New York Giants Make Major Reach With Eli Apple Selection

The New York Giants had a major overreach for their first round pick, selecting cornerback Eli Apple despite other highly rated prospects at positions of need being available.

The New York Giants left a lot of people scratching their heads when they handed in their card with the 10th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. With the No.10 overall pick the Giants selected cornerback Eli Apple out of Ohio State. It was a major reach given where Apple was ranked by many draft analysts, and the position was not one of need and they missed on value.

The Giants handed out a big contract to Janoris Jenkins this offseason to play opposite Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. With two starters entrenched on the outside, and both making huge money, it makes little sense to use the 10th overall pick on a third cornerback.

While cornerback was a sneaky need for the Giants, as it is Rodgers-Cromartie, Jenkins and not much else, taking one this high makes little sense. When selecting 10th overall you’d like to land a player that will have a major impact right away; Apple will not provide that for the Giants as he will be the slot corner, at best, for the Giants in the early going.

If Apple was the guy that the Giants were targeting, a trade down would have made sense to make the value match up better. Not only that, but they could have accumulated more picks, something that would help a team such as the Giants that have as barren a roster talent wise as they have. Jerry Reese himself said that there was a chance to move back, and the Giants decided that there wasn’t enough to entice them to do so.

What hurts more than the trade down not happening is that the two players that the Giants supposedly coveted the most, Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin and Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd, went the two picks right before the Giants selected. Reese watched the Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears move up to acquire those picks and steal the players the Giants wanted right from under their nose.

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It was a loss for the Giants on that front, as they missed out on their top targets while landing another one. While Apple looked to have been at the top of their draft board, saying that Apple was “beyond the guys who had some issues,”it makes little sense that he would be taken 10th overall with the other needs the Giants had on their roster.

The move should not come as a surprise though, as Reese has never traded down with 67 selections since becoming the Giants general manager. But, if there ever was a time for him to do it, this would have been it. Reese is under immense pressure to hit during this draft, as John Mara even said that this draft was more important than usual.

But it would be hard to say that Reese is hitting thus far. While Apple has talent, and could blossom into a No.1 corner, he is very raw currently. That is not exactly what the Giants needed, as they could have used an offensive lineman to help keep Eli Manning up right, or a pass rusher to help upgrade the front seven of the defense.

There were two players that would have fit that bill, albeit players with some question marks in Laremy Tunsil and Myles Jack. Both players experienced tumbles down the board, as Tunsil had social media problems arise while the draft was live, and Jack’s knee knocked him out of the first round.

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While both carry risks, one off the field and one on, both would have represented outstanding value at No.10 while filling a bigger need than cornerback. Reese has to hope Apple shows something early and often, or else this could be the last first round pick he makes as the general manager of the New York Giants.