Dave Gettleman: 'I'm Not Going to Force a Pick' for Giants' Needs in NFL Draft

When the New York Giants go on the clock in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft next Thursday, general manager Dave Gettleman has a selection plan. 

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Gettleman explained the Giants will take the best player available. 

"I'm just telling you: I'm not going to force a pick," he said. "You'll get screwed every time. You'll make a mistake."

Gettleman added there will be "no special category" for a quarterback and the "priority is to select the best players."

New York's offseason has drawn its share of criticism. Even before New York traded Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon to the Cleveland Browns last month, ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan and Dan Graziano noted how poor the team's drafts have been over the previous three years. 

"The Giants have two players remaining from their 2016 draft class, none from 2015 and only Odell Beckham Jr. from 2014," Raanan and Graziano wrote. "They're still paying for the sins of the previous regime led by general manager Jerry Reese and are seemingly adding to the mess by the day."

SNY.tv's Ralph Vacchiano reported in February that Eli Manning will likely be New York's starting quarterback to begin the 2019 season. 

Owning the Nos. 6 and 17 overall picks in the first round this year appears to set New York up to take a quarterback if one is available the team likes. Dwayne Haskins seems a logical fit, but ESPN's Dianna Russini reported (h/t Giants Wire's Dan Benton) people in the organization have said the Ohio State star "doesn't fit with us."

Gettleman is entering his second season as New York's general manager. The team went 5-11 last season and has missed the playoffs six times in the past seven years.