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Explaining the Giants' Choices Round 1 -- Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State University If Dalvin Cook showed up to the combine and met expectations based on his film work, he'd be on par with Ezekiel Elliot as a prospect. He may still be, but I do think the poor showing will drop him a little. He, quite frankly, when the Giants came up during this simulation, was on a different tier than anybody else based on my rankings. He's a slashing, patient runner that can explode through holes and take advantage of the tiniest of creases. He plays "greedy" and will fight for yardage. Paul Perkins is a perfect complement to Cook's one-cut style and this running game suddenly transforms from a laughingstock to one that needs to be accounted for and has a ready made offensive rookie of the year candidate. I truly believe that with the additions of Brandon Marshall, D.J. Fluker, and Rhett Ellison, along with the a focus on a more balanced offensive attack, that a player like Cook can flourish. I know a few of you will be upset seeing Malik McDowell left on the board. I can tell you right now that with the information out there, he's a player I'm not taking a risk on in the first round. There are games where he left me speechless with his power and burst, but there's enough smoke out there about his football character to put you at risk for lung cancer. He also blamed his coaching staff to a small degree during the combine. Add to that the fact that he was several times more effective as a base end rather than tackle (where he'd get the most playing time in NY), and it makes for not being super high on my rank list for the Giants. Round 2 -- Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan I went into the second round as "Jerry Reese" with the notion that I wanted an offensive lineman, but I wasn't going to force it. I had second-round grades on Dion Dawkins, Dan Feeney, Taylor Moton, and Dorian Johnson. Moton ended up falling, as Feeney was ranked higher than all of them, and Dawkins fit very well into Denver's zone scheme. Moton might as well be named 'Mountain', as he's a 6-foot-6, 320-pound pile driver with 34-inch arms. Moton is an absolute bully in the running game and is pretty damn good in pass protection as well. Despite being massive, he gets under pads and uproots defensive ends. He's athletic too, and while his footwork is a little sloppy, I don't see it affecting him at tackle. I compare him to Houston's Chris Clark, and Moton has the potential to be a fixture on this offensive line. Do I think he's got all-pro upside? No. Do I think he's going to have a lot of games where we don't mention his name at all? Yes...and that's a good thing. Dalvin Cook up from round 1 just got a little more excited. Round 3 -- Sidney Jones, CB, University of Washington Oh boy. This selection might garner an 'F' grade alone from a lot of people. I can hear the angry hordes seething at the fact that Eli Manning only has a few years left and I just picked a player who will spend the vast majority of the 2017-2018 season rehabbing from a torn Achilles when there were plenty of good corners available after this selection. Well, I can explain. Take a gander at the third-round picks by the New York Giants under Jerry Reese: Darian Thompson, Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Jay Bromley, Damontre Moore, Jayron Hosley, Jerrel Jernigan, Chad Jones, Ramses Barden, Travis Beckum, Mario Manningham, Jay Alford. Not exactly a bunch of world beaters, especially early in their careers. Before his injury, Sidney Jones was a locked in top 20 pick and was my second-ranked CB behind Marshon Lattimore. Jones plays an intelligent and intense brand of football that I liken to one of his predecessors, Desmond Trufant. The Achilles injury will hurt his quickness, sure, but you're drafting him to be an outside corner, not a slot player. It's just a matter of whether or not your team is strong enough at corner to withstand Jones' recovery process. The way I see it is this: in much the same vein as the Cowboys selecting Jaylon Smith in the second round last year. You're trading in a Day 2 pick in 2017 for what you hope amounts to an extra Day 1 talent in 2018. Jones' injury is not unique and it can be overcome. The Giants' corner positions are set for 2017. They have a chance to reload with top end talent in 2018 and I pulled the trigger. Round 4 -- Jalen Reeves-Maybin, OLB, Tennessee "JRM" has an injury history and I know, especially given that I just drafted Sidney Jones in the last round that's the last thing you want to hear. He missed a bulk of his senior season nursing a shoulder injury and that limited his time. However, before that, he was a destructive force for the Volunteers, notching 100+ tackles, 14 TFLs, 6 sacks, and 4 PBUs. He's fully healed from his shoulder injury and he made the decision to go pro after weighing his options. He's a new wave smaller linebacker at 6-feet, 230 pounds but that doesn't stop him from being a good player. I compare him to rookie of the year candidate Deion Jones of the Atlanta Falcons. JRM's junior season was better than any of Jones'. He's instinctive, explosive, and one of the best cover linebackers in the draft. He just needs to bulk up a little and take care of that shoulder. If he can, he's got the talent to not only be a starter on the Giants, but their best linebacker by a good margin. Round 5 -- Noble