New York Giants: 5 biggest draft needs and prospects to watch
By Sean Dyer
The NFL Draft is fast approaching and the New York Giants still have quite a few needs. Lucky for them, there are plenty of draft options at each position.
New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has not been shy making changes to Big Blue’s roster since taking over in December. He brought in Nate Solder, making him the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman, and traded for Alec Ogletree, finally addressing the Giants’ linebacker position. The Giants also signed potential starters in Jonathan Stewart, Patrick Omameh, and Kareem Martin.
To make room for all of those additions, Gettleman jettisoned Jason Pierre-Paul, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Brad Wing, and Dwayne Harris. Top free agents Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg, and Devon Kennard also signed elsewhere.
After all of that turnover, the New York Giants still have quite a few needs heading into the NFL Draft. Some needs are more dire than others. There are positions that need to be filled for 2018 and others that need to be addressed for the future.
Let’s take a look at the five biggest draft needs for the New York Giants and which prospects they could target at each position:
5. Linebacker
Despite adding Alec Ogletree, the New York Giants need more help at linebacker. Transitioning to defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s 3-4 scheme puts an increased importance on the second level of the defense. Big Blue needs outside linebackers who can rush the passer and inside linebackers to stop the run.
Olivier Vernon is believed to be moving to a stand-up outside linebacker position similar to Chandler Jones with the Arizona Cardinals and Kareem Martin will do the same after following Bettcher to New York. Aside from those two, however, the Giants don’t have anyone who fits a 3-4 outside linebacker role.
As far as the middle of the defense goes, the Giants have Ogletree and B.J. Goodson likely starting with Calvin Munson as a reserve. Ogletree has been one of the league’s best linebackers and Goodson has been solid when healthy, but the problem is he’s struggled to stay on the field. Munson exceeded expectations as an undrafted free agent rookie last year but he’s best suited as a reserve. If Goodson can’t shake the injury bug, Big Blue will need help in the middle.
Prospects to watch: Roquan Smith (Georgia), Tremaine Edmunds (Virginia Tech), Rashaan Evans (Alabama), Marcus Davenport (UTSA), Harold Landry (Boston College), Malik Jefferson (Texas), Uchenna Nwosu (USC), Micah Kiser (Virginia), Josey Jewell (Iowa), Shaquem Griffin (UCF)