Tommy DeVito, Giants undrafted rookie QB, to start vs. Cowboys

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants will start undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

DeVito will start over recently signed veteran Matt Barkley after Daniel Jones tore the ACL in his right knee Sunday in Las Vegas. Backup Tyrod Taylor is already on injured reserve with a rib cage injury.

It will be the first time in the common draft era that the Giants start an undrafted rookie in a non-strike game. DeVito will be the 10th undrafted rookie to start an NFL game since 2010, and second this season. Tyson Bagent has started each of the past three games for the Chicago Bears.

DeVito also will be the 10th rookie quarterback to start a game this season, which is an NFL record.

“He’s been here for a long time. He’s picked up our stuff, so we’re going to go with DeVito here,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said Wednesday. “[Barkley has] only been here a week. There are obviously nuances that he’s learning, but he’ll be ready to go to back [DeVito] up.”

Jones said he believes he tore the ACL on the final play of the first quarter. When asked about being ready for the start of next season, he said: “The goal is to be ready and fully healthy as soon as possible.”

DeVito went undrafted this year after spending his college career at Syracuse and Illinois. The New Jersey native has entered each of the past two games as the backup for injured Giants starters and has completed 63% of his passes with one touchdown and two interceptions.

The Giants (2-7) didn’t expect to reach this point, especially before Thanksgiving, with two proven quarterbacks at the top of their depth chart to start the season.

DeVito, once considered a developmental prospect who was stashed on the practice squad to start the season, now is starting against a tough Cowboys defense that sacked Jones seven times in a 40-0 season-opening win.

“Well, injuries — start with that,” Daboll said when asked how the Giants reached this point. “The two guys that were ahead of him got injured and he was the third guy. So he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s prepared well and he’s got an opportunity.”