New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman loves to use first-round choices in the attack.
In 2018, he used the No. 2 overall choice in the running back Saquon Barkley.
In 2019, defender Daniel Jones was chosen in sixth place.
In 2020, Andrew Thomas’s offensive attack landed the Giants in fourth place.
Sign up for Giants Extra: Receive exclusive news, behind-the-scenes remarks and the ability to send text messages directly to reporters
So, what do you think Gettleman will do with choice number 11 overall in 2021? ESPN’s Todd McShay got Gettleman to stay on course and select Jaylen Waddle for Alabama’s wide receiver.
The Giants have to put more effort into this attack. They were one of four teams that averaged less than five yards per play in the last season, and their 5.9 yards for a pass attempt came in 29th. However, the 18.9 yards per Waddle catch in the past two seasons have ranked eighth in the country. There is no more dangerous player with the ball in his hands in the draft class, thanks to excellent speed, vision and evasion. And I hope Nick Saban has been glued to the TV, because there are four consecutive Alabama players off the board, including two first-round recipients for the second time in two years.
The Giants are not the only team looking for offensive playmakers in the first round.
McShay projects Florida tight end Kyle Pitts for the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 6, followed by wide receiver LSU Ja’Marr Chase heading to Detroit Lions at No. 7 and wide receiver Alabama DeVonta Smith heading to Miami Dolphins at No 8.
Receive text messages from Giants: Eliminate clutter from social media and text directly with traditional copywriters. In addition, exclusive news and analysis. Sign up for a free trial now.
Thank you for trusting us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a signature.
Mike Rosenstein can be reached at [email protected]. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip on here.