Ideal First-Round Fits for New York Giants in 2017 NFL Draft

Offensive tackle? Linebacker? Running back?

The New York Giants might not have made the type of exciting splash in free agency that they did in 2016, but that doesn’t mean the upcoming draft class won’t be any less exciting to watch unfold.

What the Giants did in filling out most of their support roles via free agency is give themselves a world of flexibility regarding the first pick in the 2017 draft, a pick that probably won’t be determined until the actual draft board takes shape in front of them.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the Giants haven’t begun filling out their rows as far as what prospects they anticipate being there when they go on the clock at No. 23. Let’s look at some of those prospects and why they might be a fit. 

OL Garett Bolles, 6'5", 297 Pounds, Utah

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

The Giants added D.J. Fluker and re-signed John Jerry to be part of their 2017 offensive line. Both Fluker and Jerry have experience playing guard and tackle, and both give the Giants some flexibility as to how the coaches might configure the offensive line for the upcoming season.

However, the Giants still don’t appear to have someone who can step in at left tackle should starter Ereck Flowers once again struggle or, worse yet, is injured.

Utah’s Garrett Bolles, 6’5”, 297 pounds, could be the answer if he falls to New York at No. 23. Although Bolles only played one season (2016) at left tackle for Utah, he allowed just 20 total backfield disruptions (sacks, hits and pressures), per Pro Football Focus.

Despite his inexperience, scouts seem very bullish on Bolles’ potential growth. One such scout told NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein that Bolles is the “Most athletic offensive lineman I've (evaluated) since I took over this area of the country. He's also mean on the field, which you love.”

The scout also said that Bolles will get even stronger once he gets himself into an NFL strength-and-conditioning program.

To be clear, the Giants are probably not going to replace Flowers, not with a decision coming up after this year on whether to pick up his fifth-year option. They probably aren’t going to move Flowers from the left tackle spot, despite the desperate cries of the fan base to do so.

So why even bother with Bolles or any offensive lineman? Because if Flowers and Fluker, the latter of whom is on a one-year “prove-it” deal both don't work out, the Giants will at least have a backup option on board who come 2018 could step into the starting lineup once he adds strength and gains a comfort level with the offensive system.

DE Derek Barnett, 6'3", 259 Pounds, Tennessee

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Except for defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who remains unsigned as of the writing of this slideshow, the Giants have otherwise done a good job at keeping last year’s 10th-ranked defense (339.7 per game allowed) together.

If that unit aspires to crank things up a few more notches, it probably could use a solid third option at defensive end, one who can be as effective rushing the passer as much as setting the edge against the run.

Tennessee's Derek Barnett (6'3", 259 pounds) could be that guy if he somehow makes it to the Giants at No. 23 (a long shot given how Barnett's stock has been rising after the combine).

Per Pro Football Focus, Barnett has recorded double-digit sacks in each of the last three seasons and had 38 stops for zero or negative yardage in each of the last two years against the run.

NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein believes Barnett could even line up as a potential outside linebacker in sub-packages. The Giants, remember, were reportedly eyeing Georgia’s Leonard Floyd (who went to the Bears) to fill a similar type of role last year, per NJ.com's Mark Eckel.

If nothing has changed in that regard, Barnett would be the right fit, plus he could potentially be a guy who can relieve starters Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon, each of whom rarely came off the field last year given what appeared to be a lack of trust from the coaches in the talent behind them.

TE David Njoku, 6'4", 246 Pounds, Miami

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

This year’s tight end class is deep enough that if the Giants don’t come away with one of the two top prospects in the draft, they can probably still get a decent player later in rounds two or three.

Alabama’s O.J. Howard, ranked as the top tight end prospect, per NFL Draft Scout (h/t CBSSports), is probably not going to make it down to the Giants at No. 23, at least not based on the most recent mock drafts reviewed. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has the Titans grabbing Howard at No. 18 in his latest mock draft.

If the draft plays out per the various mocks, a guy who could be on the board for the Giants is Miami's David Njoku, (6’4”, 246 pounds). The Giants have a couple of players who are likely going to be the blockers (Jerell Adams and Rhett Ellison).

Will Tye looks as though he’s slated to be the receiver of the group (Matt LaCosse showed some receiving ability as well, but he needs to stay on the field for the coaches to really figure out what they have in him).

Getting back to Njoku, one of the big appeals of his game is his ability to gain yards after the catch. Last year, 69.1 percent (483) of his 698 receiving yards came after the catch, putting Njoku at the very top of the draft-eligible tight ends in that category, per Pro Football Focus.

Pro Football Focus, which ranks Njoku as its No. 2 tight end in this year’s class, compared him to Jordan Reed of Washington, noting that the young tight end is “extremely effective with the ball in his hands due to a combination of his size, top-end speed and a willingness to just punch a defense in the mouth.”

LB Zach Cunningham, 6'3", 234 Pounds, Vanderbilt

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

A year ago, the Giants were thought to be very much interested in drafting Georgia’s Leonard Floyd to serve as a pass-rushing specialist from the edge, per NJ.com's Mark Eckel.

Floyd never made it to the Giants thanks to the Bears jumping ahead of New York in the draft order.

This year, the Giants have another chance at landing a player who could potentially serve in that joker linebacker role they’ve been trying to fill now since their selection of defensive end Damontre Moore in the third round of the 2013 draft.

That player is Vanderbilt’s Zach Cunningham (6’3”, 234 pounds). Cunningham has 256 career tackles (36.0 for losses), seven forced fumbles and six sacks in three seasons.

A three-down linebacker ideal for a 4-3 attacking defense, per NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, Cunningham is also ranked as NFL Draft Scout’s second-best outside linebacker prospect (h/t CBSSports).

PFF's Steve Palazzolo, in his breakdown of Cunningham's college career, noted that the linebacker’s work in the run game ranked second among SEC linebackers, while his run-stop percentage of 13.4 percent puts him sixth among the nation’s inside linebackers.

RB Christian McCaffrey, 5'11", 202 Pounds, Stanford

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

The Giants don’t draft running backs in the first round very often—the last time they did so was in 2012 when they plucked David Wilson out of Virginia Tech with the 32nd overall pick.

While they’re unlikely to break that trend in a running back-rich 2016 draft class, one player who could tempt them if he’s there at No. 23 is Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey (5’11”, 202 pounds).

McCaffrey’s shiftiness almost reminds one of Ahmad Bradshaw, whose quick-twitch feet helped him to avoid would-be tacklers. In his last two seasons, McCaffrey has rushed for 3,604 yards on 589 attempts—6.1 yards per attempt—and has 961 receiving yards on 83 catches.

Per NFL Draft Scout’s Dane Brugler (h/t CBSSports), McCaffrey has hybrid written all over him thanks to his ability to lineup and find success as a rusher and receiver lined up him up in the backfield, in the slot or outside.

With football being all about getting the right matchups, a versatile player such as McCaffrey would give head coach and play-caller Ben McAdoo lots of new options to explore in helping to revive a rushing offense that averaged 3.5 yards per carry in 2016.

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.