ESPN project analysts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper launched a three-round joint project and launched it just over a week before the start of the 2021 NFL Draft. There have been many rumors about the nature of the 11th New York Giants. ; Dave Gettleman, after eight years of trading, will not finally try to gain value on Day 2 and Day 3, or will stay put and select another blue token player type? Time will tell!
Round 1
This is how the board fell for the two ESPN analysts, Kiper starting the selections:
- Jacksonville: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
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New York Jets: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
- San Francisco: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio
- Atlanta: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
- Cincinnati: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
- Miami: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
- New England (Kiper TRADE with Detroit): Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
- Carolina: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwest
- Denver: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota
- Dallas: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
The desired scenario materialized in this mockery; five defenders were selected, leaving Pitts, Sewell, Chase, Slater and Surtain II, as the other five players were enrolled before the Giants picked at 11. Kiper selected the Giants. He had a choice of either Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, Penn State LB Micah Parsons, USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker or any EDGE in the class.
Kiper’s selection at 11: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Waddle was the selection for the Eagles at 12, which means that a third of the players selected in the top 12 were from Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide. I’m a big fan of Smith’s game; his ability to defeat the press in college never mattered. He has a diverse launch package and understands the nuances of running tracks so well that he has given problems to players like Jaycee Horn from South Carolina. I would be happy with this addition.
However, I would prefer Waddle to Smith because of his play of breaking, electrification, speed, explosion and ability to manipulate defensive back angles. I think a combination of Waddle and Saquon Barkley would significantly stress the defensive coordinators and really give players like Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton and anyone close such an advantage with space on the field. Good luck putting seven to eight men in the box constantly to stop Barkley with a two-deep safety look. In addition, Waddle is also an excellent track runner with strong hands in himself.
Both players would have had reckless cravings to play football, which aligns with Joe Judge (and every coach in that regard). ESPN has a “chance for the selected player to be available for choice” counter after each selection. Smith’s chances at 11 were 47.6%, and Waddle’s at 12 were 49.9%.
Round 2
McShay makes the following two selections for the New York Giants 42 and 76. On the board at 42, Penn State EDGE Jayson Oweh sat alongside Washington EDGE Joe Tryon, Texas EDGE / LB Joseph Ossai, Alabama tackles Alex Leatherwood, Miami EDGE Gregory Rousseau, Oklahoma iOL Creed Humphrey and Alabama DL Christian Barmore. McShay did not go with any of these players.
McShay’s selection at 42: Ronnie Perkins, EDGE, Oklahoma
Perkins is more of a situational passenger who can convert speed into power; put Teven Jenkins of Oklahoma State on the ground with a speed to power. He wraps his violence in the rush and uses a frequent cut / dive / break that he tries to use, along with a push-pull motion to stack and throw attacks quickly – he is cunning with the use of his hands, but he can’t counteract himself. moves once his plan fails. The short speed of the area allows it to close the width and collapse into the pocket. Use the long arm technique to lift the center of gravity of the linemen, while quickly reaching the middle of the man and either breaking or swimming through the blocks, while taking advantage of the prepared movement.
I wish Perkins was a better and more consistent defender. By no means is he a bad defender, but he is a little narrow in his lower half and he tried to put the edge against several attacks of aggression. Perkins has some doubts in his game and I like his competitive toughness.
If this scenario were to unfold, I would be a little perplexed. The Giants definitely need an EDGE, but I think serious attention should be paid to all the players listed above. If it was me and the Giants I thought it was necessary to go to EDGE, Oweh is the easy choice here as long as coach Sean Spencer and Pat Flaherty guarantee his football character.
Oweh’s advantage is through the roof from an athletic point of view and there is familiarity with the coaching staff. Yes, he didn’t record a bag in 2020, but his features were still in the movie. The speed, speed, bending and general ability to move combined with his strange measurements make him a wise “risk” in the second round for a coaching staff that prides itself on teaching.
Round 3
Between the two selections made by Kiper and McShay, the first in the first round and the second in the second, the Giants addressed their need for EDGE in the second, while adding a player to the wide receiver in the first round. McShay returns again with his 76th draft pick. On the board are Houston EDGE Payton Turner, Penn State Pat Pat Freiermuth, North Carolina LB Chazz Surratt, Ohio State Guard Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers.
McShay’s selection at 76: Chazz Surratt, LB, UNC
I like this choice. The Giants invested four late-round selections in position in 2020, after adding an undervalued player to the free agency called Blake Martinez. The giants turned two (Cam Brown and Carter Coughlin) of the four choices in an EDGE role that leaves TJ Brunson and Tae Crowder. The latter had an exceptional debut season for Mr. Irelevant, but he is still a player that the Giants can update.
I’m sure most Giants fans would agree that I saw far too many catches of David Mayo and Devonte Downs last year at the linebacker near Martinez. Surratt would improve the overall athletic ability of the backbacking body and would be an excellent weapon as a blitzer in the base / nickel subpackages. He had 62 pressures, 12.5 sacks and 22.5 attacks for a loss in his two years, playing as a defender for Tar Heels.
On average, almost 10 approach a game in college and really have a nose for football while using their secondary speed to go through the second speed to go through the second level. He attacks down aggressively and reads well the offense for a player who was a defender in the first two years at UNC. There is a lot of growth potential still with Surratt and he would be a sound addition at this point in the project for the Giants.
Final thoughts
If the giants land on DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama), Ronnie Perkins (EDGE, Oklahoma) and Chazz Suratt (LB, UNC) in the project, I would not hate. He needs to add EDGE and find a young dynamic pace catcher like Smith shouldn’t be taken off the table after the acquisitions of Kenny Golladay and John Ross. Surratt is also a player who still has something to learn from the defender, and his physical profile fits well with NFL speed, although his playing strength is still sufficient.
There are other EDGE rushers that I prefer for the Giants, which I think could be a little more dynamic in the first year, in terms of positivity and the role of EDGE player. I would also have selected, as I wrote earlier, Waddle over Smith, but the latter is a stud and I would not mind this choice. The project is fast approaching and so many questions remain to be answered. It should be an interesting week and a half!