New York Giants: Updated Draft Big Board After First Wave of Free Agency

The 2017 NFL combine is in the books, and slowly but surely, the individual school pro days are also coming and going for NFL teams looking to gain any last bit of information necessary before assembling their draft boards.

The New York Giants, who were mildly active in free agency, managed to fill a few needs with what limited cap space they had, while passing on a few other perceived needs due to the quality of players at those positions in the draft.

This slideshow looks at a big board consisting of players at the various positions believed to be top needs for the Giants and tries to pick names who might meet the team's prototype.

The rest of the slides identify each of the top positions of need, discussing why the position is a requirement and who among the players listed on the big board might be the best fit at that position.

The Big Board: Giants Edition

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

The following is a list of 100 top prospects representing positions of need for the Giants. In assembling this list, I consulted NFL.com and NFL Draft Scout's player grades.

I then removed some of the players whose skill sets are not necessarily a fit for what the Giants do, or whose measurable (height and weight) don't fit a team prototype. I also removed anyone I believe might have a question mark next to his name due to injury or off-field concerns. 

In the following slides, I'll hone in on a realistic pick for the Giants as well as a fallback plan from this big board. But first, a few notes.

I did not include quarterbacks on this big board because it looks as though the Giants are going to let Josh Johnson, who re-signed with the team last week, Keith Wenning, signed to a reserve/futures contract in January and Geno Smith, who signed with the club Monday, duke it out for the back-up roles behind starter Eli Manning.

I didn't include safety on this list as I don't believe it to be a need despite the uncertainties concerning Nat Berhe (two concussions last year) and Mykkele Thompson (two straight seasons lost to leg injuries), not with Landon Collins and a duo of Darian Thompson and Andrew Adams on board. 

Ditto receiver because Brandon Marshall figures to be the No. 3 receiver on the team. I think if the Giants draft a receiver, it will be someone drafted late in Day 3.

I also didn't go too heavy on cornerback because I believe the Giants might be able to sign a veteran on the back end of free agency, as in after the draft when things reach that point in the NFL calendar where free agents signed don't count against the compensatory picks.

