Giants: Boom-or-Bust Prospects New York Should Gamble on in NFL Draft
After a six-win season in 2014, it's safe to say the New York Giants need more "boom" than "bust" in this spring's draft.
If general manager Jerry Reese and his Giants are feeling lucky on draft day, however, one or more of these players could be suiting up for Big Blue in 2015. The following slides will highlight five boom-or-bust prospects projected to be worth the gamble.
Click through the slideshow, examine the options and, in the comment section, share which players you want the Giants to draft the most. Pick out the players you think New York should avoid and, of course, feel free to introduce other risky options to watch in the months leading up to the draft.
Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
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The Giants desperately need a talented young safety, especially if Antrel Rolle is not retained in free agency this spring. Their first chance to reload at the position will be in the first round.
But will the Giants be comfortable taking Alabama's Landon Collins with the ninth overall pick?
The athletic potential is certainly there. Collins is a fluid, natural defender who is at home in the secondary. He will rack up tackles against the run and make plays on balls in flight. In two seasons as a starter with the Crimson Tide, Collins intercepted five passes.
Collins' flame can burn out, however, in specific coverage assignments. Charlie Campbell of Walter Football criticizes the safety's man-coverage ability and says he's susceptible to getting burned. That's concerning, since an inconsistent safety is a very frustrating last line of defense.
Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M
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The Giants might get lucky and strike gold in the third round this year. And by gold, I mean the 300-pound variety that can play offensive tackle, of course.
That's if they pick Texas A&M's Cedric Ogbuehi.
The Aggies have cranked out top-10 tackles—Luke Joeckel (No. 2 overall in 2013) and Jake Matthews (No. 6 overall in 2014)—in each of the past two drafts. Ogbuehi was supposed to be the next in line, until a peculiar position shift and a torn ACL in Texas A&M's victory over West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl.
Ogbuehi has the natural ability to play multiple positions, starting his college career at right guard beside Matthews before moving to tackle when Joeckel was drafted. With both Matthews and Joeckel gone in 2014, Ogbuehi was supposed to have his chance to thrive at left tackle.
Instead, Ogbuehi was moved midseason from left tackle back to right tackle. The move was part of an O-line shuffle Texas A&M did to compensate for an injury to Germain Ifedi, but Chase Goodbread of NFL Media has speculated that Ogbuehi couldn't cut it on the blind side.
Throw that concern in with the serious knee injury and it's really no surprise his draft stock is currently plummeting.
Justin Hardy, WR, ECU
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Wide receiver isn't a pressing need, so long as Odell Beckham Jr. is healthy and making incredible plays. If Victor Cruz completes his comeback and Rueben Randle takes his fourth NFL season in stride, the Giants might not have enough room for another playmaker at this position.
But that's a description of a perfect football world, and there's a better chance New York will benefit from a mid-round gamble on a player like East Carolina's Justin Hardy.
Hardy's 387 career receptions crushed an FBS record, but his collegiate production is somewhat overlooked since ECU plays in the AAC—non-Power Five competition. The disrespect is nothing new for the former walk-on (Hardy won the 2014 Burlsworth Trophy).
Do you believe the narrative? Was Hardy not worth a scholarship offer? Are you unimpressed by his receiving record? Does he have no chance to excel in the NFL?
Hardy should have a colossal chip on his shoulder.
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Max Valles, DE/OLB, Virginia
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The Giants can always use an extra pass-rusher. A late-round draft pick is unlikely to step in and earn a starting position, but New York has typically given young pass-rushers a chance to chase the quarterback in certain situations.
Maybe Virginia's Max Valles could be a rising star in that role.
Valles' decision to declare for the draft was a strange one. He's only a redshirt sophomore and flip-flopped a bit before deciding on the NFL. He's not expected to be selected sooner than the fifth round, and he passed up two whole seasons to boost that stock.
The unknown about Valles is what makes him sort of enticing, though. Last season was his first as a full-time starter at outside linebacker, and it resulted in nine sacks plus a pick-six against Pittsburgh. In an admittedly small sample size, Valles showed a natural ability to make game-changing plays.
The fact that Valles is a 'tweener is off-putting, but we're not talking about a top-10 pick here. If you can repress your memory of Clint Sintim, this Cavalier might be worth the late-round gamble.
Marcus Murphy, RB, Missouri
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When was the last time the Giants really hit on a seventh-round pick?
It was eight years ago, when New York selected Ahmad Bradshaw out of Marshall with the 250th pick in the 2007 draft. Bradshaw was a gritty guy who could take handoffs, catch passes, return kicks and block. The little spark plug was the perfect yin to Brandon Jacobs' yang.
With big backs like Andre Williams and Rashad Jennings (both about 230 lbs) already on the roster, the Giants should take a seventh-round flier on another versatile speedster.
Meanwhile, Missouri's Marcus Murphy is calling the Giants' name.
Only 5'8" and 188 pounds, Murphy's collegiate production was much larger than his frame. He registered a ridiculous 5,112 all-purpose yards, while also proving himself to be a threat to score any time the ball was in his hands. Murphy had 16 touchdowns on rushes, two on receptions, four on punt returns and three on kick returns during his four-year career with the Tigers.
Even though Murphy is unlikely to develop into an every-down back in the NFL, he could be just as valuable to the Giants as Darren Sproles is to the Eagles.
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