Draft Preview

The Giants draft 12th in this week’s 2014 draft.  Coming off of a 7-9 season they need all the help they can get.  As discussed in prior post, we think they did much to address most of the areas of real need in free agency.  The only screaming and obvious need not addressed was tight end, a position that the Giants have not recently emphasized.

That deficiency is why many have mocked Eric Ebron to the Giants.  He is a fast Tight End, with questionable blocking skills that has been compared to Niners tight end, Vernon Davis.  Recently, there has been talk of him slipping in the middle to late part of the first round, potentially to the Jets.

If they were truly going for the best available player it is possible that Taylor Lewan, the Michigan State.  He is a beast of an OT.  The Giants made a big mistake by giving Will Beatty a big long term contact a year ago that may force them to live with him, but it’s hard to pass up a guy who could protect the QBs backside for 10 years.  The safest pick may be Notre Dame Tackle, Zack Martin.  He is known to be able to play almost anywhere on the line.  The Giants, on paper, head into the season with each starters position nominally adequate, but with real potential question marks still at center (will Walton comeback strong after 2 years away), RG –will Snee be healthy and back to anything close to his 2012 form, and LT –will Beatty recover from a bad injury and an even worse 2013 season.  Martin could really provide insurance at all 3 positions.  He is not as talented as Lewan, but his adaptability is helpful. 

The Giants are loaded at quality #2 receivers with Cruz and Randle (who would likely be a late first rounder if he came out now).  Therefore, unless you can get Mike Evans, it makes no sense to get the slightly under elite status receivers that will be available when the Giants pick.  Most think Evans will be gone to Tampa bay at number 7, but if he is available he needs to be considered.  The last option for the Giants is Aaron Donald.  People mention that Joseph left and needs to be replaced.  That is incorrect.  As the big run stuffer, Jon Hankins was brought in last year in the second round and will take that spot.  Donald is a beast and a phenomenal athlete, but the criticism on him is his size (285 lbs).  The truth is he would be the eventual replacement for Cullen Jenkins and would team very nicely with Jonathan Hankins.

Much of the Giants draft situation will be dictated by whether any quarterbacks are taken early in the draft.  They are plentiful and teams think they can get them later in the round, so they may slip.  My best case scenario is a couple of quarterbacks being taken early and good players falling to the Giants.  It seems unlikely.  A dream scenario may be a few available and the Giants drafting Donald and then turning around and trading him to the Bears for their first rounder (14th overall), and collecting significant compensation for that.  Everyone seems to know the Bears would love to add Donald.