Name	Pos	Height	Weight	School
Garrett, Myles	DE	6'4"	272	Texas A&M
Fournette, Leonard	RB	6'0"	240	LSU
Thomas, Solomon	DL	6'3"	273	Stanford
Allen, Jonathan	DE	6'3"	286	Alabama
Howard, O.J.	TE	6'6"	251	Alabama
Cook, Dalvin	RB	5'10"	210	Florida St.
Charlton, Taco	DE	6'6"	277	Michigan
Njoku, David	TE	6'4"	246	Miami
Reddick, Haason	DE	6'1"	237	Temple
McDowell, Malik	DT	6'6"	295	Michigan St.
Foster, Reuben	LB	6'0"	229	Alabama
Ramczyk, Ryan	OT	6'6"	310	Wisconsin
Barnett, Derek	DE	6'3"	259	Tennessee
Brantley, Caleb	DT	6'3"	307	Florida
McKinley, Takkarist	DE	6'2"	250	UCLA
Peppers, Jabrill	LB	5'11"	213	Michigan
Everett, Gerald	TE	6'3"	239	South Alabama
Kamara, Alvin	RB	5'10"	214	Tennessee
Williams, Tim	DE	6'3"	244	Alabama
Harris, Charles	DE	6'3"	253	Missouri
White, Tre'Davious	CB	5'11"	192	LSU
Engram, Evan	TE	6'3"	234	Mississippi
McCaffrey, Christian	RB	5'11"	202	Stanford
Cunningham, Zach	LB	6'3"	234	Vanderbilt
Davis, Jarrad	LB	6'1"	238	Florida
Conley, Gareon	CB	6'0"	195	Ohio St.
Tabor, Teez	CB	6'0"	199	Florida
Mama, Damien	OG	6'3"	334	USC
Lamp, Forrest	OG	6'4"	309	Western Kentucky
Johnson, Dorian	OG	6'5"	300	Pittsburgh
Hodges, Bucky	TE	6'6"	257	Virginia Tech
Anderson, Ryan	OLB	6'2"	253	Alabama
Watt, T.J.	LB	6'4"	252	Wisconsin
Jackson, Adoree'	CB	5'10"	186	USC
Douglas, Rasul	CB	6'2"	209	West Virginia
Tankersley, Cordrea	CB	6'1"	199	Clemson
Dawkins, Dion	OG	6'4"	314	Temple
Feeney, Dan	OG	6'4"	305	Indiana
Moton, Taylor	OG	6'5"	319	Western Michigan
Siragusa, Nico	OG	6'4"	319	San Diego St.
Shaheen, Adam	TE	6'6"	278	Ashland
Foreman, D'Onta	RB	6'0"	233	Texas
Lawson, Carl	DE	6'2"	261	Auburn
Wormley, Chris	DE	6'5"	298	Michigan
Ogunjobi, Larry	DT	6'3"	305	North Carolina Charlotte
Jones, Jarron	DT	6'6"	316	Notre Dame
Jones, D.J.	DT	6'1"	319	Mississippi
Anzalone, Alex	LB	6'3"	241	Florida
Wilson, Quincy	CB	6'1"	211	Florida
Witherspoon, Ahkello	CB	6'3"	198	Colorado
Asiata, Isaac	OG	6'3"	323	Utah
Sprinkle, Jeremy	TE	6'5"	252	Arkansas
Perine, Samaje	RB	5'11"	233	Oklahoma
McNichols, Jeremy	RB	5'9"	214	Boise St.
Willis, Jordan	DE	6'4"	255	Kansas St.
Walker, Demarcus	DE	6'4"	280	Florida St.
Johnson, Jaleel	DT	6'3"	316	Iowa
Tomlinson, Dalvin	DT	6'3"	310	Alabama
Vanderdoes, Eddie	DT	6'3"	305	UCLA
Adams, Montravius	DT	6'4"	304	Auburn
Qualls, Elijah	DT	6'1"	313	Washington
Bowser, Tyus	LB	6'3"	247	Houston
Robinson, Cam	OT	6'6"	322	Alabama
Bolles, Garett	OT	6'5"	297	Utah
Garcia, Antonio	OT	6'6"	302	Troy
Banner, Zach	OT	6'8"	353	USC
Leggett, Jordan	TE	6'5"	258	Clemson
Mack, Marlon	RB	5'11"	213	South Florida
Hunt, Kareem	RB	5'10"	216	Toledo
Kpassagnon, Tanoh	DE	6'7"	289	Villanova
Hall, Daeshon	DE	6'5"	266	Texas A&M
Basham, Tarell	DE	6'4"	269	Ohio
Hendrickson, Trey	DE	6'4"	266	Florida Atlantic
Nwachukwu, Noble	DE	6'1"	268	West Virginia
Watkins, Carlos	DT	6'3"	309	Clemson
Jones, Nazair	DT	6'5"	304	North Carolina
Walker, Charles	DT	6'2"	310	Oklahoma
McMillan, Raekwon	LB	6'2"	240	Ohio St.
Walker Jr., Anthony	LB	6'1"	238	Northwestern
Brown, Blair	LB	5'11"	238	Ohio
Johnson, Roderick	OT	6'7"	298	Florida St.
Holden, Will	OT	6'7"	311	Vanderbilt
Bisnowaty, Adam	OT	6'6"	304	Pittsburgh
Sharpe, David	OT	6'6"	343	Florida
Kittle, George	TE	6'4"	247	Iowa
Smith, Jonnu	TE	6'3"	248	Florida International
Roberts, Michael	TE	6'4"	270	Toledo
Gallman, Wayne	RB	6'0"	215	Clemson
Cohen, Tarik	RB	5'6"	179	North Carolina A&T
Williams, Joe	RB	5'11"	210	Utah
Conner, James	RB	6'1"	233	Pittsburgh
Dayes, Matt	RB	5'9"	205	N.C. State
Moss, Avery	DE	6'3"	264	Youngstown St.
Smoot, Dawuane	DE	6'3"	264	Illinois
Price, Ejuan	DE	5'11"	241	Pittsburgh
Wise, Deatrich	DE	6'5"	274	Arkansas
Smart, Tanzel	DT	6'1"	296	Tulane
Rochell, Isaac	DT	6'4"	280	Notre Dame
Lee, Elijah	LB	6'3"	228	Kansas St.

Offensive Tackle: Garett Bolles, Utah

Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images

The Giants finally addressed their offensive line in free agency, adding former Chargers offensive lineman D.J. Fluker—the 11th overall pick in the 2013 draft—and re-signing veteran John Jerry, who can be a swing guard/tackle depending on what the Giants end up doing in the draft. 

Fluker, who can also play offensive tackle, said during a SiriusXM NFL Radio interview that the Giants spoke to him about stepping in at right guard (h/t Inside Football).

