The Giants did not have a Round 4 pick due to the trade for Landon Collins, but they used their remaining picks to get some players who may be able to stick on the roster. Overall, this was as good a Draft as we have been able to assess here in 8 years of coverage. Last year we did not understand just how crazy good Odell Beckham was, so that draft is likely to stand the test of time. This Draft in 2015 will not likely come as close in impact because Beckham just dwarfs everything else period. But in terms of our assessment of the players taken versus where we ranked them, the Giants did extremely well.
The trade up to secure Landon Collins made this draft. This is the case, not because Collins is projected to be anything more than a solid starter, but because the Giants got a solid player at a position of enormous need. They accomplished this at the 33rd slot, 9 slots later than we had him ranked, so they got value too. If the Giants, for example, had to move up 20 spots instead of 7 and had to give up more significant picks to get him, it would have diluted the effort. The price to move up was not exactly cheap, but for what the Giants did, it was manageable. We tweeted this idea on Friday morning and as it turned out, Reese was out in front thinking the same thing.
Would love Landon Collins or Eric Rowe at 40. If Collins gone at ~35, would trade up small 4 picks to get Rowe. #NFLDraft
— Andy Furman (@UltimateNYG) May 1, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe Giants got certainty and made it happen at 33, not taking any chances. It was aggressive, it was decisive, and it got them a Strong Safety that can start this September.
Speaking of Safety, that is a nice segue into today’s picks. With the Round 5 pick, the Gmen took a Free Safety from Texas, Mykkell Thompson. Some are already panning the pick because they are questioning why the Giants wasted a R5 pick on a guy who thought he was going to be a UFA. Well, the Giants did not think so, and frankly neither did we. We like the pick. Thompson has great measurables, with fantastic speed for a Safety. He has good range. Sure, he needs to be coached up, but what 5th Rounder doesn’t?! He needs to learn route trees and responsibilities. He also needs to gain 10-15 lbs, but his frame can do that. So if there is execution on his part, he has the potential to be a bargain in Round 5. We would give him a mid to late Round 4 grade, despite what the “UFA” talk implied.
The Round 6 pick is a head scratcher for Wonder. He did not understand the pick for the same reasons discussed in most evals, namely that there is not NFL speed. Coughlin admitted as much in the post draft interviews, pointing WR Geremy Davis squarely at special teams and nothing more. That is pretty unusual to be so candid and blunt about a player’s (lack of) upside. For Wonder’s part, he urges UFA Devante Davis, who has much more potential with the same size.
Wonder gave an endorsement of the Round 7 pick, Offensive Lineman Bobby Hart. He agrees with the conventional wisdom, namely that Hart is too slow to play Tackle in the NFL, so make him a Guard. I am sure that is what the Giants have planned. He is 20 years old, a baby, so the die is not cast- make him a (run-blocking) mauler.
Summary of Day 3 picks: Thompson and Hart have the ability to make your squad (as more than just 1-2 year special teams players). This is high praise from Wonder, who is generally quick to pass negative judgment on these fringe picks. Mind you, he is not as effusive as he was with (as an example) Devon Kennard last year. But we think that these 2 draft choices have a shot, and that is a lot from a R5 and R7 selection.
(Addition Sunday AM 5/3)- The barren desert wasteland that is the NY Giants draft process and Linebacker continue. Zero selections in 2015 for a unit that is perpetually undermanned. Given the lack of depth (ie Beason oft-injured), we would have expected more resources committed to LBer. In a 9 year tenure, the Giants have delivered one single legitimate player at this position, last year’s pick of Devon Kennard. It used to be that I asked for when the next Round 1 selection of LBer would take place (31 years and counting). Now, I just ask for them to draft LBer in ANY round. Passing league or not, this position still exists in the NFL, the last time I checked.
UFA: Get Brandon Bridge and Devante Davis signed!
Summary of the Overall Draft: The Giants may have been able to land 2 OLmen, 2 Safeties and 1 DE. If they convert on 4 of them, it would be a tremendously successful draft. They addressed a lot of need and got players who also have excellent potential in Flowers and Odighizuwa. The absence of significant resources selected for WR also tells us that Cruz is likely rehabbing well. Onward to OTAs!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
