New York Giants: Dave Gettleman’s growing disconnect
By Ed Stein
2019 Draft – Part 2
If that was his only misdeed of the draft, maybe Gettleman could be forgiven.
He blew it again at 17, the pick he got for OBJ, and the spot where he should have drafted Jones to begin with. With several potential impact defensive ends on the board, they surprised everyone again by selecting Clemson DT Dexter Lawrence.
It was a huge reach, Lawrence wasn’t nearly as talented as the DE’s available. Defensive tackle was a position of low need for the New York Giants. In the modern air it out NFL, the man making the decisions for Big Blue is trying to put together a team to compete in the ’80s because he thinks everything hinges on running up the middle. Their 2018 draft of Saquon Barkley over a quarterback (not that I strongly disagree it) was the big tipoff.
If they went with the highest rated player on their board again at 17, something is seriously wrong with that board, and that comes back on Gettleman. His decision to trade up from 37 to 30 for Deandre Baker, a corner who’s man skills are questionable, once again cast doubt on how the G-Men evaluate talent.
Getting a corner at 30 wasn’t a bad idea because there was a run on the position after the Giants pick. The mistake was passing on the player who was the best cover corner in the draft, Greedy Williams.
Meanwhile, they go into 2019 with 35-year-old Antoine Bethea as the starting strong safety, with no heir apparent. Just like the defensive line, Gettleman went with the wrong spot in the unit. Then again as he showed with Collins, good NFL safeties are irrelevant.