If that plan doesn't change, that likely means the Giants will be looking to add an offensive tackle to the mix to compete with incumbent Bobby Hart for the starting right tackle job.

If the Giants are going to do that, they'll probably want to strike early in the draft. Utah's Garett Bolles would probably be their best option if they want someone who might be able to step in right away and hit the ground running in a competition with Hart.

NFLDraftScout.com ranked Bolles as the second-highest ranked offensive tackle prospect, behind Wisconsin's Ryan Ramczyk.

Ramczyk figures to be long gone by the time the Giants go on the clock at No. 23. If Bolles, who told reporters at the combine that the Giants expressed interest, is there, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Giants snap him up given the lack of depth in this year’s offensive tackle pool.

Tight End: Gerald Everett, South Alabama

Dan Anderson/Associated Press

Although the Giants added Rhett Ellison—a tight end/fullback hybrid—to the offense, it would be a stunning upset if they didn't dip their toe into a tight end-rich draft class that could yield a starter in the first three rounds.

The top two tight ends in this draft, O.J. Howard and David Njoku, probably will not be on the board at No. 23. Neither is likely to be on the board when the Giants' turn comes up in the second round either, where they hold the 55th overall pick in the draft.

A guy who could be there is Gerald Everett, 6'3", 239 pounds, of South Alabama. Although he doesn't quite fit the Giants prototype for tight ends from a size perspective, he did have better 2016 receiving numbers (49 receptions for 722 yards) than both Howard (45 receptions for 593 yards) and Njoku (43 catches for 698 yards).

Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout calls Everett a "true vertical threat, either down the seam or outside, with a second gear to finish" who "catches the ball well in stride without gearing down" and "has quick feet to sidestep defenders after the catch."

Brugler also praised Everett's blocking ability, describing it as "aggressive."

It's been a while since the Giants had a tight end who could roam the seam and do some damage. A guy like Everett, who would compete with holdover Will Tye for those snaps, could be the one who finally gives them that threat, even if he's not the tall, lanky gazelle they tend to like at the position.

Outside Linebacker: Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Every year it seems the Giants throw a curveball during the draft—that one move few, if any, saw coming.

One potential candidate for this year's draft curveball could see them taking an outside linebacker as high as No. 23 overall.

That's where Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham (6'3", 234 pounds) could be had for a team looking to add at that position.

The Giants, of course, haven't drafted a linebacker in the first round since 1984, when they took Carl Banks third overall out of Michigan State.  

Banks, who after the 1992 season made stops in Washington and Cleveland before calling it a career, is a two-time Super Bowl champion and a four-time Pro Bowler.

The Giants, who haven't had a Super Bowl champion/Pro Bowl linebacker wrapped up in one guy since Antonio Pierce patrolled the middle of the field for the 2007 championship team, could be looking to give their linebacker unit a nice boost for down the line when both projected outside starters Devon Kennard and Jonathan Casillas are both set to hit free agency in 2018.

Last year, the Giants were believed to be coveting Leonard Floyd, who ultimately went to the Bears, and they might be looking at Cunningham to fill a similar role of a player who can line up with his hand in the dirt, play in coverage and rush from standing up. 

Indeed, just as general manager Jerry Reese was, per the New York Daily News, present for Floyd's pro day last year, this year, ESPN reported that Reese was there to watch Vanderbilt's pro day, leading to speculation that the Giants' interest in Cunningham might just be great enough for them to consider drafting him in the first round.  

Ranked as NFL Draft Scout's second-best outside linebacker prospect, Cunningham has 256 career tackles (36.0 for losses), seven forced fumbles and six sacks in three seasons, and is widely regarded as a natural playmaker.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein noted that Cunningham is a three-down linebacker whose "downhill approach is made for attacking 4-3 defenses."

Cunningham, who projects to the weak side, could in fact give the Giants a solid option that they can potentially work into the mix this year even with Casillas still projected to be a starter. 

Running Back: Wayne Gallman, Clemson

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The Giants moved on from running back Rashad Jennings, making him a salary-cap casualty last month. However, they haven't done much to replace him, their only move thus far in free agency being the re-signing of running back Orleans Darkwa.

In case it's not crystal clear, the Giants are likely honing in on a target or two in the draft class to add to a group that includes Darkwa, Paul Perkins and Shane Vereen.

The best running back in the draft class, Leonard Fournette of LSU, appears to be a long shot to fall to the Giants at No. 23. The same could also probably be said of Florida State's Dalvin Cook.

