2015 Draft Sleepers Who'd Fit Perfectly with the New York Giants

As the days count down to the start of the 2015 NFL Draft, the spotlight usually tends to shine brightest on the major names in the current class.

While those players are sure to be instant contributors, the beauty of the draft for teams is finding sleepers who ultimately develop into solid contributors.

Let's look at five such players who, if they develop their skills and respond well to coaching, could potentially be contributors within their first two seasons.  

OLB Jake Ryan, 6’2”, 240 Lbs, Michigan

The Giants appear set at linebacker for this year, but the draft needs to be about the long term, and that includes getting guys who, while not necessarily instant starters on Day 1, can develop into a steady contributor.

One such guy at the linebacker position who absolutely, positively fits the mold the Giants have been looking for of late is Michigan’s Jake Ryan, a two-year team captain for the Wolverines and the team’s 2014 MVP.

If half of the battle is about attitude and work ethic, Ryan has that covered and then some.

A high-motor type who, according to Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout, has football intelligence and who isn’t afraid to get his jersey dirty, Ryan is a selfless player who is all about team and who seems willing to contribute on special teams as well. 

Ryan also can play inside or outside, and could potentially be a replacement for all-purpose linebackers such as Mark Herzlich and Jameel McClain, especially if there are no plans to re-sign the latter once his contract expires after this season. 

The Giants need players with attitude and with a clear love of the game that oozes out of their pores. Ryan seems to meet that criteria, and appears to be a solid Day 3 prospect if he is still on the board.

TE Nick Boyle, 6’4”, 268 Lbs, Delaware

Another position where the Giants might be able to find good value on Day 3 is at tight end, where Delaware’s Nick Boyle should be sitting there waiting for a team to call his name.

Boyle, a team captain and high-character guy, has legitimate size and a solid build to be an effective tight end at the NFL level. 

A full-time starter for the Blue Hens since his sophomore year, Boyle is brimming with upside and potential, according to Bo Marchiante of NFL Draft Scout, who praised Boyle for having improved significantly as a blocker.

As a receiver, Boyle, Delaware’s all-time leader among tight ends in receptions (101) and second at the position in touchdowns (12) needs some polish on his route running.

He also sometimes has the occasional focus-related drop, but negatives aside, there’s a lot to work with in this intriguing prospect should the Giants decide at the end of this season to move on from Daniel Fells and/or Adrien Robinson.    

FS Jacob Hagen, 6’3”, 207 Lbs, Liberty

The Giants need to add to their safety corps, especially if free agent Stevie Brown, who, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, will soon decide where he wants to play in 2015, signs elsewhere. 

Cooper Taylor and Nat Berhe both figure to compete for a starting role, though both may be a better fit at strong safety than as the deep safety. That's why the Giants will probably try to add at least one safety via the draft.

An under-the-radar type whom Dane Brugler, in his 2015 NFL Draft Guide, projects as a late Day 3 pick is Liberty’s Jacob Hagen.

Hagen, who did not receive an invitation to the combine, finished his college career having started 35 out of 48 games played, logging 245 tackles (11.5 for a loss) and breaking up 36 passes with 15 interceptions.

As a senior, Hagen led the Flames with 108 tackles, 15 passes defensed and eight interceptions, proving himself as one of the most productive free safeties in college football.

Although he is said to lack ideal functional football strength and hasn't really faced elite competition, Hagen’s height, physicality, ball-hawking skills and special teams experience are intriguing to justify consideration as a seventh-round pick.

RB John Crockett, 6’0”, 217 Lbs, North Dakota State

Given the lack of luck the Giants have had with getting their running backs through a 16-game season, it would not be a shock if they spend a Day 3 pick on another running back.

A late-round prospect to watch is John Crockett, a tough, physical runner who is difficult to bring down. An energetic and shifty back, Crockett is also acceptable as a pass protector.

According to Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout, Crockett has also improved as a receiver out of the backfield.

Crockett also has experience as a kick-off return specialist, with 16 career returns for 357 yards.

Nicknamed “Taz” after the Tasmanian Devil because of his constant movement on a play, Crockett doesn’t come without his concerns, according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

Crockett, who posted three 1,000-yard rushing seasons at North Dakota State, also needs to build up his strength, as will probably most of this year’s incoming rookie class, to better anchor when asked to pass block.

Still, if Crockett’s sky-high confidence level that Zierlein notes continues to shine through at the NFL level, Crockett’s creativity combined with his patience with the ball in his hands might have him contributing on spot duty later on as a rookie, especially if injuries once again affect the Giants’ running backs.

OG Robert Myers, 6’5”, 326 Lbs, Tennessee State

Tennessee State’s Robert Myers is an intriguing, albeit developmental late-draft guard prospect with good size and who looks the part of an NFL-quality offensive lineman.

Myers, a three-year starter, is probably a year away from being ready to contribute at the NFL level and will need at least one good year in an offseason weight-training program to build up his strength and work on his technique, but he does have upside.

Projected as a sixth-round draft pick by NFL Draft Scout, Myers, who played both tackle positions and right guard in college, is, per Derek Stephens and Dane Brugler, “the most intriguing of the small-school offensive linemen in the 2015 draft.”

Brugler, in his 2015 NFL Draft Guide, reminds us that Myers didn’t commence playing football until he was a junior in high school, but that he’s made significant improvement each year since.

Besides adding more functional strength, Brugler notes that Myers will really need to hone in on polishing up his technique deficiencies that include inconsistent hand placement and balance.

However, there appears to be enough upside in Myers as a prospect that, if a team is willing to develop him, he could begin to pay dividends by his second season.

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

Follow @Patricia_Traina