The New York Giants are entering a crucial off-season. They have lost 10 or more games in four consecutive seasons in the league that basically does not allow such ineptitude.
The current system is configured so that teams can recover after three lost seasons. The Giants, under the direction of general manager Dave Gettleman, did not follow the script and paid the price.
The draft strategy cannot be defined until they see what happens at the free agency. If they happen to catch one – or both – of your defensive line players and add an offensive ace in free agency, your draft strategy in the first three rounds will naturally change.
Anyway, there are players that they just can’t help taking 11th place overall. Here are four of them.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
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Kyle Pitts is expected to be the main target of the Giants in April. It is a firm-tipped prototype in an alloy that places a high value on position. The giants may be saying good things about Evan Engram, but the reality is that he cannot be trusted. They’ll take Pitts in a heartbeat here – and they should.
In many simulated draft simulations, Pitts lasts for 11th position and teams will be eager to negotiate to obtain it. My advice is to weigh any deal that offers a first round before choice 25 plus two other choices in the first 100. Otherwise, Pitts is a giant. It will provide Daniel Jones with a solid target that will move the chains and open things in the red zone.
Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
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Patrick Surtain will probably be on the board when the Giants are on the timer at number 11. Unless they are satisfied with their second place in the outer corner of the moment, taking Surtain makes a lot of sense. He would add another possible Pro Bowl level talent to the already talented Giants secondary and free them to pick up players in other positions in the following rounds.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
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Jaylen Waddle has a lot of buzz around him now, which has created some apprehension around taking him. He’s not exactly what the giants need, but I can see them selecting him if he gets out of the Top 10.
Waddle would give the Giants an ace both in attack and in special teams, and we know how much they value special teams. Waddle is a player that opponents will have to plan for, which the Giants do not have at the moment.
Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
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Micah Parsons is one of the top 5 talents that many teams may be reluctant to select due to some dubious problems off the field in college. Whether these reports put you in a free fall or not is another question. If they do, the Giants will have to consider Parsons here. After losing Devin White two years ago by choice, they will seriously debate picking up Parsons, which many believe is a better prospect than White.