Once again, Colin of the Great Blue North Draft Report has kindly agreed to answer questions from BBI members about the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft.
Please try to limit your questions to one or two per poster unless new questions are not forthcoming. We want everyone to get a chance to participate.
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Thank you for your cooperation and thank you Colin!
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Henry - If available at #40, is he not a compelling pick?
Repeated from the earlier thread.
That being said.. what can the Giants do to tailor their defense to match the type of players that are coming out of college now which seem to be more suited to a 3-4?
1) upgrade the pass rush, preferably at DE but they could go for a DT with the quickness to get into the backfield (especially if ass I suspect we are going to see a major in the Giants defensive philosophy next year away from TC’s somewhat – well actually very – conservative read-and-react two-gap approach to a more aggressive one-gap attacking style).
2) get faster in the defensive back 7
3) add a impact skill guy on offense at either WR, TE or RB to compliment what Odell brings to the table.
So in that sense njm, I would think that a player like Hunter would be an interesting option in the 2nd as just about every team that runs a successful spread has a really good receiving option at TE.
Thanks for answering our questions.
Also, do you see a change in the NYG draft philosophy which seems to have emphasized the DE, WR, CB positions for the last several years?
Might we consider TEs, LBs in premium draft slots?
Last off topic question: Sullivan will be the OC we've just learned. Thoughts?
1. Which DEs do you see as a fit for the Giants
2. Is this a year that one of the athletic LBs could be in play for the Giants in rounds 1 or 2?
3. The Giants need to find their version of a coverage FS. Like a Kenny Philips type. Who fits that mold in the draft this year?
Listenbee is a true burner on the field but production isn't there. What are your thoughts on him and where do you see him going in this draft?
Is he a possibility in round 3 for NYG?
Emil: The problem for the Giants at DE is that its just not that great a year at the position, although at this time Lawson, Ogbah and maybe even Jon Allen of Alabama will be close to top 15 targets. Meanwhile, the Giants might like to add soem speed at LB and FS but they aren't really strong either. Indeed, LB is almost a wasteland while the best safeties are more SS types. So I would think the odds are you address some of those issues in free agency.
The Giants are going to let go some players at DT, including Jenkins and Kuhn. I'm sure Montori Hughes and Louis Nix will be invited to camp, but we need more at that position, especially with Hankins coming back from a torn pec.
Nkemdiche is going to fall. Jarran Reed also had a DUI. Any chance either is available in round #2, and if so, should the Giants consider them? We seem to be moving away from such players.
Also, what do you think about Vincent Valentine, the DT from Nebraska, as a day three pick in the middle rounds? He seems like a good run stuffer. Thanks.
Ballhawking FS are always hard to find but becoming more and more important with all the deep passing in the NFL right now. Jaylen Ramsey and Eddie Jackson seem like the best 2 candidates. Do you see either comparing favorably to recent prospects like Clinton Dix?
Last year, some around Rutgers felt he was a better NFL prospect than Anthony Davis.
Beatty could be out the door. We need OT help. What are your thought on Lumpkin as a prospect and where he fits in this draft?
He's entered the draft.
Without commenting specifically on the Giants drafts (which I assume you may want to avoid), are there methods you use or support that you feel accurately assess a given teams performance in a draft (recognizing a good evaluation needs to wait 2-3 years)?
I'm also curious what happens with Ryan Nassib. He's a FA after this year, so this would be the last year to trade him. I still think drafting him was the right decision. My guess is that they'll also just keep him, even though he'll leave next year. I am curious what they could get for him. He's never played meaningful snaps in a regular season game, but a lot of teams had a low first or high second round grade on him coming out of the draft. He's also healthy, and has at least been in the league for three years. It's not a great year for QBs IMO. Goff is the best, but he needs to add weight. Lynch is a bit of a project. Then there's Cook and the kids from North Dakota State and N.C. State. I wonder if somebody would offer a three for Nassib, and if the Giants would take it. My guess is that the Giants would pass.
Ryan: Stanley is clearly a top 10 prospect but could slip because like the Giants most of the teams picking 5-10 have bigger needs on defense. If he were there he'd be tough to pass on as he's probably an even better LT prospect than Flowers. There are some other OT candidates in the opening round like OSU's Taylor Decker and Jack Conklin of Michigan State, but as I said I don't see the Giants going into the draft necessarily targetting the OL. And Jeff, Floyd could conceivably make the shift to 4-3 OLB but he's no where near as fast or athletic as Miller or Msck (who by the way plays almost exclusively at DE) and I am not dsure why one would try that.
A) With Ryan Nassib's contract coming up after this season, I wonder if the Giants last real chance to move him would be on draft day. Could his value go up if a team missed on a QB they were looking for - despite Nassib's lack of reg. season game experience?
B) Are there any QBs with NFL-starter potential that could be on worth a look in the 6th and 7th rounds. A guy I kind of like is BYU's Taysom Hill.
What do you think of Sheldon Rankins? Who are some of your favorite pass-rushing DTs this draft season?
Also, what do you think of Tajae Sharpe?
If the Giants alter (not change but alter) their defensive philosophy as you suggest. (I assume more of a Ravens style, attacking front?) Would you see Buckner fitting in that scheme and being a disruptive player?
Will they finally draft an LB in the first 2 rounds to address the lack of athleticism they posses in the middle of the field that teams have consistently attacked as long as I can remember? To me that is the next biggest priority after addressing pass rush.
I think he's the best RU pro prospect including WR Carroo. We'll see but I think people are underestimating him at this point. I expect a big move up as we move along the draft process.
What positions would you target in the first three rounds if you where the Giants?
Thanks
Motown: Rulke #3 of the draft is you can't take a guy who's not there and I am not really sure there is that kind of LB available in this year's draft. (Of course, if you don't have any athletic pass coverage LBs there is no rule you actually use them EVERY DOWN and maybe you put extra DBs out there or some such).
Don't expect the Giants draft philosophy to change much with TC gone. As noted above McAdoo et al seem to be closer in style and philosophy to what the FO is looking for TC. Its hard to make sense of what actually was going but there did seem to be a disconnect between the FO and TC when it came to picks. Given that TC was very involved in the process its hard to know what was going on, but there were undercurrents of unhappiness on both sides.