Undrafted rookie Dominic Zvada opens Giants kicking competitors

Higher name Sauls (and Sanders).

Undrafted rookie Dominic Zvada fired the opening salvo Saturday at Giants rookie minicamp in what is predicted to be a kicking competitors pitting him towards incumbent Ben Sauls and former All-Professional Jason Sanders.

Zvada went 5-for-5 on discipline objectives, together with a 55-yarder.

“It’s going to be a contest, for certain, proper out of the gates,” head coach John Harbaugh mentioned. “It already began. You noticed Zvada’s first iteration of the competitors. We’ll see the way it shakes out.”

Sanders missed all final season for the Dolphins on account of a hip harm — and the Giants have whiplash after the injury-plagued three-year finish to Graham Gano’s once-automatic tenure. Sanders signed a one-year free-agent contract.

Sauls made all 15 of his kicks (eight discipline objectives, seven PATs) on the finish of final season as an undrafted rookie.

Zvada was a first-team All-American at Michigan who was 21-for-22 on discipline objectives (7-for-7 from 50-plus yards) in 2024 earlier than a step backward in 2025.

Harbaugh is a particular groups coordinator by commerce who plans to have every kicker attempt discipline objectives not less than each different apply throughout OTAs.

“Actually robust leg,” Harbaugh mentioned of Zvada, “however greater than something it’s simply the consistency. He has a vertical swing sample. Due to that, he tends to kick a straight ball.”

The play of the day was made by second-round decide Colton Hood, who ripped the ball away from receiver Miles Davis and returned it for a decide six. He was a beginning cornerback reverse undrafted Thaddeus Dixon.

“We had been simply in Cowl 2,” Hood mentioned. “My man went in and went quick. I had the working again to my flat. I simply broke on the ball and made a play.”

Was it a bit of too bodily for a noncontact apply?

“No,” Hood quipped. “I’ve bought to receives a commission, too.”

Giants assistant defensive backs coach Addison Lynch started hollering for Hood to do his trademark big-play celebration the place he places a hood on his head. Hood sheepishly complied.

“It’s apply,” Hood mentioned. “I’m probably not going to have a good time on my teammates. It’s undoubtedly going to come back out when the season begins.”

Harbaugh seemed like he’s sleeping higher than he was two weeks in the past when he regarded on the DT depth chart.

Since then, the Giants, who drafted sixth-rounder Bobby Jamison-Travis, have signed free brokers D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris — two seemingly veteran starters — and claimed Zacch Pickens off waivers.

“It’s not that we wouldn’t have drafted a defensive sort out sooner or signed one if they’d turn into out there or stored Dexter [Lawrence] if that was one thing we might do — these had been all issues that had been on the desk,” Harbaugh mentioned. “However, because it went, I assumed we did an excellent job of responding because the state of affairs unfolded. NowWe really feel actually good about our group in there,” Harbaugh mentioned. “Appears to be like good to me.”

The Giants hosted three undrafted QBs — Sawyer Robertson (Baylor), Matt Sluka (James Madison) and Jeff Sims (Arizona State) — for tryouts. Sims is also listed as a receiver.

OLB Quinton Bell (4 years) and TE Josiah Deguara (six) had been the veterans attending on a tryout foundation.