Giants Draft Review, Pt. 1

We're gonna look at the just past draft in a few parts.

In general, NFL Offense is under attack, and it's not under attack from NFL Defenses, it's under attack from NCAA Football Offenses.  The spread offense is making it nigh on impossible to find OL's or QB's who can come in an play or come in and be developed into NFL Offensive Players under the terms of their first QB's.  This will reach a dangerous point over the next several years, because the NFL needs OL's and QB's.

Onto the Giants.

Back in 1979 the Giants took Phil Simms instead of The Throwin' Samoan Jack Thompson.  There was much consternation, but it worked out in the Giants favore.  In 1981 the Giants took a guy named Lawrence Taylor instead of Pitt's Hugh Green.  More consternation, and an immortal player.  And there've been tons of other cases just like that in Giants history.  So I was thrilled Thursday when they took freak hybrid Evan Engram over Miami's Njoku.  Njoku's a marginally better drafter, but and infinitely more limited weapon. And Engram is a weapon.  There's not a TE he reminds me of, but he does remind me of some big WR's like Megatron.  Last year, I thought the Giants had achieved checkmate when they added Sterling Shepard to Odell and Victor Cruz.  Unfortunately, try as he had, Victor was no longer that guy.  So this year, the Giants brought in Brandon Marshall, who may or may not still be in his prime, but immediately backed it up with Engram, who can do all the same things and faster.  So the Giants now have one or two jumbo sized receivers instead of three shorter targets.  Now this really good be checkmate.  Love the pick.

In the second round the Giants took their perfunctory DT, Alabama's Dalvin Tomlinson. No I have nothing against this player and he definitely fills a self inflicted need for the Giants.  I just don't like drafting for need, even if it just is one second rounder, every four years. Fortunately, he was a good value where they got him and this was a pretty weak draft. I would have taken Webb there, but they got him anyway. We'll revisit the situation in three or four years.

To end the first part, I love Eli Manning.  I'm reasonably certain he'd now have three rings instead of two had Plaxico Burress not shot himself and the Giants chances for a repeat in the leg in 2008, but it's become time to start looking for a replacement.  Last year, the Giants O underperformed the standards it had set for itself in the prior season, and part of the reason was that Eli and Odell never seemed to be on the same page.  Enter Davis Webb.  Webb, along with Pat Mahomes were the only two QB's I liked for the Giants this year. And, if he is a make it guy and the next start QB of the Giants, a third round pick will turn out to be a pittance.  KC ended up trading up for Mahomes, thus creating a must succeed situation for management given the price paid.  And the Giants got Webb for a third.  And Webb had been the starter over Mahomes at Texas Tech until he first tore his labrum and then broke his ankle.  If you want to see how good he might someday be, take a look at the 2013 Holiday Bowl, where as an 18 year old he shreaded a very good Defense first, Arizona State team.  

As I reminded everyone last week, the Giants have had really bad luck with their third rounders, so, why not take a gamble on greatness.  You would not believe who Webb reminds me of, but look at his footwork and passes and see if you can guess.