The Complete New York Giants Draft Primer
The wait is finally over.
New York Giants fans have been looking forward to the 2015 NFL draft since late November, when the team was 3-8—fresh off a heartbreaking loss to the Dallas Cowboys—and mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Big Blue hit rock bottom the following weekend, tanking in a 25-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13.
Since then, all Giants talk has centered around the draft (with a brief hiatus in March, when the focus shifted to free agency). It has been a long five months, but it's finally time to welcome some new rookies to the roster.
This article will provide all the necessary information to prepare for New York's draft, including team needs, potential first-round targets, late-round sleepers and much more.
Revisiting the 2014 Draft
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These are the selections New York made in the 2014 NFL draft:
| Round/Pick | Player | Position | School |
| 1/12 | Odell Beckham Jr. | WR | LSU |
| 2/43 | Weston Richburg | OL | Colorado St. |
| 3/74 | Jay Bromley | DT | Syracuse |
| 4/113 | Andre Williams | RB | Boston College |
| 5/152 | Nat Berhe | S | San Diego St. |
| 5/174 | Devon Kennard | LB | USC |
| 6/187 | Bennett Jackson | DB | Notre Dame |
The Giants enjoyed one of their best drafts under general manager Jerry Reese last year. The seven players selected combined to play 80 games in 2014. Three selections played all 16 games, and defensive back Bennett Jackson was the only rookie not to contribute at all.
New York's 2014 draft class had its individual standouts, starting with 12th-overall pick and Offensive Rookie of the Year Odell Beckham Jr., who stunned the league with 91 receptions for 1,305 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games.
Weston Richburg and Andre Williams were also major offensive contributors as rookies. Richburg, who was drafted to play center, ended up starting at left guard. Williams ran behind his blocks often, carrying the ball 217 times for 721 yards and seven touchdowns in 2014.
On the defensive side of the ball, Devon Kennard was a difference-maker at his strong-side linebacker position. Safety Nat Berhe, who stood out on special teams as a rookie, could start on defense in 2015, as could Jay Bromley, who served as a reserve defensive tackle last season.
New York's 2015 Picks
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Here are the Giants' 2015 draft picks, courtesy of NFL.com:
| Round | Pick |
| 1 | 9 |
| 2 | 40 |
| 3 | 74 |
| 4 | 108 |
| 5 | 144 |
| 6 | 186 |
| 7 | 226 |
| 7 | 245 (from Broncos) |
The Giants own the ninth overall selection, their first top-10 pick since 2004. The Giants, with a new head coach in Tom Coughlin, used the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft to select North Carolina State's Philip Rivers, who was then traded (with picks) to the San Diego Chargers for Mississippi's Eli Manning, the first overall pick in that year's draft.
Although it took the Giants a painful, 6-10 season to get here, such a high pick in the draft has the potential to change the trajectory of the franchise.
The Giants' extra seventh-round pick came from the Broncos, as compensation for a preseason trade involving kicker Brandon McManus.
Team Needs
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Here are the Giants' five biggest needs heading into the 2015 season:
1. Offensive Line: The Giants have one big hole along the offensive line and two options to fill it. They can either draft a player to start at right guard right away or select a true tackle and move Justin Pugh inside to guard. Whatever they decide to do, the goal should be to improve the running game. New York averaged only 3.6 yards per rush attempt last season (30th in the NFL).
2. Safety: The biggest question mark may be New York's plan at safety. At the moment, the Giants don't have a player on the roster who has started a game for them at the position. Stevie Brown could still be re-signed and Nat Berhe might become a playmaker, but uncertainty in the secondary has starting cornerback Prince Amukamara admitting his concerns, according to Nick Powell of NJ Advance Media.
3. Defensive Line: GM Jerry Reese is always on the prowl for up-and-coming pass-rushers. He'll be on the lookout for edge-rushers in this year's draft, as well as thick interior D-linemen. While putting pressure on opposing passers should be a priority, the Giants cannot ignore the need to bolster the line with better run defenders. They relinquished a league-worst 4.9 yards per rush attempt last season.
4. Cornerback: There's a great starting duo in place for the Giants, so long as Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie stay healthy. Although New York has a solid third option in Trumaine McBride, who may man the slot, the depth drops off after him. It wouldn't hurt to prepare for the worst and add an NFL-ready rookie to the unit.