What about Stanford's Christian McCaffrey, 5'11", 202 pounds? NFL Draft Scout projects him as a first-round prospect, and quite honestly it would be surprising if the Giants draft a running back at No. 23, not with other more pressing needs at tight end, offensive line and linebacker.

A more realistic scenario would see the Giants drafting a running back either late on Day 2 (third round) or early on Day 3 (fourth round).

Moreover, the running back they do select will almost certainly be a power back to complement Perkins' running style.

One such candidate who would fit the bill is Clemson's Wayne Gallman, 6'0", 215 pounds. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein's scouting report on Gallman's running style is sure to pique the interest of Giants fans who have suffered through numerous short-yardage conversion failures or who are tired of seeing the team's running backs being so easily brought down to the ground:

"

Has quality burst through line of scrimmage to rip through arm tackles and attack the second level. … Keeps feet grinding through second level contact. Uses shoulders as legitimate weapons of force against would-be tacklers. Creates additional yards through functional wiggle. … Trusted option on fourth and short situations. Decisive in the red zone and brings some attitude with him.

"

According to Pro Football Focus, Gallman's 3.0 yards after contact per attempt average in 2016 was better than any Giants running back's average last year. (For comparison, Perkins and Jennings, both of whom had at least 100 rushing attempts, averaged 2.24 and 2.01 yards after contact per attempt respectively.)

Defensive End: Tanoh Kpassagnon, Villanova

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

The Giants wrapped up negotiations with defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, their franchise player, whom they will now have lining up opposite of Olivier Vernon through 2020.

That doesn't mean that the Giants are done with the defensive end spot, though. As witnessed last year, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo leaned heavily on his dynamic duo.

Per Pro Football Focus, Vernon played in 94.1 percent of the team's defensive snaps, a new career high.

Until an injury cut short his season by four games, Pierre-Paul logged 90.9 percent of the defensive snaps, his second-highest career total (he logged 91.1 percent of the snaps in 2014).

A big part of the reason why the Giants had to lean so heavily on those two defensive ends is that behind them, there was a drop-off. Kerry Wynn, Romeo Okwara and Owa Odighizuwa combined for just 267 snaps, with none of the three showing consistency in run defense and the pass rush.

If the Giants truly want to win it all, they're going to need a third defensive end to complete the puzzle.

While it's still possible that one or more of Wynn, Odighizuwa and/or Okwara might take that leap forward in 2017, it would not be surprising if the Giants add a defensive end to the mix, especially if they are unable to get an outside linebacker to beef things up in the second level.

The problem is if they do want a top-notch defensive end out of this defensive line-rich draft class, they will probably have to move on one within the first two rounds.

Derek Barnett, 6'3", 259 pounds, of Tennessee, is a prospect who fits the Giants' prototype, but he might not last beyond the first round.

A sold backup option that could be there in the second round is Tanoh Kpassagnon, 6'7", 289 pounds, of Villanova, whom NFL Draft Scout compared to Pierre-Paul.

NFL Draft Scout projects Kpassagnon as a third- to fourth-round prospect, while NFL.com's Lance Zierlein notes that Kpassagnon could use some more strength in his lower body to better hold his ground.

Defensive Tackle

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Regardless of what happens with defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who remains unsigned as of March 20, the Giants might want to add another defensive tackle to the mix for down the line.

Currently, the team has Robert Thomas and Jay Bromley for depth behind Hankins (if he re-signs) and Damon Harrison.

While Bromley and Thomas are solid rotation guys, neither is signed long term—Thomas signed earlier this month as an exclusive rights free agent, which puts him under contract through 2017 and Bromley's rookie deal expires after this season.

A potential 3-technique candidate is Tulane's Tanzel Smart, 6'1", 296 pounds. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein writes that Smart "lacks desired size and length, but his quickness and disruptive nature lead to consistent production week in and week out."

NFL Draft Scout, meanwhile, projects Smart as a fourth-round draft prospect, but given Smart's performance at the Senior Bowl, in which he posted two tackles as a starting defensive tackle for the South, putting his quickness off the ball and good body positioning on display, he showed he could be disruptive.

Over his four-year college career, Smart racked up 183 tackles (102 solo) with 39.5 tackles for a loss. He also recorded 9.5 sacks, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Unless otherwise noted, all advanced analytics are from Pro Football Focus and all draft prospects' heights and weights, and analysis are from NFL.com's Combine section. 

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