Giants Draft: OL

I've gone on about the Giants OL issues for years and years. Last year, they made some headway by signing Solder and drafting Will Hernandez in the first round.  That gives them a really strong left side of the OL, and they've already added Zeitler as the new LG, which also really helps.  But they still need to upgrade Right Tackle and Center.  So let's focus on those for right now.  The Giants are lucky that they only need a Right Tackle and don't need a blue goose, though they might end up with one.  That is a guy who can come in and play RT until Solder moves on - and then can flip to LT.  Like Pettigout did.

Jonah Williams of Alabama is the top tackle in the class - or is stacked as such in most mocks.  He is pretty much everything you want, but has short arms and will be more likely to flip to Guard in the NFL than to be a Left Tackle.  Really good player, though and if he's there at 17, wouldn't mind taking him at all.

Florida's Jawaan Taylor is probably next, or will go first among T's. He's the complete package at 6'5"  340 and plus movement. I do think he can probably play LT and might thus go higher than JW. He has played both side before and would be a plug and play starter for the Giants.  He probably should be the first tackle taken.

Andre Dillard from Washington State is 6'4" 315 or so, and seems more like the Mouse McNally type than what Gettleman has been attracted to as a GM.  He could start right away at RTm, but is he the right guy to really upgrade the spot if he's more finesse and less a "powa' brokah."  Because what I'm hoping they favor at RT is a Right Tackle version of Will Hernandez.

Oklahoma's Cody Ford might be that guy. Cody's 6'3" and 329, but is both surprisingly nimble and mean. His height might have some teams projecting him to Guard, but he can more than do the job - long term - at RT for the Giants.  He could be there at 17.

The Giants have had 3 meetings with Mississippi's Greg Little.  He's 6'5" but only 310. His effort has been questioned at times and he's been seen as a career underachiever, who had a solid final season. Perhaps the three meetings have been to really see if he's worth taking or if he even loves football.  We'll see.

Dalton Risner from Kansas State has huge hands, is 6'4" and 314. He's a good run blocker who has also played Center.  Don't know if he has enough sand in his pants for the Giants.  Or he might just be a Center, to them, who can kick out when needed.


Another guy the Giants like meeting with is Tytus Howard from Alabama State. He's 6'5" and  322 with some room to grow.  He strggled at times at the combine, but, man, does he seem projectable.  I think he might take some time, but if he's got the head for it, it can be a starting T somewhere.

So, I'd vastly prefer the Giants take someone from this "top group" at tackle than to wake up after the long wait between the 37th and 95th picks and take someone like West Virginia's Yodny Cajuste or someone like that. That would mean more Remmers and less upside.

Now the Draft also features a number of C's who would improve the Giants fortunes there.  Though, again, we come back to the Eric Brown question.  He's the undrafted C they signed after the draft last Spring and who managed to stay on the 53 man roster all year long. If they see him as the fuure starter.  But since they reupped the uninspiring duo of Pio and Pullley, we have to imagine Brown is still not pencilled in, so we must look.

Garrett Bradbury, from NC State,  might be the top guy.  He's 6'2" and 306, and a nifty athlete. He's quick and can get out to the second level, like O'Hara used to. His technique is also solid which allows him to anchor better than some bigger players.

Erik McCoy from Texas is another guy who might be the top C. He's 6'3 and 303, but crushed the combine.  He ran a 4.89 40, which is insane for an OL.  He repped out 29 on the bench.  His 3 cone was over 8, so he can't run the who route tree, but he has strong hands and some room to grow. He's played C, G and T over his Texas career.  Interesting guy if they decide to grab a C at 17 or 37.

Elgton Jenkins is a really athletic, big handed C from Mississippi State. He's 6'4" and 310 and really gets to the second level.  He could be a great value at 37, but will almost certainly be gone by 95.

Ohio State's Michael Jordan, might not be a pug and play C, but he can back up G, too, if he takes some time to take the job.

C-G Ross Piershbacher from Alabama can also back up C and G while he learns, unless he can beat out the flotsam we already have during camp.

C-G Connor McGovern from PSU has blocked for Saquon before and we'll see if that matters.  He might be able to get any of these last 3 at 95 where, if they can become starters, would represent nice value.

Anyway, there are more C's and certainly G's who will be made into C's in this draft.  I'd prefer the Giants pick from this list, unless Eric Brown is the guy, or they can find some other gem.

Btw, the Giants have also spent some time with the Wisconsin guys, but they seem sort of generic, and will either become regulars where they land of be backups.

Let's hope they find their Right Tackle and their C, and let's hope they hit one of them on Day 1.