Isaiah Likely May Be the Tight End of the Future for the New York Giants

From Coastal Carolina to the Big Apple, Isaiah Likely may finally be getting the opportunity he has been waiting for.

Isaiah Likely may be under the bright lights of New York…Weatherford, NJ if we wish to be exact, but his story begins even further up north where he grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Likely possessed all the attributes to become a freak athlete, standing at 6 feet 4 inches and 241 pounds of pure muscle while also carrying the gift of elusiveness, a combination that helped him thrive not only in football but basketball as well, producing impressive numbers as a multisport athlete. The first steps of his football journey were taken while attending Malden High School, where Likely began his varsity career as a running back and safety during his first couple of seasons before transferring to Everett High School as an upperclassman and making the transition to wide receiver, where he helped win two state championships. Eventually, offers began pouring in as visibility surrounding the three star recruit continued to expand. His physical profile was what separated him from your traditional high school receiver, and the vision from Division I programs to take the impressive skill set Likely already possessed and apply it to the tight end position was what transformed an athletic receiver with size into a versatile tight end who could potentially thrive out of the slot and create mismatches all over the formation.

The Move South Changed Everything

Eyes up north led to offers from schools such as Sacred Heart, UMass Amherst, Rhode Island and Central Connecticut State. However, Likely ultimately ended up in the heat of South Carolina at Coastal Carolina University, where he spent all four years and paired up with the talented quarterback and projected draft pick at the time, Grayson McCall. Likely always had the makings of a productive tight end who could occasionally line up at receiver, but he is who I like to call the "King of the Breakout." Coastal Carolina became the place where that nickname would begin to make sense.

After putting together solid numbers during his first three seasons with the Chanticleers, Likely broke out in 2021 in a matchup against Arkansas State, catching 8 passes for 232 yards while finding the end zone 4 times. One of those receptions went for 99 yards, showcasing the explosive playmaking ability that had always been present in his game but was beginning to materialize on a national stage. That 2021 season ultimately became the catalyst for his draft stock skyrocketing as he finished his Coastal Carolina career with 133 receptions for 2,050 yards and 27 touchdowns, solidifying himself as one of the most productive tight ends in program history and forcing NFL scouts to take notice of a player whose athleticism and receiving ability extended far beyond what his position label suggested.

There was something different about Likely at Coastal Carolina because he never looked limited by the tight end designation. His athletic profile allowed him to function in ways that made him resemble a receiver while still carrying the frame of someone who could create problems physically against a defense. That versatility became a defining part of his game, and the more opportunities he received, the more difficult it became for opposing defenses to keep him contained. The Arkansas State performance was the type of breakout that can alter the trajectory of a player, and for Likely, it became the beginning of a path toward the NFL. Coastal Carolina gave him the platform, McCall gave him a talented quarterback to work alongside, and Likely did the rest by turning his athletic gifts into production.

Baltimore Saw the Talent, But Likely Had to Wait

Likely caught the attention of John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens and his dream came true after getting selected with the 139th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Ravens saw the talent, but Likely had to wait. Standing in the position Likely probably wished he was in when he entered the league was the franchise leader in receiving touchdowns and one of the most accomplished tight ends in Ravens history, Mark Andrews. Likely showed flashes working behind Andrews during his first four seasons, becoming a dangerous receiving option in the middle of the field and proving capable of making crucial plays when his number was called. He ultimately remained behind Andrews whenever the veteran was healthy, limiting the opportunity for Likely to fully showcase what his ceiling could become as the primary tight end. Still, those flashes continued to validate the idea that there was more to his game than the role he was being asked to occupy.

That is what makes Likely's Baltimore tenure so important to understanding what could be coming in New York. He was productive enough to prove he belonged, but he was never truly given the opportunity to become the focal point. Playing behind an established player like Andrews meant that Likely was often asked to maximize his opportunities instead of creating them for himself. He had to make the most of the targets that came his way, and there were multiple instances where he showed that when the Ravens needed a big play, he had the ability to provide it. The talent was never really the question. The opportunity was.

