5 Late-Round Sleepers Who Would Be Perfect for the NY Giants

Running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Linebacker Devon Kennard. Receiver David Tyree.

These are just a few of the most notable New York Giants, both present and past, who were successful Day 3 draft picks for Big Blue.

General manager Jerry Reese always says that there are good players in the draft and that it’s up to a team to find them.

Well, the Giants, whose 2014 draft class was their best since 2007, will be looking to duplicate that success with another strong group of young leaders who can potentially be contributors.

The hardest part of the draft is on Day 3, where players start to have similar grades. Still, with a solid understanding of the team’s needs and a clear knowledge of the pros and cons of each draft pick, there is every reason to think the Giants will once again strike gold with a few late-draft picks.

Here is a look at five potential Day 3 prospects who could potentially fill a need for the Giants in 2015 and beyond.

OG Ali Marpet, 6'4", 307 Pounds, Hobart

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

The Giants need offensive line help—that much is not news to anyone who follows the team.

Because the Giants have drafted so poorly at this position through the years—James Brewer, Brandon Mosley and Matt McCants are recent examples of players who haven’t panned out for the Giants—they now find themselves with a cupboard that’s literally bare as far as offensive line depth is concerned.

The practice of signing players who are “NFL-ready” to play the offensive line has been a costly one—and a practice that hasn’t always worked (see David Baas, for example). It’s time to draft smarter at this position and stop taking shortcuts.

One such young prospect who could be on the radar is Hobart’s Ali Marpet, a D-III player who, per Charlie Campbell of Walter Football, impressed the Giants’ contingency during Senior Bowl week. 

Marpet has been a starter since his sophomore season, primarily as a tackle. However, NFL Draft Scout has him projected as a guard if he makes it to the next level.

According to Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports, to watch Marpet was like watching a college prospect from a classic football factory instead of a school more known for its lacrosse program. Here’s what Edholm had to say about Marpet during last week’s Senior Bowl practices:

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After spending Tuesday's practice at left tackle — his college position — he moved inside to left guard, his likely pro position. In both spots, Marpet held strong. One of the highlights from his Wednesday practice was sustaining a block on a draw play on Washington DT Danny Shelton, who has proven to be one of the tougher players to block this week.

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If drafted, Marpet would become the first football player from Hobart to achieve that status. 

DE Deion Barnes, 6'4", 260 Pounds, Penn State

USA TODAY Sports

If the Giants are able to retain defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul—all signs seem to be pointing to that happening, as New York does have the franchise tag at its disposal—that would be the first step in stocking a critical position for new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

There’s still more work to do, though. Currently, the Giants still don’t know what they have in Damontre Moore, who will enter his third season in 2015.

So far, Moore has shown flashes of being a solid pass-rusher, but until he can show improvement against the run—something that might come if he can add just a bit more bulk in order to establish a stronger base—he’s probably going to remain as a part-time player.

Mathias Kiwanuka is very unlikely to return. He will be 32 on his next birthday and is coming off knee surgery, which caps yet another down season for him statistically.

Robert Ayers is a possibility at the other side, as is Kerry Wynn, but it’s probably too soon to appoint either as the heir apparent to Kiwanuka’s starting job.

Further, per Pro Football Focus, Ayers (minus-3.0) had his share of issues against the run, and Kerry Wynn’s 60 run-game snaps do not provide enough of a sample of his ability to function there.

While the Giants might investigate adding a veteran defensive end to the mix, a potential prospect who might be worth a look is Deion Barnes.

According to Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout, Barnes, who is projected to go in either the fifth or sixth round, has the physical traits most teams look for in an edge-rusher.

After a subpar 2013 season in which Barnes, per his school bio, recorded 28 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble, he finished his collegiate career by earning an All-Big 10 Honorable Mention nomination thanks to recording 44 tackles and 6.0 sacks.

OLB Lynden Trail, 6'6", 262 Pounds, Norfolk State

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

There’s no question that the Giants are going to have to address their linebacker unit. However, whereas earlier opinion pointed to the inside linebacker being more of a priority, that might not be the case.

On the inside, the Giants apparently are planning to move ahead with Jon Beason, who without a doubt will probably be asked to take a pay cut on what Over the Cap reports is a $7.366 million cap number.

The backup options at inside linebacker include Jameel McClain, who manned the position last year when Beason went on injured reserve, and Deon Kennard, who while not getting much work at inside linebacker last year is thought to have the skill set to play that position.

