The 2021 NFL draft was the final one under general manager Dave Gettleman for the New York Giants.
They were outmaneuvered for their top choice (Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith) by division rivals in the first round and ended up trading back in the order with Chicago from No. 11 to No. 20.
With that 20th overall pick, they selected Florida wideout Kadarius Toney — a selection that would go wrong in so many ways.
Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team recently took a swipe at redrafting the 2021 class. Here’s how he saw it flushing out.
Instead of Smith getting poached one pick before the Giants at No. 10 by Philadelphia, he goes two spots before to Denver. The Eagles take guard Landon Dickerson, a player they would take in Round 2.
The Giants still trade back with Chicago, who doesn’t use the pick to take Justin Fields. Instead, they select offensive tackle Rashawn Slater.
Dallas, at No. 12, takes center Creed Humphrey with Micah Parsons long gone to the Jets at No. 4.
The Giants use the 20th pick on Tennessee guard Trey Smith, who wasn’t selected until the sixth round by Kansas City due to injury concerns.
Trey Smith fell to the sixth round due to a medical issue. But in this re-draft, he goes at pick No. 20 to the New York Giants. Smith is a mammoth offensive guard who has started a combined 60 games (including playoffs) for the Chiefs during the last three years. Smith would really help the Giants’ weak interior offensive line.
Lots to unpack here. Philadelphia flipped picks with Dallas to draft Smith before the Giants could. If Smith was no longer on the board, they likely wouldn’t move up, especially for Dickerson who was not considered top 10 material.
Chicago would not likely have moved up, either. They only did so to take a quarterback (Fields). In this scenario, they take a tackle. Although Slater is a top player, it doesn’t seem likely this would have happened.
As for the Giants taking Smith, who was red-flagged with health issues and was dropped off many a team’s board altogether, Kansas City got lucky that he has been able to bounce back physically to become a top lineman in this league.
The Giants naturally would not have gone with Toney at No. 20 knowing what they know now. Players on the board as per Mosher at No. 20 are cornerback Tyson Campbell, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and edge rusher Kwity Paye.
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