And I challenge you to really think about this one prior to posting something in response.
There is a notion out there that several teams are looking to trade DOWN in this class because of the depth. Yes, indeed there is a lot of depth. But in situations such as these, I always look for the value the exists in the shadows, the opportunities that are overlooked. The question is....
Who would you trade UP for? NYG may sit within striking distance of a few players that could really elevate the level of this team in year one. Being almost done with my grading process, here is my tentative list.
Trade 1st AND 2nd
In a normal draft, that could get NYG up to the 6-7 area of round 1. Perhaps in this draft, NYG could creep up to 5-6?
Sammy Watkins - WR/Clemson
I would trade up for Watkins in a heartbeat. Even though the depth of this WR class is unusually high, Watkins owns the top tier and resides there by himself. He is an NFL-ready playmaker that could help in a lot of ways. NYG needs a WR for the outside and a guy that can make things happen after the catch. Watkins does both at a really high level. He'd be a stud in this offense.
JaDaveon Clowney DE/South Carolina
I still think he is a lock for the top 3 but I would there is still a little part of me that can see him escaping the top 5 if these teams are QB-hungry at the top. Clowney has his questions regarding effort and consistency. But if NYG could bring him in by trading their 1st and 2nd roudners, you did it in a heartbeat. The pass rush is currently an issue for this team and they have not upgraded it at all.
Trade 1st and 3rd
I think this could get NYG up to the 8-9-10 area this year
Khalil Mack - LB/Buffalo
I hesitated on this one, because I may end up willing to trade a 1 and 2 for Mack. He is much better in coverage than I initially thought. Mack has a natural feel for the game and it shows all over the field. His greatest strength is rushing the edge, we all know that. But he is a nice tight-space player as well with the ability to get off blocks and pursue. His talent would be a nice addition to the Giants defense.
Jake Matthews - OT/Texas A& M
I like Matthews a lot because of how reliable he will be. I don't view him as a star, as I think his ceiling is limited. He doesn't have a huge power presence and he doesn't have elite movement ability. But he is and will be a guy that consistently gets the job done on either side of the line.
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Who would YOU trade up for, and why?
Sammy Watkins in a heartbeat. He will make Cruz twice as productive especially if he plays the slot
That, to me, would mean you are getting a Strahan/Eli type guy... And those are awfully hard to find.
I wouldn't trade up in Round 1 for anyone; it would cost too much.
Its all about.. its a deep draft its a deep draft. You can find a wide receiver in round 2 3 and 4.
Fuck that bro! Watkins is a sure fire thing. Point blank, period. No argument. Its undisputable. He can do it all. Hes the best wide receiver to come out since AJ Green. He has a second gear to run by corners, he has that absolutely tremendously rare ability and skill to high point the football for a receiver of his size, he plucks the ball out of the air and is a hands catcher in the purest sense of the definition (unlike other guys like kelvin Benjamin and marquise lee and even ebron while we're at it), he can separate on breaking routes, and although he isn't truly NFL ready in terms of how to get off press coverage and things of that nature - he has athletic traits that serve him well down the line once he sees more of that in the league
If it takes a 2, I don't care how deep this draft is, I'm trading up and doing it. Watkins is the type of player that can change your franchise, he's the type of guy you can build your offense around. You're talking about a perennial pro bowler and an all-pro if he stays healthy. There is no offensive player in this draft but Watkins that can change an offense like he can. I don't think the Jets remembered the 2nd round pick they gave up for Revis. The cowboys gave up a 2 for Claiborne and the dolphins gave up a 2 for dion Jordan. Its very plausible that is all the giants have to give up since this draft is highly regarded for its depth. The fact that the draft is so highly thought of and deep only helps the case for trading up since you don't have to give up a lot
Make it happen New York Giants!
Now..If the scouts feel next years draft class is thin in talent and depth, I'd be willing to trade picks from next year while allowing us to get our player we want. Basically keeping our picks from this year to draft talent.
And please take a look at draft classes over the past few years and figure out the percentage of 2nd/3rd rounders that actually perform for multiple years at a high level. The number won't be good....
And please take a look at draft classes over the past few years and figure out the percentage of 2nd/3rd rounders that actually perform for multiple years at a high level. The number won't be good....
Well as in the tram has loaded talent so they want to make an attempt to solidify a blue chip player. This draft that has very good depth. I don't see the benefit of trading up to get a player when we have so many holes. I don't see that as effificient at all.
If analysis shows next years class isn't strong then use those picks otherwise no thanks in trading up. However in your hypothetical I always liked Watkins. But I wouldn't trade him for anyone. Stay pat at 12 and see who drops. We will be getting a good player no matter what.
I am not aggressive in nature to wheel and deal like that. I would see what happens and what we give up and for who. Let's see how this draft unfolds.
May be tremendous value, but not the right year to do it.
1st Round - WR Sammy Watkins
3rd Round - TE CJ Fiedorowicz
4th Round - C Russell Bodine
5th Round - DE Will Clarke
5th Round - RB James White
6th Round - No clue
Sign TE Jermichael Finley once he is cleared to a one year deal. Also sign a veteran swing T as insurance policy.
Manziel
Carr
Bortles
Watkins
Clowney
Matthews
G. Robinson
Lewan
That leaves only two teams before we pick. So we one of Ebron, Mack & Barr will be there. I could see a team taking Barr before Mack. Some GMs might be scared to take a guy who played for Buffalo over a guy with a similar playing style who played at UCLA.
