The mock draft season is in full swing and New York Giants fans are dreaming big with the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
Experts are also dreaming big, but many are being pragmatic as is Pro Football Focus’ Austin Gayle, who is keeping a level head with the Giants’ selection at No. 4.
4. NEW YORK GIANTS – WR JERRY JEUDY, ALABAMA
Giants’ faithful is begging for the team to address the pressing need at offensive tackle at No. 4 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, but Jeudy is a better prospect than every offensive tackle in this class. Rookies, especially rookie offensive linemen, don’t fill pressing needs. Over the past five NFL seasons, only nine rookie offensive tackles have played 400-plus snaps and earned overall grades above 70.0. None have earned an overall grade above 82.0. Don’t address pressing needs in the draft; just draft the best players available.
Depending on how Jerry Jeudy works out this offseason, Gayle is right. Why not take the best available player? Jeudy would be that at No. 4 and he’ll add an extra dimension to the Giants’ dink and dunk offense. Put him in a group that already sports Daniel Jones, Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, Evan Engram, Darius Slayton and Saquon Barkley and the Giants suddenly have a Top 5 offensive war chest.
The downside is — based on this scenario — they ignore the offensive line and the pass rush in the first round again, but as Gayle points out that this is not a great class when it comes to offensive tackles.
And as for passing on Clemson defender Isaiah Simmons, the Giants might consider him a reach since he’s a ‘tweeter’ at this level — not big enough to play linebacker and too big to play safety. Not that he won’t be a good NFL player, but too risky to spend the fourth pick on.
Jeudy could put the Giants over the top on offense. That is, if they can also upgrade on the offensive line. Many believe they can in this draft but not by reaching in the first round. If they do take a lineman in Round 1, it should be with a pick they obtain via a trade back.
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