According to Rick Serritella, founder of the highly-regarded NFL Draft Bible, the signing of French receiver and kick returner Anthony Dablé by the New York Giants was a wise move.
Serritella told Kristian R. Dyer of Giantswire.com that with Dablé’s experience his signing was smart:
“Reese has rolled the dice on athletic projects in the past successfully (Jason Pierre-Paul) and unsuccessfully (Adrien Robinson). Dablé is a low cost gamble urged by the advice of Osi Umenyiora, who is now an ambassador to his native London as part of an NFL initiative to develop European players.”
Although Dablé may be a bit of a project in Serritella’s mind, he has great size (6’5″ 215 lb) and uses it well. He rises to meet the ball and has tremendous upside. He will have to work on his route running and learn how to get separation, but he offers so many other intangibles.
His years of playing at the top level in Europe have definitely helped him it seems. He won back-to-back German championships in 2014 and 2015 with the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions and helped France reach fourth place in the 2015 IFAF World Championships in Canton, Ohio.
Check out highlights of his 2014 and 2015 seasons including IFAF World Championship footage.
As good as late round draft pick
Serritella went on to tell Dyer that the Giants signing was as good as signing a late round NFL draft pick:
“The 27-year old might be a late-round pick if he were eligible for this year’s draft. How Reese addresses the wide out position during the offseason will also have an impact on his odds.
“The Giants need some depth at receiver and the 6-foot-5-inch Dablé will get every opportunity in training camp to make the 53-man roster but the chances are slim. One concern is the skinny ankles.”
Anthony Dablé is currently in New York working out at the New York Giants facilities.
Link to original article in Giantswire.com.
Photo credits: Annick Blusson, Luck-shots.de.