Wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins didn’t get many opportunities to get on the field for the Bills after being drafted in the sixth round in 2020, but he credits the time he spent in Buffalo with getting him prepared for a bigger chance with the Giants.
The Giants claimed Hodgins off of waivers in early November and he quickly became one of Daniel Jones’ favorite targets in a depleted receiving corps. Hodgins caught 33 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns in eight regular season games and then added nine catches for 108 yards and a touchdown in the playoffs to earn himself a spot with the Giants in 2023 as well.
Hodgins re-signed with the team this week and he credited his time with the Bills as well as advice from his father — former NFL fullback James Hodgins — with getting him ready for his moment with the Giants.
“It was definitely a long journey, and looking back, it’s kind of crazy to see how far I’ve come — but I persevered and was patient, and a lot of people mentored me and kept me working hard,” Hodgins told Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney of WFAN. “My dad, who played in the NFL, told me to use my time on the practice squad as an opportunity to face good players you may be playing against one day, and I was able to learn from guys like Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders, and Cole Beasley, and model my game after them.”
The Giants joined Hodgins in outperforming expectations this season and the wideout believes “this team will be scary next year” if they add a few more offensive pieces to join him in the lineup.
