him out there and you have a linebacker guard him that is going to be trouble and from what I have been hearing he has even tortured corners. So I am really looking forward to seeing him develop and how his game is going to evolve and just what he can bring to the table. I know he is a special talent.”
Engram had a breakout senior season, catching 65 passes for 926 yards and eight touchdowns. He opened eyes at the NFL combine, running a 4.42 second, 40-yard dash, one of the fastest times by any wide receiver or tight end.
Host nation Russia beat a poor New Zealand team 2-0 on Saturday to open the Confederations Cup with a win that was all but demanded by Vladimir Putin.
Russia’s president was in the $750 million new stadium in his native St. Petersburg to see forward Fyodor Smolov’s 69th minute goal add to an own goal by New Zealand defender Michael Boxall in the 31st.
Putin this week demanded better results from the 63rd-ranked team to impress the Russian public.
“For us it is very important to make people in the country fall in love with the national team,” said Smolov, who scored into an unguarded goal to finish an attack he started with a surging run into the penalty area.