Nwachukwu, EDGE, WVU You may not have heard of Nwachukwu, but that's okay. He's a good player. He's Olivier Vernon-sized at 6-foot-2, 270 pounds and 33-inch arms but that doesn't limit him. He's got above average burst, nasty hands, and a tremendous motor. He doesn't have quite the production (only four sacks his senior year) but it's not for lack of his ability. He actually reminds me a lot of Romeo Okwara. He's got the same really good burst, but the weaknesses stem from hip stiffness. The Giants wouldn't mind having another Okwara and Nwachukwu could probably take Kerry Wynn's spot. He apparently has a spotless football character too. As per Lance Zierlein, his father died before his game against TCU and he went out there and played like a maniac before leaving the team to be with his family. At the tail end of the draft, you look for guys like this because you know they'll gut it out to try and make the roster. Round 6 -- J.J. Dielman, OL, Utah I went with Dielman because he just fits the mold of a New York Giants lineman. Four-year starter at Utah, with three years as a right tackle and one year at center. Team captain and locker room leader. Plus athleticism around a 6-foot-5, 310-pound physique. He's got similarities to Rodney Hudson with regards to his athleticism and movement skills, especially on screens. He's got to work on functional strength and hand placement however. He's a development pick with upside and has versatility to play all five spots on the offensive line. That alone gives him a strong chance to make the roster as a rookie. Round 7 -- Cole Hikutini, TE, Louisville In an ideal draft, I would have taken a tight end much earlier than the seventh round, but the value never matched up appropriately. Enter Hikutini, who happens to be a physical clone of Will Tye. He was an effective move tight end and a matchup chess piece for Lamar Jackson, picking up 50 catches for 668 yards and 8 TDs. Standing at 6-foot-4 inches and 247 pounds, he's got average athleticism but he's a terrific route runner. He's got great flexibility and can sell his routes well. Matchup issues for a lot of linebackers. He can't block all that well, similar to Tye, and drafting him would essentially give us a cheaper Will Tye replacement in the coming year. |
Moton in rd 2 would be a perfect marriage of value and need.
I'm hoping more for an impact TE but at least he came away with one.
That said, how knowledgeable are these guys (guy) in general?
If he comes back, even on a one year deal and you can basically kick that position down the road next year or beyond.
If Hank leaves, the FA/draft chain of Cofield, Linval, Hank continues on.
I think Hank stays however and I would expect offense, offense and more offense with perhaps a CB and/or DE sprinkled in.
If he comes back, even on a one year deal and you can basically kick that position down the road next year or beyond.
If Hank leaves, the FA/draft chain of Cofield, Linval, Hank continues on.
I think Hank stays however and I would expect offense, offense and more offense with perhaps a CB and/or DE sprinkled in.
Is there a DT worthy of a BPA first rounder at 23?
Probably. He's Kareem McKenzie-esque.
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should be available at our pick?
Probably. He's Kareem McKenzie-esque.
KM like and he'd last to our pick?
Because of injury factor I presume?
Pass...
Don't like drafting injured players and he took two back to back in Rounds 3 and 4.
Back to the drawing board Wile E.
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In comment 13401323 Big Blue '56 said:
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should be available at our pick?
Probably. He's Kareem McKenzie-esque.
KM like and he'd last to our pick?
K-Mac lasted until the 3rd round, but a number of very good RTs went in the 2nd, right around where we pick, like Sebastian Vollmer and Phil Loadholt.
So you think Cook might actually be there at 23, Sy?
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when looking at realism and projections. But I don't think the 3rd and 4th rounders are guys NYG will consider that early
So you think Cook might actually be there at 23, Sy?
RB's do tend to slip on draft day. This is a deep crop so a team needing a RB may choose to wait if they feel they are better off drafting Position X in Round 1 and RB later versus going RB in Round 1 and Position X later if at least two players ranked equally are on their board. His stock is also slipping because he did not do as well as expected at the Scouting Combine and Christian McCaffrey did excellent.
Misgiving about Dielman though. I know our OL is bad but do we really need two picks for that? How many "versatile" guys have actually found a place and done well with the Giants?
How often in the past ten years have they had the opportunity to draft a top-tier Tight End? 2013 comes to mind, but that's about it. Couple that with the fact that this draft is relatively deep at the position (and stocked with more of the "new breed" of move-Tight Ends), and it's conceivable that the Giants will tap one before Day 2 is over.
For years the Giants didn't draft O-Linemen early, and then they did so in three consecutive drafts. Now, they probably still love their DEs, WRs, and CBs early, but the way the game is evolving - and the way TEs have evolved - plus the need to add more playmakers on offense, I would hope that the Giants' philosophy re Tight Ends and the draft has evolved as well.