New York Giants
Draft selections: Andrew Thomas, OT (Round 1, 4th overall); Xavier McKinney, S (Round 2, 36th overall); Matt Peart, OT (Round 3, 99th overall); Darnay Holmes, CB (Round 4, 110th overall); Shane Lemieux C/G (Round 5, 150th overall); Cameron Brown, LB (Round 6, 183rd overall); Carter Coughlin, Edge (Round 7, 218th overall); T.J. Brunson, LB (Round 7, 238th overall); Chris Williamson, CB (Round 7, 247th overall); Tae Crowder, LB (Round 7, 255th overall)
The third draft of the Dave Gettleman era in New York may have not been as meme-worthy as the previous year, to the dismay of some, but a slew of important draft additions could help jump start of the Daniel Jones era even more.
Three of the first five team selections were along the offensive line, including University of Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, taken fourth overall.
The team’s offensive line was always inconsistent in 2019, ranking 25th out of 32 teams, according to Football Outsiders’ offensive line rating, potentially stunting the development of the aforementioned Jones, along with star running back Saquan Barkley.
The significant pool of resources to the offensive line brings into question the immediate future of starting tackle Nate Solder, who enters his third season as a member of the Giants after signing what some have called a “disaster” of a contract back in 2018.
A $16 million dead cap hit in 2021 all but makes his spot on the Giants’ roster secure for 2020. However, whether Solder remains the starter moving forward is still uncertain.
The additions along the offensive line may prove pivotal in head coach Joe Judge’s first year in New York, even if it doesn’t make too many headlines in the New York Post.
Giants fans were a bit more elated with the selection of safety Xavier McKinney out of the University of Alabama early in the second round.
The 36th overall pick is yet another weapon in Gettleman’s unyielding effort to bring in more talent to the Giants’ secondary, which also now includes fourth round selection Darnay Holmes, and seventh round cornerback Chris Williamson.
In all, the Giants have drafted a staggering seven defensive backs in the previous two drafts, in addition to the free agent signing of former Carolina Panthers cornerback James Bradberry earlier this offseason.
Xavier McKinney career at Alabama:
— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 24, 2020
984 Coverage snaps
3 TD allowed pic.twitter.com/NSP7YU4RV4
McKinney was a do-it-all mainstay in the University of Alabama secondary, who, along with Bradberry and last year’s first-round selection DeAndre Baker, could potentially solve some of the team’s defensive issues, which gave up the eighth most passing touchdowns in the NFL in 2019.
No team is perfect when it comes to the draft, but New York’s multitude of efforts to improve both the offensive line and defensive secondary at least gives the team more insurance in case some of the selections do not pan out.
What Improved?
Giants fans don’t have to worry about watching the duo of Solder and Mike Remmers try their best to protect Jones, with Thomas potentially bringing true franchise-worthy talent to one of the league’s most valuable positions.
The former Bulldog tackle joins a group of already-formidable starting guards in Will Hernandez and Kevin Zeitler. To top it off, New York gained extra insurance in case of injuries by drafting Matt Peart, who was selected in the third round, and Shane Lemieux in the fifth round.
On defense, McKinney and Holmes can help a defensive secondary group looking for stability. Alongside starting cornerbacks James Bradberry and DeAndre Baker, the Giants’ DB room is deep, if anything else, with McKinney bringing star potential to a defense that has sorely missed it in recent years.
What Didn’t Improve?
Gettleman’s extra commitment to bringing in new offensive tackles and defensive backs left two positions group out in the cold, which were center and edge rush.
Last October, the Giants traded their 2020 third-round selection (68th overall), plus a fifth-round selection (that can become a fourth) in 2021 to the New York Jets for defensive lineman Leonard Williams.
One day before the draft, the team used the franchise tag on Williams as a defensive tackle for $16.1 million (roughly 8.1 percent of the team’s entire 2020 cap space). Unfortunately, the former sixth overall pick hasn’t exactly been a major force for the Giants’ defense, with USA Today still calling the move an “ill-conceived trade.”
Williams is currently contending that designating him as a defensive tackle, rather than a defensive end, is withholding some financial compensation. He filed a grievance with the league on April 23 for the $1.7 million difference in projected compensation.
In addition, the organization used the very ‘rare” unrestricted free agent tender on edge rusher Markus Golden, who led the team in sacks in 2019 with 10.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan recently wrote this about Golden:
"“The “May 5″ tender still allows Golden to negotiate a deal with other teams. The Giants would not receive any compensation if he signed elsewhere, but Golden would count toward the 2021 compensatory pick formula if he signed with another team. If Golden remains unsigned past July 22 (or the start of training camp), he could play for only the Giants this season. The team would maintain the pass-rusher’s exclusive rights at 110% of his previous compensation package, which is $5.225 million.”"
Even if Golden returns, the bulk of talent for the Giants defensive line still rests on stable run stuffers like Williams and 2019 first-round selection Dexter Lawrence. And if Golden signs elsewhere, the situation can become dire quickly.
Shane Lemieux is reportedly cross-training at center, according to Fennelly. But with the coronavirus clouding future training camp schedules, the short-term plan seems to be returning Spencer Pulley as the presumed starting center.
Pulley, a former undrafted free agent, filled in as the emergency starter last season for the Giants after starter Jon Halapio tore his Achilles in Week 17.
The third-round selection lost in the Williams’ trade may sting even more for the organization, considering Temple University center Matt Hennessy, a lifelong Giants fan and New York native, was drafted 10 picks after their original selection by the Atlanta Falcons.