In the offseason prior to the 2026 NFL season, John Harbaugh had not yet made a decision on whether he would remain with the Ravens or move on to a new organization, while Baltimore's front office, with the influence of an 18 year head coach who had spent nearly two decades with the franchise, handed Mark Andrews a three year, $39 million contract, seemingly making the all time franchise tight end a Raven for life. However, the situation would soon change as Harbaugh eventually moved on and became the head coach of the New York Giants. And one of his first offseason acquisitions? Of course it would be tight end Isaiah Likely, who tested free agency and signed with the Giants on a three year, $40 million contract, narrowly surpassing the annual value of Andrews' deal. When John Harbaugh is impressed by someone, he lets it be known, and Isaiah Likely was perhaps the clearest example of that. The outlook for the 26 year old tight end was to become heavily integrated into an offensive scheme led by second year quarterback Jaxson Dart, giving Likely the opportunity he had been waiting for throughout his professional career.

The Harbaugh connection makes the move even more intriguing because this is not a coach discovering Likely for the first time. Harbaugh had already seen his development up close, already understood what he could do and already knew the limitations of his role in Baltimore. Bringing him to New York felt like an opportunity to change that equation completely. Instead of being the player waiting behind the established star, Likely arrived in New York with the expectation that he could become one of the centerpieces of the offense.

The Breakout King Strikes Again

Although Malik Nabers was limited in a calculated way during Week 1 against the Cowboys on Monday night, that cannot possibly take away from what Isaiah Likely accomplished in his Big Apple debut. He showed out with swagger and produced 8 catches for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns, immediately establishing himself as one of the most dangerous weapons in the Giants offense. The breakout king may have to drop the breakout part of his nickname if he continues this pace of play, especially after already gaining comparisons to Travis Kelce during the NBC Sunday Night Football broadcast. The comparison is certainly premature, but the role Likely is beginning to occupy in New York makes the analogy understandable because of his ability to operate as a receiver while carrying the size and physicality of a traditional tight end.

The most important part of the performance was not simply the two touchdowns or the eight receptions, but the fact that Likely immediately appeared to be comfortable as one of Jaxson Dart's primary options. For a young quarterback entering his second season, having a tight end capable of creating separation, working the middle of the field and becoming a reliable option in the red zone can completely change the structure of an offense. Likely has the athletic ability to force linebackers into difficult matchups and enough size to create problems for defensive backs, giving the Giants another player defenses have to account for every time he steps onto the field.

Likely looks to be the tight end of the future for the Giants, and that future may extend well beyond the three year contract he signed with New York. The offense looked explosive with Jaxson Dart operating the offense alongside weapons such as Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, and that combination could ultimately create even more opportunities for Likely, especially if Nabers returns to full health and begins commanding the defensive attention that he has become accustomed to receiving. The Giants offense has the potential to become a difficult unit to defend because there are multiple players capable of creating explosive plays, and Likely may be the most unique weapon of the group because of the mismatch problems his size, athleticism and receiving ability can create.

What makes this situation even more intriguing is that Likely does not need to be the first option on every possession to become one of the most productive tight ends in football. The presence of Nabers, Skattebo and other offensive weapons could actually create the exact environment where Likely thrives because defenses cannot dedicate their entire game plan to stopping him. If he can consistently exploit the middle of the field, become a trusted option for Dart and continue to find the end zone at a high rate, the Giants could have something much bigger than a player who simply had a strong debut.

On the other side of the football, New York's defense has also added another major piece in linebacker Abdul Carter, giving Giants fans a legitimate reason to be excited about the direction of this roster. Isaiah Likely may have started his journey as an athletic multi sport player in Massachusetts, developed into a record setting tight end at Coastal Carolina, waited his turn behind Mark Andrews in Baltimore, and now found himself under the brightest lights of his career in New York, but if history is any indication, every time Isaiah Likely has been given a larger opportunity, his game has followed.

Coastal Carolina was where the first breakout happened.

Baltimore was where the talent had to wait.

The King of the Breakout may finally have found his kingdom in New York.

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