Plus....draft picks are bargains from a cap stand point.
One can also feel we have 3-4-5 holes....OL, TE, WR, DT, DE.
We need the picks
You may lose picks trading up, but there's also a better chance players selected are more productive/better than in years when the draft isn't so deep.
So it is definitely a possibility that he could trade up. Plus this offseason has been a whole lot different then most off seasons. So anything can definitely happen.
1st & 2nd
Clowney - More athletic than JPP and only just turned 21.
Robinson - Dominating run blocker - changes the OL for a decade. Does someone fall in love with Matthews and let him fall?
Watkins - Shorter Julio Jones, just as good at everything else, maybe even better RAC.
Mack - Big time defensive playmaker.
1st & 3rd
Matthews - Excellent tools and carries the most valuable name in football.
It's pretty crazy to think that theres a good chance at least 1 of those top 4 guys is sitting there at 6 or 7.
So it is definitely a possibility that he could trade up. Plus this offseason has been a whole lot different then most off seasons. So anything can definitely happen.
it was maclin, the deal they had in place with Detroit was for maclin. heyward-bey was the 'wtf pick' in the top 10, they couldn't have traded up for him. but your point is a good one
2. Pass Rusher
3. OT
4. CB
5. WR
That is my list of importance. Since the Giants don't need a QB, if a pass rusher were to fall, they might move up for that. If Greg Robinson falls, they might move up for him. I wouldn't move up from where they are picking for any other position. Darrelle Revis was the 14th pick in the 2007 draft and I don't think that draft was particularly strong. The Giants should be able to get a great, if not the best, CB/WR picking twelfth.
Prior to the draft and the Raiders taking him at 7 or 8 we were interested in moving up to around 18-20 for him. He was supposedly our favorite WR in the draft. Obviously once he went that high they wanted to make a move for Maclin. Either way it shows Reese has interest in trading up and if he didn't get picked right before we would have actually made the deals to move up.
Im still not convinced that one of the top 3 tackles wont be there at 12, so, I wouldn't trade up for Matthews.
Prior to the draft and the Raiders taking him at 7 or 8 we were interested in moving up to around 18-20 for him. He was supposedly our favorite WR in the draft. Obviously once he went that high they wanted to make a move for Maclin. Either way it shows Reese has interest in trading up and if he didn't get picked right before we would have actually made the deals to move up.
Yeah you're probably right, mike said the giants were really interested in heyward-bey as the draft was really close. nobody saw him getting taken before crabtree and maclin dropping that far as a result of it. if you're right that means that trading up was a pre-determined thing which would be really interesting if true. I just assumed they wanted to trade up for maclin because he unexpectedly drop. thankfully they 'settled' for nicks hehe
Mack could be good. But not a sure-fire perennial pro bowler by any means
Matthews might be worth giving up a third because he likely could come in and start if Beatty falters again, which is highly likely imo
The problem is, I suspect other GMs would outbid Reese in that scenario. By all accounts, Clowney is a much better prospect than Jordan; the Falcons, who appear to covet him, are armed with the 6th and 37th picks and a proven appetite for trading up. Besides, if the Jaguars are thinking QB, they will completely lose control of their choices by dropping behind Cleveland, Oakland, Minnesota and Tennessee. (Even the Vikings, at #8, might hesitate to drop down to #12 because the Titans could snag their target at #11.) If the Jaguars aren't thinking QB and don't like Clowney, they will have better options at #3 than trading down cheaply (Robinson, Watkins, Matthews, etc.)
Still, I think Sy's guesses are about right with regard to how far the Giants could jump by giving up their second- or third-round pick. As for who would be worth it, I don't watch enough CFB to have a useful opinion. I'd give up the second-rounder for Clowney or the third-rounder for Watkins or Mack, but I doubt either of those prices would be sufficient and I'm mostly relying on others' assessments of those players.
As a consolation, if none of this is possible, I'd stay put at #12 and draft Aaron Donald. This guy will be a fantastic addition to any NFL team. I bet his play will be just as noteworthy as Clowney's will be.
1st Round - WR Sammy Watkins
3rd Round - TE CJ Fiedorowicz
4th Round - C Russell Bodine
5th Round - DE Will Clarke
5th Round - RB James White
6th Round - No clue
Sign TE Jermichael Finley once he is cleared to a one year deal. Also sign a veteran swing T as insurance policy.
OT Greg Robinson
DE Jadeveon Clowney
OT Jake Matthews
OLB Khalil Mack
WR Sammy Watkins
Would you rather Greg Robinson, Matthews, or Watkins vs say Evans and Antonio Richardson... To me give me the surer bet and better player.
Unless the guy is a Jerry Rice/Larry Fitzgerald/Randy Moss type of talent, and this kid is from what I've seen. He's the whole package - speed to burn, hands, hands catcher, route runner, size, did I mention burst?
Reminds me most of Randy Moss minus the mememe. Interviews well too, no Prima in this donna...
If Eli does not have protection, and if the OL can not open running lanes for the RB's, all of the other choices, while good ones, will not help in getting us back to respectability this upcoming season.
Then again, "if a frog had wings, he would not bump his rump, when ending a jump".
I'd also move the 12 pick and a second rounder next year to grab Watkins around 5-6. I would much prefer that to trading this year's second or third rounders away.