A kicker who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Giants after the draft, Owen Tolson will spend his summer shooting missiles and helicopters out of the skies near El Paso rather than directing punts and trying to make pressure-packed field goals in Albany. The soon-to-be West Point graduate who still has a week of classes and a week of exams left, was waived by the Giants today, one of a number of moves that included the signing of seven tryout players.
"Even if I make the Giants, graduating from West Point is going to be the biggest accomplisment for me so far," Tolson said on Friday.
He'll report soon to Fort Bliss in his home state of Texas, where he'll be trained in air defense and how to shoot down enemy aircraft. Had he stayed with the Giants, he would have been able to participate in a relatively new program at the USMA that allows cadets with special talents to buy back their active duty time and spend time as a reservist and in recruiting efforts.
Here are the players the Giants signed, and you can click below for their bios as provided by the Giants:
DT Brian Soi, Utah
DT Nate Robinson, Akron,
DE Alex Morrow, USC
CB Miguel Scott, NC State
S Terrance Stringer, Tuskegee
LS Nick Leeson, Virginia Tech
OT Jacob Hobbs, Albany
Hobbs will be a bit of a celebrity when traing camp starts at his alma mater.
To make room on the roster, the Giants waived Tolson, LB Rory Johnson and DT Joshua Muse. They also formally announced the terminated contracts of TE Eric Butler and G Carnell (I'd walk a mile for a Camel) Stewart.
By the way, that gives the Giants 80 players plus their seven unsigned draft picks, so not all of the ones listed here are guaranteed a spot in training camp once those contracts start getting inked. But there will be some room because the Giants have already made it pretty clear they'll only be taking four of their five potential QBs to Albany and who knows what lurks in the heart of a certain defensive end.
Soi, 6-3 315, was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Miami Dolphins on July 23, 2007. He was placed on the active /NFI list with as wrist injury and activated off that list five days later. Soi played in four preseason games before he was waived on Sept. 1. Soi (pronounced SOY) played one year at Utah State (2005). That season, he played in all 11 games and recorded 31 tackles, 7.5 stops for loss, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Prior to that, he was a two-time all-state selection at Timpview High School in Provo, Utah. Soi was born on May 3, 1985 in American Samoa.
Robinson, 6-5, 315, spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons at Rutgers before transferring to Akron. As a senior in 2007, he played in 10 games with six starts and battled an ankle injury early in the season and a shoulder injury late in the year. He was credited with 26 tackles (16 solo), 5.0 for losses and 2.0 sacks. Robinson had a season-high five tackles against Ohio State. Robinson played at Irvington (N.J.) High School, about 30 minutes from Giants Stadium. His birth date is Jan. 18, 1985.
Morrow, 6-6, 270, played in 23 games for the Trojans, recording 23 tackles and four sacks. As a senior in 2007, Morrow was a backup at defensive end and played on special teams. In 13 games, he had five tackles, including two sacks. He earned 2002 Super Prep All-American, Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-West, Tom Lemming All-West, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West second team, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team, All-Northern California Co-Defensive MVP, San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro first team and All-League Defensive MVP notice as a senior defensive lineman at Rancho Cotate High in Rohnert Park (Calif.). He was born on Feb. 4, 1985.
Scott, 6-0, 203, was a three-year starter at safety for the Wolfpack. In 2007, he was credited with 43 tackles (21 solo) and had an interception against Miami he returned 19 yards. Scott played at Killian High School in Miami. He was born on July 30, 1984.
Stringer, 6-3, 213, anchored the record setting Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champion Tuskegee University Golden Tigers to an undefeated season in 2007, when he had 41 tackles and three pass breakups. A native of Smiths, Alabama, Stringer was born on June 28, 1985.
Hobbs, 6-3, 303, is the first player signed by the Giants from Albany, where they have held training camp since 1996. He was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles on May 14, 2007. Hobbs played in four preseason games before he was waived on Sept. 1. In 2006, Hobbs started all 10 UAlbany games at left tackle and was named to the 2006 Football Gazette Mid-Major All-America second team and the All-Northeast Conference first team. Hobbs was a Class AA second-team all-state defensive end at Schenectady High School. He was born on Feb. 17, 1983.
Leeson, 6-1, 249, was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens on May 4, 2007. He played in two preseason games before being waived on Aug. 27. Leeson was the long snapper at Virginia Tech from 2003-2006. He entered school as a linebacker, before being moved to full-time snapper by coach Frank Beamer, whose teams annually excel on special teams. Leeson played at Abingdon High School in Virginia. His birth date is Oct. 29, 1982.
Comments (4)
also worth mentionig hobbs was in arena football 2 before geting this try out
Really? Since when is afl2 worth mentioning?
Does that mean DJ Hall isn't going to be signed? I heard he was one of the top performers at mini camp.
Raj: D.J. Hall was already under contract and is one of the current 80.Willie Idelette, another WR, this one out of Wake Forest, had a pretty good camp. I was surprised to see him go. But I guess you can't have a team made up entirely of receivers.