5. Wide Receiver: From Plaxico Burress to Steve Smith to Hakeem Nicks, the Giants have experienced rapid turnover at the wide receiver position. While Odell Beckham Jr. is tremendous today, he could just as easily be on his own tomorrow. Victor Cruz may not fully recover from a serious knee injury, and Rueben Randle faces free agency in 2016. It'd be wise to stay on top of this situation.
For a more in-depth look at the team's needs, click here.
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First-Round Targets
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These five prospects are sure to be on the Giants' radar for pick No. 9:
1. Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa: There's a good chance the Giants will select an offensive lineman with their first-round pick on Thursday, and Scherff (6'5", 319 lbs.) is the best one in the 2015 draft class. Although he played left tackle for Iowa—and won the Outland Trophy as a senior—the mauler might be a guard at the NFL level. Scherff would be a perfect replacement for Chris Snee on the right side.
2. Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami: If Scherff's not on the board when the Giants pick, there's a good chance they'll fall back on Flowers (6'6", 329 lbs.).
New York has a well-documented interest in Flowers, after watching him work out at his pro day and then inviting him up for a visit (per WalterFootball.com). The former Hurricane could displace Justin Pugh at right tackle with intentions of one day taking over Will Beatty's job on the left side.
3. Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford: Peat (6'7", 313 lbs.) is a name that has popped up recently in connection with the Giants, after a report from DraftInsider.net made it sound like he was their guy at No. 9.
The Stanford product may have the best chance to make it as a left tackle in the NFL, but Jordan Raanan of NJ Advance Media points out "haunting" concerns about his strength and toughness. Scherff and Flowers are better options in the short term.
4. Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson: As desperate as New York is for a top-flight pass protector, the Giants might do the opposite and pick a pass-rusher in the first round.
Beasley (6'3", 246 lbs.) was very productive in college, totaling 33 sacks and 52.5 tackles for a loss in four seasons at Clemson, resulting in back-to-back first-team All-American honors. His eye-popping combine numbers tell us he'll translate well to the professional ranks.
5. Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State: Cornerback may not be the most likely position to tackle with pick No. 9, but Waynes (6'0", 186 lbs.) could end up a surprising selection.
Earlier this month, Nick Powell of NJ Advance Media wrote about the Michigan State product as a dark-horse candidate for the Giants in the first round. Waynes could wind up with a starting job in a flash if Prince Amukamara can't stay healthy and becomes a free agent in 2016.
Second-Round Targets
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Here are five prospects New York should consider in the second round, if they're still available:
1. Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut: Scouts started catching on to Jones' ability after his performance at the combine, which was highlighted by a 4.31-second 40-yard dash time and a new world record for the broad jump (12 feet, 3 inches).
With Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie already slotted as the team's two starting cornerbacks, maybe Jones (6'1", 199 lbs.) can help the Giants out at free safety, since it's a position he played before Connecticut converted him.
2. T.J. Clemmings, OL, Pitt: If the Giants don't go with one of the top three offensive linemen mentioned on the previous slide, Clemmings (6'5", 309 lbs.) would make a pretty good consolation prize.
He is still raw with plenty of room to develop after starting his collegiate career at Pitt as a defensive end. Clemmings didn't make the leap to the offensive side of the ball until his junior year, so he should start out at right tackle and work to prove himself as a future blind-side protector.
3. Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon: The Giants could use Armstead (6'7", 292 lbs.) in a few different ways, thanks to his unique size and athleticism. He was considered a defensive tackle in Oregon's scheme, but he would be a better end in New York's defense.
Armstead is still rather malleable, and the Giants could spend his rookie season testing him out in multiple roles coming off the bench. The former Duck is already a good run defender but needs some time to develop his pass rush.
4. Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA: Odighizuwa (6'3", 267 lbs.) is similar to Armstead in that his run defense is far superior to his pass rush, but the similarities end there.
The UCLA product is a cleaner, much more compact prospect who can hold the edge against the run in a way the Giants have not seen since the departure of Justin Tuck. With a tremendous need to improve this exact aspect of the defense, Odighizuwa would be a wise pick in the second round.
5. Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami: Although it is not one of the team's top needs, nor is it an overtly valued position, the Giants would be remiss to ignore a difference-maker at linebacker like Perryman (5'11", 236 lbs.).
Critics will harp on his size and ignore the game film, but this former Hurricane is definitely built for the NFL. He plays with a controlled violence and passion that could lift even a lifeless Giants defense out of the dumps.
Mid-Round Options
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The Giants should take a long look at these potential contributors in the middle rounds:
1. Anthony Harris, S, Virginia: An untimely shoulder injury and subsequent surgery kept Harris (6'1", 183 lbs.) from working out fully at both the combine and his pro day, but the Giants can select him with confidence that he could start. Harris was captain of a strong Cavaliers defense as a senior, collecting over 100 tackles after leading all FBS players with eight interceptions during his junior year.
2. Durell Eskridge, S, Syracuse : The safety position needs to be addressed at some point in the draft, and if Harris isn't the guy, the Giants may go with Eskridge (6'3", 208 lbs.).
The Syracuse product is a bigger defensive back than his ACC counterpart, but his body of work is much smaller since he entered the draft early. New York has shown interest in both Harris (per NJ.com) and Eskridge (per Syracuse.com).
3. Justin Hardy, WR, East Carolina: Should the Giants be without a fully healthy Victor Cruz in 2015, they better be prepared to replace him. Hardy (5'10", 192 lbs.) is a player who can be productive in a slot receiver role. After all, he's the NCAA's all-time leader in career receptions with 387. A hard worker and natural pass-catcher, this former Pirate will be tough to keep on the sideline.
4. Jeff Heuerman, TE, Ohio State: The Giants has a pass-catching tight end in Larry Donnell and a blocking tight end in Daniel Fells, but they can consolidate the position by selecting Heuerman (6'5", 254 lbs.). Although injuries limited his production during the Buckeyes' 2014 title run, Heuerman has established himself as the type of utility tight end coaches love.
5. Lynden Trail, DE, Norfolk State: The Giants first showed interest in Trail (6'7", 269 lbs.) when they met with him at the Senior Bowl in late January. A complete unknown coming out of a small school in Norfolk State, Trail would be a project—not a surefire starter. Given New York's affinity for intriguing pass-rushing prospects, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Giants take a chance on him.
Late-Round Sleepers
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If the Giants nab a late-round sleeper, it may be one of these five:
1. Shaquille Mason, G, Georgia Tech: Mason (6'1", 300 lbs.) might have been the combine's biggest snub. Although his pass-protection skills are largely untested, the former Yellow Jacket was a bulldozing run-blocker for Georgia Tech's triple-option offense. Mason can play guard or center—so, why wouldn't NFL coaches want to take a closer look at him?
2. Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware: Traditional tight ends are a dying breed, as the position continues its trend toward oversized receiver with no in-line blocking ability. But Boyle (6'4", 268 lbs.) bucks the trend. The Delaware prospect is a blocker first, but he can also make a play with the ball in his hands, as evidenced by this video shared on the Giants' official website after the Senior Bowl.
3. John Crockett, RB, North Dakota St.: It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the Giants to take a flier on a seventh-round running back. Since Ahmad Bradshaw, however, they've swung and missed (see: Da'Rel Scott, Michael Cox). Perhaps, Crockett (6'0", 217 lbs.) and his alter-ego "Taz" can help bring up New York's batting average.
4. Imoan Claiborne, CB, Northwestern St.: Even if Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie stay healthy as the team's starting cornerback tandem, New York should build depth and create competition in the slot. Claiborne (5'11", 187 lbs.) could push Trumaine McBride and Jayron Hosley for a role in the nickel defense.
5. Sean Hickey, OL, Syracuse: The Giants have selected three Syracuse products in the last two drafts combined, so it wouldn't be surprising to see them dip into this talent pool again and come away with Hickey (6'5", 309 lbs.). Even though Hickey's no lock to even be drafted, former teammate Justin Pugh told Jordan Raanan of NJ Advance Media that he's worth a first-round pick.
On that note, Giants fans, you should be totally prepared to handle the 2015 draft and thankful that Pugh is not the team's general manager.
Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants at Bleacher Report.
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