On the outside, it would be surprising if Jacquian Williams, last year’s starting weak-side linebacker who will soon be an unrestricted free agent, returns.

Mark Herzlich, another pending unrestricted free agent, should be back but unlikely as a starter.

So what do the Giants do for the starting weak-side linebacker? If they are looking at a low-round draft pick—which Williams was—a prospect who should be there on Day 3 is Lynden Trail of Norfolk State, whom Charlie Campbell of Walter Football reported met with Giants team officials at the Senior Bowl.

Trail, who boasts an impressive 6’6”, 262-pound physical presentation, played in a 3-4 defensive system at Norfolk State.

According to Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout, Trail changes direction smoothly and, because of his long legs, has the stride to keep up with ball-carriers in pursuit. He also has decent strength, showing that he can shed blockers and bring down even the most challenging of ball-handlers in the open field.

While Brugler opines that Trail might be a better defensive end at the NFL level given his size, the Giants seem to have been looking for a versatile “joker” type for their defense—a player who can rush with his hand in the dirt and standing up.

Damontre Moore was supposed to be that player, but he will compete for a starting job. Trail could make for an intriguing candidate if Steve Spagnuolo’s defense calls for such a role. 

Trail, by the way, has an interesting back story, which he shared with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

In the summer of 2009, Trail’s mother forbade him from attending a Fourth of July weekend party with his best friend, Anthony Smith.

Smith was killed in an act of random violence. Trail honored the memory of his fallen friend with a tattoo and told Birkett that everything he does is to honor Smith.

RB David Johnson, 6'1", 224 Pounds, North Iowa

Once last year’s draft was complete, the Giants had visions of a three-headed rushing attack consisting of Rashad Jennings, rookie Andre Williams and scatback David Wilson.

Unfortunately, Wilson’s career ended when his comeback attempt from neck surgery fell short. That, combined with the injuries that hit Jennings, contributed to the Giants’ running game finishing 23rd in the NFL.

While Orleans Darkwa, who was acquired mid-year via the Miami Dolphins practice squad, turned out to be a nice find, the Giants, as Charlie Campbell of Walter Football notes, are reportedly looking to target another running back in this year’s draft with the speed and slashing ability of a Wilson.

Among those who might be under consideration is Northern Iowa’s David Johnson, whom Campbell also reported met with Giants team officials during the Senior Bowl.

Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout lauded Johnson as one of 10 players who stood out in the Senior Bowl, calling him "the most impressive overall” of the running backs.  Johnson, who had a 19-yard touchdown run in the game, showed “vision, balance and determination” that teams typically like to see in a running back.

At 6’1”, 224 pounds, Johnson has good size for the position. His versatility—NFL Draft Scout notes that Johnson can also play H-back and line up at fullback—makes him an intriguing Day 3 selection.

TE Blake Bell, 6'6", 263 Pounds, Oklahoma

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

If the Giants are in the market for a late-round draft pick who can potentially replace the soon-to-be 32-year-old Daniel Fells, who per Pro Football Focus was the best of the three Giants tight ends both overall and as a run-blocker in 2014, Blake Bell of Oklahoma might be worth considering. 

With all apologies to Fells, Bell, a converted quarterback whose 2014 season was his lone year at the tight end position to date, is the type of bruising run-blocker the Giants haven’t really had in quite some time. 

According to Bleacher Report’s Curt Popejoy, Bell, nicknamed "Belldozer," has a huge ceiling as an H-back. His strength is his primary selling point, as he is able to move his man at the point of attack.   

In his lone season as a tight end, Bell recorded 16 receptions for 214 yards (13.4 YPC) and four touchdowns. He also ran the ball twice for four yards. His 6’6” height makes him an intriguing red-zone target in the passing game.

According to NFL Media analyst Charles Davis (via Mike Huguenin on NFL.com), Bell was one of the players who stood out for his performance at this year’s East-West Shrine Game:

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As a former quarterback, Bell will be able to quickly understand an offense and that “he runs a route with a quarterback's eyes." For a guy who has played tight end less than a season, Bell looks at ease when running routes and has good hands. … The 2015 tight end class is not a great one, and Bell—who is one of two tight ends on the West squad—looks to be a promising third-day prospect.

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The Giants seem willing to stick with Larry Donnell and Adrien Robinson for 2015, while Fells, an unrestricted free agent, should be back on at least another one-year qualifying offer.

However, the tight end position is far from solidified, and it can’t hurt to add another face to the mix, especially one who, while raw for the position, appears to have caught the eyes of scouts.

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.