The New York Giants have a top 10 pick for the second straight year. Last year they took Ereck Flowers, out of Miami and plugged him into the left tackle position. Now the question is, who should they draft this year? With Quarterback virtually the only position the Giants aren’t in need, there is a range of options. Do they want to add another wide receiver to pair up with Odell? Do they add a talented running back in Ezekiel Elliot? Do they solidify the offensive line with someone like Stanley or Conklin? Could they draft a linebacker, something they haven’t done in a long time? How about a corner or a defensive end? Despite being called a “weak class”, there is a lot of talent out there and the Giants cannot afford to make the wrong pick.
Let’s break this down by position.
CORNER
Yes the Giants have Dominique-Rodgers Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins. There slot corner at the moment appears to be Trevin Wade. Why would they draft a corner? Well, DRC has a track record of injuries and Janoris Jenkins is making fans uneasy with his recent posts on snapchat. Vernon Hargreaves is considered the best corner in this draft, but will he be available when it’s the Giants turn? The Eagles who traded for the 8th pick could be in are VH3. Selecting someone like Eli Apple or Mackenzie Alexander would be a reach.
LINEBACKER
The last time the Giants took a linebacker in the first round was in 1984,that was Carl Banks. Leonard Floyd and Darron Lee are great prospects and the Giants could use one of those guys. It’s unlikely the Giants take one this year. Maybe if Myles Jack takes and unexpected dip, the Giants would break their streak.
WIDE RECIEVER
The “best player on the board” strategy sure payed off for the Giants when they took Odell Beckham Jr in 2014. He is the star of the team and one of the biggest in the NFL. But now, the Giants need to help him out. Yes, Cruz will be back this year, although how much they can really expect out of him? Even if Vic puts up a solid season, he plays in the slot, not on the outside. Same goes for Dewayne Harris. The Giants WR depth after that is uncertain with guys like Myles White, Germy Davis and Ben Edwards. There has been recent hype in mock drafts about pairing up Odell with Laquon Treadwell out of Ole Miss. Since his recent Pro Day, scouts have said there are some red flags with Treadwell. One being his speed, he chose not to run in the combine and in his pro day, he ran in the 4.6 range. Is he the right choice at 10?
RUNNING BACK
Imagine the Giants selecting Ezekiel Elliot. Last year they let Gurley slip through their hands, what a trio that would’ve been with Eli and Odell. Elliot was a dynamic back in college. The former Buckeye became a star and is undoubtedly the best running back prospect in this class. He has the potential to be an every down back. While his pass catching might not be the best, the Giants have Shane Vereen suited for that role. Jennings finished the year strong but his durability is always a question, Williams was underwhelming and Darkwa showed some flashes but he is still a bit of a question mark. Elliot certainly would be a great pick for Big Blue.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Flashback to 2013, the Giants had major offensive line struggles. Over the past couple drafts they have managed to rebuild their line and form a nice young core. It all started with taking Justin Pugh in the first round in 2013, then Weston Richburg in the second round of the 2014 draft, Ereck Flowers in the 1st round of last years draft and Bobby Hart in the 7th round as well. All 4 are projected to be starters next season. Richburg is coming off a fantastic season, he is well on his way to making a Pro Bowl and All Pro team real soon. Justin Pugh moved to left guard and had a strong season. Ereck Flowers is still a project but has great potential. Bobby Hart was huge in improving the run game, it’s no coincidence once he was plugged into the lineup, Rashad Jennings went on a dominant stretch. Why not finish the job and complete the line, in which they drafted each member. As beat writer from NJ.com Jordan Raanan pointed out, no team since the turn of the century, has used two top ten picks on offensive lineman in consecutive years. Only one other team ( Dallas) has used their first round pick on offensive lineman 3 times in a four year stretch. Sure it would be a nice line if they take Stanley or Conklin. The Giants should learn from the rival Cowboys. Yes, their line has been dominant the past few years but it hasn’t taken them farther than the divisional round. The Cowboys lacked talent on defense and part of that can be attributed to the taking so many OLs. For a team who finished with the worst defense in the league, they are better off taking a defender than a tackle or guard.
THE PICK: SHAQ LAWSON, CLEMSON
This would be the best pick for the Giants. It might not seem like it at first, but in the long run it will prove to be a great selection. A big reason why is because of the future of JPP. If he has a terrible 2016, there is no way he’ll be back for 2017. If he has a great season, he is going demand a lot of money in free agency and we just saw what Olivier Vernon got paid. With Lawson on board, they can let JPP walk and pay guys like Richburg, Pugh, Hankins and ODELL BECKHAM! Those 4 are 1-2 years away from free agency. Plus don’t forget, Spags loves to rotate players and the next pass rushers on the Giants roster after JPP and Vernon are Kerry Wynn and Owa Odighizuwa. If his shoulder is fully healed, Lawson will be a phenomenal pass rusher.
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