NY Giants Twitter Mailbag: Feeling a Draft Edition

Although free agency is going to be ongoing for the next several months, it’s time to re-focus on the upcoming draft.

The New York Giants, who made some upgrades in free agency, still have a lot more work to do, and with eight picks—their original seven plus Denver’s seventh-rounder which was compensation in the Brandon McManus trade—the hope is that general manager Jerry Reese and company can hit another home run regarding this upcoming class.

Where are the needs? Offensive line and defensive tackle are probably the most pressing needs right now, with offensive line likely a bigger priority given that it appears the Giants are still missing one starter.

Safety appears to be a need as well just based on the numbers, unless the Giants are planning to add a veteran on the back end of free agency such as Stevie Brown.

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

A slot cornerback would be nice to have, even though Trumaine McBride figures to be the leading candidate to fill that role. Still, it can’t hurt to have some depth behind him.

A pass-rusher? Sure, why not? You can never have too many pass-rushers on the team, especially given how injuries play into the equation.

Another linebacker? That could be a possibility since, none of the Giants current linebackers (yes, including Devon Kennard) have more than three years remaining on their respective contracts—not that length remaining on a contract ever stopped the team from terminating a bloated contract early if the holder of that contract didn’t play up to his earnings.

That’s a lot of needs to cover with eight draft picks (assuming the Giants don’t trade any away). With New York having to operate under a “win or else” edict from ownership, the heat is starting early in New York.

Now onto your questions.

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@Patricia_Traina if you can have any player in the draft who would you take? Is anyone in your opinion worth moving up for?? #askpat

— Ralph V Cintron (@Rvc601V) March 27, 2015"

Let me answer your second question first. No, I don’t think there’s anyone worth moving up in the draft to get.

Remember, when you move up in the draft, you have to give up stuff to get there—remember the Eli Manning trade and everything the Giants had to give up to get Manning? Is there a player in this draft who can potentially have the impact of an Eli Manning? I’m not so sure there is, which is why I wouldn’t trade up.

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

OK, now to your first question. I’m old-school in a lot of ways, even though it might surprise some to know that my vast music collection includes classic rock, rap, metal, easy listening and country.

When it comes to football, though, I believe you have to win the battle in the trenches, which is why I could see LSU’s OT La’el Collins at No. 9.

The Giants made another investment in their running game by adding Shane Vereen, but the running backs alone aren’t going to get it done; they need maulers to blow open holes, which they didn’t have last year.

If the Giants are going to draft an offensive lineman at No. 9, it will likely be someone they unanimously regard as a tackle, not one of these players who some think can be a guard while others think he can be a tackle—not that there’s anything wrong with those types of players.

Thomas, as with any draft pick, you never really know what you are going to get until you get him into the building, start teaching him the system and then see if he can do it on the field.

With that said, I think Scherff is a safe pick, though as I said before, if the Giants see him as a guard, I don’t know that they spend a first-round pick on that position or on him.

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

As I wrote yesterday, Weston Richburg will be a first-year NFL center this coming season.

While I have every reason to believe he’s going to be a cornerstone on that offense, there is probably going to be something of a learning curve for him. So do you really want to put a rookie on one side of him at this point?

I just think it makes too much sense for them not to consider drafting a pure tackle at No. 9 and then moving Justin Pugh over to left guard.

Pugh, remember, played left tackle in college, so I don’t think he’d be looking at as steep of a learning curve if he moved to left guard.

Excellent question Mike! I think the biggest difference is that in 2008-2012 the Giants went for “athletes” instead of football players. They also gambled on some prospects that might have had injury issues.

The result is that they took too many gambles and didn’t have much to show for it. The fallout was that their depth at certain positions took a hit, most notably on the offensive line.

That's why they had to rely a little too heavily on free agency to get players who were far enough along in their development as those picks they missed on.

It wouldn't be surprising if this was the reason why they missed out on players they might have wanted to keep but couldn’t afford to do so—tight end Martellus Bennett comes to mind.  

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Part of the problem that was beyond their control were the injuries suffered by Chad Jones, David Wilson, and Kenny Phillips—no one saw those injuries happening so you can’t blame them for that.

However, I was always left puzzled when, after a pick was made, someone from the Giants’ brain trust would describe a guy as an “athlete” instead of a “football player.”  All football players are athletes, but not all athletes are football players.

I think by adjusting the focus and drafting team captains, they're getting guys who have good football IQ, who really pay attention to detail and who are among the most competitive you’ll find on the field.  

I suspect they will keep that philosophy of going with the safer picks moving forward since it has worked out well for them the last two years.

Great question, Teddy. I certainly think that’s possible, which is one reason why the Giants have been trying to add to their receiving corps.

I think if they are able to field at least three solid receiving options, whoever those three might be, that will force opposing defenses to pick their poison.

Will that mean doubling up Odell Beckham Jr.? Perhaps, but if that means that tight end Larry Donnell is getting open or if Rueben Randle or, if he’s back, Victor Cruz is lighting up the scoreboard, does it really matter so long as the Giants are in the “win” column at the end of the day?

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes, stats and other information obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. 

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