Offensive Tackle/Line
We have already discussed OT (Offensive Line) a number of times in earlier installments. Part 1 discussed interest in Andrus Peet and Ereck Flowers. We prefer either of those 2 players over Brandon Scherff, who is discussed in more detail in Part 2 of this April’s prep for the Draft. There a few player comments left blank that will be filled in this week before the Draft. Here is an overall discussion:
Ereck Flowers (2) POTENTIAL. Not 9 overall. Needs more NFL strength but has huge upside. Giants cannot be faulted for taking him at 9, given the weakness of the Draft overall. Huge, can be great run force and great pass protector, given time to develop. Good feet. Good hands. Play him at RT and eventually become a LT. Worst thing that happens is that he is a dominant Guard like Ben Grubbs. His value is in the High teens- Low 20’s because you are still drafting off of potential. But I like him more than most.
TJ Clemmings (3) Huge upside. At 9? No. But he will be ranked by us in the Top 15 because the Draft is so thin after the first 5. Trade down and see if he is one of the players available.
Andrus Peet (3) Higher floor than Flowers, but not as high a ceiling. Not that athletic. A grinder. Big and tough. Strong kid who can block. Solid player. When we talk about trading down from 9 to the teens, this is the kind of player who will (or will not) be there to draft, with that additional draft pick/s as compensation. That makes a nice draft.
DJ Humphries (3) Upside! Like him! Athletic. Can get to the 2nd level. Experience. Good solid pro. I think he will handle the NFL pass rush. No sizzle, all steak. He probably won’t fall to the Giants at 40 in R2, but that would be a home run.
La’el Collins (4)
Cedric Ogbuehi (4) Late R2 early R3.
Jake Fisher (3) Good fit for Giants. Would probably not take him at 40 for the Giants, but definitely 73. When we suggested the Oregon Tackle to former Duck and starting lineman Geoff Schwartz, we got this reply:
@UltimateNYG he’s not lasting till then
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) April 22, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsMaybe we are dreaming, but some of the players fall every year. If the Giants were to trade down to the teens from 9 and pick up another Round 2 pick, that selection would come in the middle part of Round 2… and then picking up a guy like this to play with the rest of the OL is terrific.
Guard/Center
Cameron Erving (3) Center is having a raised importance in today’s passing league. Erving will be ranked higher in our overall list because of this. Nothing in my mind stopping him from being a good solid pro.
Brandon Scherff (4) I am an anti-Scherff guy. He is not going to bust, but he is not going to wow me either. Footwork too slow for Tackle. This is why we intentionally have grouped him with the Guards. I do not think he is particularly strong. At best a (3), probably a (4). Very limited upside. That is why I do not draft him until the end of Round 1. Reminds me of Robert Gallery. See part 2 link above, where we discuss this player more. If he was not so highly touted, we would not be so negative. He’s going to make your team and contribute, but 9 overall has to be something more than that.
AJ Cann (3) Yes Round 2. Poor Man’s Mike Iupati. Physically tough, a mauler. Strong. NFL Ready. He can play. He has upside. If he gets past the Jets and Giants in R2 I’ll be pissed.
Wide Receiver
White and Cooper are at the top, and then comes everybody else. This position is amongst the deepest in the Draft. This plays into the modern day NFL, where more athletes want to be WRs.
Amari Cooper (1) Runs routes on another planet. Great hand eye coordination. Does everything you want from a Pro Football player. Lower ceiling than White but higher floor. Whatever floats your boat on these two. Sure thing. Only thing that I saw that ever was a concern was that he had alligator arms.. selling out over the middle?
Kevin White (1) Upside is off the charts. Mike Evans upside. Stephen Hill downside? No in between. Huge hands, unbelievable speed. Great leaping ability. Can go up to get the ball.
Devante Parker (3) He’ll go R1 but not R1 value. Potential. NFL body. Lesser version of Kevin White in almost every category. In a thin draft, he will be high in my overall ranking but do not misunderstand that there is a wide gape between White & Cooper vs every other WR.
Brashad Perriman (3) Reminds me of Randall Cobb. Speed, quickness, experience. Good pro. But these are the WRs you do not take in R1 because they are not VERY special. Great value for Giants at 40. He will likely go a lot sooner than that, but that just means other players who will serve the Giants needs more.
Devin Smith (3)
Dorial Green-Beckham (3)
Jaelen Strong (3)
Nelson Agholor (3)
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