When ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released version 1.0 of his 2020 NFL mock draft, the New York Giants selected Clemson outside linebacker Isaiah Simmons — a pick that made complete sense for Big Blue.
However, Kiper made a massive change in his second mock draft, which was released on Tuesday morning.
Rather than taking an offensive tackle, defensive end or linebacker, Kiper now has the Giants investing yet another high pick into the cornerback position, this time taking Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah at No. 4 overall.
So if Tagovailoa jumps into the top three, that means the Giants could choose between Okudah and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, whom I mocked to New York in my first projection of picks 1-32. And after the Giants cut Janoris Jenkins in December, cornerback surged to the top of the team’s needs. First-round pick DeAndre Baker had a rough rookie season, racking up nine penalties and getting burned badly at times. Let’s get Okudah to New York in this scenario, locking down one side of the field with the clear top corner in this class. Edge rusher and offensive tackle are also positions this team must address in the offseason.
The Giants, of course, have invested a lot in the position beyond just DeAndre Baker, who really cleaned up his game down the stretch and played substantially better.
In addition to Baker, the Giants also spent picks on Corey Ballentine and Julian Love, who has seen time at each defensive back position, in 2019, while also dropping a third-round pick on Sam Beal in the 2018 Supplemental Draft.
That group was added to a roster that also featured Grant Haley and Antonio Hamilton, who is slated to become a free agent in March.
With an abundance of needs in the trenches, would it be smart for the Giants to spend their first-round pick on yet another cornerback? If the team can’t generate a pass rush, it really doesn’t matter how talented their cornerbacks are — no one in the league can cover a receiver for 7-10 seconds.
What do you say, Giants fans? Thumbs up or down on the extremely talented Okudah at No. 4?
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