Most Overrated and Underrated New York Giants Draft Picks Since 2007
Wouldn’t it be awesome if every New York Giants draft pick turned out to have the kind of impact as wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.?
Ah, but then where would the fun be in second-guessing the team’s decision marks or, in other cases, erecting statues in its honor for coming up with strokes of genius that contradicted the draft analysts?
Here's a look at some of the Giants’ top most overrated and underrated draft picks since 2007.
Underrated: OL Justin Pugh (R1, 2013)
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The selection of offensive lineman Justin Pugh out of Syracuse was somewhat of a surprise to some who might have viewed Pugh as a second-round pick.
However, the Giants have gotten outstanding value from Pugh since he arrived on the scene in 2013.
The affable Pugh, who for the time being has settled in at left guard, can play anywhere on the offensive line except center, much like David Diehl—another Giants draft pick who afforded the coaches flexibility.
What’s more, Pugh, entering his fourth season, is developing into a leader not just on the offensive line but on the offense in general.
Despite moving to left guard for the first time last season, Pugh still took the time to help teammate Ereck Flowers—then a rookie—become acclimated to his new role as the Giants’ left tackle. Pugh expects big things not just from himself and Flowers on the left side of the line, but from the entire offensive line.
“Last year, still learning the system, it was new to (Flowers); a lot of calls, me and him we’re working on things together,” Pugh said Monday, via conference call with reporters.
“I think this year it’s more of we’ve already got that feel, we’re already building on that trust that we built last year. We’re looking to pick up where we left off and really get this thing rolling, taking a leadership role, and really finishing the games.”
The Giants can only hope that the right side of their offensive line comes together and is as solid as the left side.
Overrated: TE Adrien Robinson (R4, 2012)
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In many ways, being dubbed the “JPP of tight ends” was a lot to place on tight end Adrien Robinson’s shoulders as a rookie.
Then again, there is something to be said when a player doesn’t step up to meet that challenge.
The truth is that while Robinson—who was given that nickname by general manager Jerry Reese— never came close to living up to the moniker, it wasn’t entirely his fault.
Why? Robinson was a wonderful athlete with strong measurables that included excellent size (6’4”, 264 lbs.) for the position.
The problem was that when he wasn’t battling injuries, Robinson apparently wasn’t convincing the coaches that he grasped the playbook and assignments well enough to earn more than the 77 snaps he received in 2014—his final year with the Giants.
Underrated: LB Jacquian Williams (R6, 2011)
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During Reese’s tenure, the Giants have drafted six linebackers. Of the six, only one, Jacquian Williams, emerged as a starter.
It also just so happens that Williams, a sixth-round pick in 2011, was the lowest of the linebackers drafted (202nd overall)—the other five players listed as linebackers such as Zak DeOssie (who later became the team's full-time long snapper), Bryan Kehl, Jonathan Goff, Phil Dillard and Greg Jones were all fourth- and fifth-round picks, with Jones drafted in the sixth round at 185th overall in the 2011 draft.
Although a subpar linebacker by the time his four-year career came to a close, Williams helped the Giants win a Super Bowl in 2011 and was, for the most part, sturdy at the weak side until his final season when a concussion ultimately knocked him out for the tail end of the season.
Per Pro Football Focus, Williams finished his Giants tenure with 178 tackles, including 82 for zero or negative yardage.
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Overrated: S Mykkele Thompson (R5, 2015)
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Mykkele Thompson has yet to set foot on the playing field in the NFL. His rookie season last year came to a screeching halt when he ruptured his Achilles tendon early in the preseason.
So why is he overrated? Going back to last year’s draft, Thompson revealed that only the Giants showed interest in him, and he was even surprised that he wound up being drafted when he initially thought he’d be an undrafted free agent.
"I was shocked. I looked up at the TV and saw they had the next pick," Thompson told the media, via conference call last year following his selection. "I don't even know how to explain it right now."
Even veteran personnel evaluator Gil Brandt wasn’t so sure Thompson would definitely be drafted, noting, “He is a player that if an NFL team signs him, it must decide if Thompson will be a big corner or an undersized safety. Thompson has a chance to get drafted, but should be a priority free-agent pickup for sure.”
Now that he’s with the Giants and healthy again, Thompson, whom Reese told reporters last year projects as a free safety “because he can really run [and] has range on the back end,” will get a chance to prove that 31 other NFL teams made a mistake in overlooking him last year.
Underrated: LS Zak DeOssie (R4, 2007)
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NFL long snappers are usually a dime a dozen, so if a team is going to draft one, then they better be certain he’s going to be a mainstay for the franchise.
That’s exactly what the Giants got out of Zak DeOssie, whose father Steve was a long snapper for the Giants during the Bill Parcells era.
The younger DeOssie, initially drafted as a linebacker out of Brown University, knew that if he wanted to hang around the league, then he’d have to work on his long snapping.
He did just that.
DeOssie, who is the second-longest tenured Giant behind quarterback Eli Manning, turned into a Pro Bowl long snapper, twice earning the honors in 2008 and again in 2010.
He was also instrumental in helping the Giants win two super Bowl championships, and until last season when a wrist injury put him on injured reserve, he had been a durable and reliable player on special teams.
DeOssie finished third on the team in special teams tackles in 2011 (seven), fourth in 2013 (six) and tied for second in 2014 (seven), while averaging 6.2 special teams tackles per year since his rookie season.
Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand, unless otherwise sourced. Advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.
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