When Ryan Connelly went down in the waning moments of a victory over the Washington Redskins in week four of the regular season with a torn ACL, the New York Giants suddenly faced a reality they were not anticipating.
Having already designated their trust in several inconsistent linebackers, Connelly shot up the roster, overtaking Alec Ogletree and pushing BJ Goodson into the waiver wire after the pre-season. The Wisconsin product not only proved he can be a play-maker, but also a leader on defense who has the physical traits to become a quality starter in the middle of the field.