Over the last 10 years, New York Giants GM Jerry Reese has been up and down in the first round of the NFL Draft. Today, we rank each.
New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese has come under a lot of criticism in past years for how he has drafted. Many argue that his inability to collect young talent was the reason the Giants posted sub .500 records from 2012-2016. Others argue that his selection of Odell Beckham Jr. bought him a few extra years as general manager.Whatever your opinion of Reese is, or whatever your opinion of any Giants general manager is, there is no doubt that the team has hit and missed on several of their past ten first round picks.
The first round of the NFL draft is one of the most exciting, looked-forward to, and talked about events in the sporting calendar. Franchise cornerstones, crippling busts, and all manner of players in between have had their names called on the draft’s prime time first night.
Here is a ranking of the last 10 first round draft picks the Giants have made.
This list excludes cornerback Eli Apple, who has not even finished his rookie season yet, and thus makes it incapable to judge him against players who have already started and finished their NFL careers. The early signs surrounding the Ohio State product are positive, but it is simply too early to tell.
With that being said, here is our ranking of the last 10 first round picks the New York Giants have made.
10. David Wilson
Position: Running back
College: Virginia Tech
Overall Pick: 32
Year Drafted: 2012
David Wilson‘s story is among the most heartbreaking in the NFL. Coming out of college, the kid had immense potential. He was drafted months after the Giants won their second Super Bowl of the century, with the last pick of the first round. Despite winning it all the previous year, the Giants dual rushing attack of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw had struggled to get going all season.
Wilson was meant to be a change of pace back, an explosive option in the backfield. In college, he was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year in 2011, and set a Hokie record for the most 100 yard performances and yards per carry.
In his rookie season in the NFL, Wilson was a second team All-Pro because of his return ability. Against the New Orleans Saints, Wilson racked up 327 all purpose yards, a Giants franchise record– 227 returning yards, including a 97 yard touchdown return, and also 100 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on just 13 carries.
However, his career was tragically derailed by a neck injury in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles in his sophomore season. After getting several neck operations, Wilson announced his retirement in August of 2014, after playing just 21 career games. While it isn’t Wilson’s fault that he called it a career early, he just doesn’t have the longevity of the other players on this list.
It’s a shame that this happened to such a talented young player, but on the bright side, he hasn’t given up his athletic career: he is attempting to make a living as a triple jumper in track and field.
9. Ereck Flowers
Position: Left Tackle
College: Miami (FL)
Overall Pick: 9
Year Drafted: 2015
Ereck Flowers raised some eyebrows when he was selected in 2015, and so far, the decision has not panned out. Flowers was thrown into the fire in his rookie season, stepping up as the Giants starting left tackle following an injury to Will Beatty. While he struggled somewhat in his first season, Flowers held his own.
This season, Flowers’ second as a pro, has really been startling. Characterized as a physical beast with very raw technique, Flowers has never shown the progression that was expected of him. Watching Sunday Night Football last weekend against the Cowboys, NBC color commentator Chris Collinsworth had a field day taking apart just how poor Flowers technique is.
He is among the league leaders in the NFL in holding penalties and penalties in general, and has struggled to protect Eli Manning’s blind side. While the Giants have outwardly stood by their former first rounder, one has to wonder how long he will get before he is benched and/or replaced.
Here are some examples of Flowers’ ineptitude, whether it be pass protection, run blocking, or penalties:
Giants fans have soured on Flowers, and it is up to the Miami product to try and right the ship as New York marches toward a playoff berth.
8. Kenny Phillips
Position: Free Safety
College: Miami (FL)
Overall Pick: 31
Year Drafted: 2008
Free safety Kenny Phillips has similarities to the previous two guys on the list. Like Ereck Flowers, he attended school at the University of Miami. Like David Wilson, he was the Giants first round selection in the draft following their Super Bowl triumph. Also like Wilson, Kenny Phillips career was derailed by injuries.
When healthy, Kenny Phillips was among the best players in the New York Giants secondary. However, he was oft-injured during his four seasons in New York, most notably in 2009, when he only played 2 games.
Phillips did have his moments, however, most notably during the 2011 season. The Miami alumni recorded career highs in tackles (82), interceptions (4), and pass deflections (11). He played a big role in the Giants secondary, partnering with fellow Miami alum Antrell Rolle at the safety position. The Giants faced Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Colin Kaepernick (when he was actually good at football), and Tom Brady that postseason, and managed to win all four games, a testament to how strong a presence Phillips had in the backfield.
Following the 2012 Super Bowl triumph, Phillips signed with the rival Philadelphia Eagles, but struggled both in Philly and with the Saints, before announcing his retirement due to injuries.
While Phillips never became an elite safety, he did contribute to a Super Bowl title, and thus cannot be considered a bust, but rather an underwhelming selection in the tail end of the 2008 first round.
7. Aaron Ross
Position: Cornerback
College: Texas
Overall Pick: 20
Year Drafted: 2007
Aaron Ross often gets a lot of stick. After all, during his six seasons with the Giants, he had a tendency to give up big plays, and often times got burned in the secondary. However, Ross played a key role on two Super Bowl winning teams, and for that reason, he ranks at #7 on our list.
Ross spent his first five seasons with the Giants– he won the Super bowl in his first and last year of that stint– before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars for one year, before returning to the Giants for the final year of his career. In that time, Ross racked up 250 tackles and 11 interceptions, including 7 in the two seasons that the Giants won the Super Bowl.
In college, Ross won the national title with Texas in 2005, and won the Jim Thorpe award as the best defensive back in the nation in 2006.
As a Giant, perhaps the biggest contribution the former Longhorn made was during the 2011 season. In 2010, Terrell Thomas broke out and established himself as a top tier cornerback in the NFL. However, in the preseason that year, Thomas tore his ACL, which thrust Ross into the starting lineup alongside Corey Webster. That year, while the Giants did struggle at times, he managed to play all 16 games, and set career highs in tackles and interceptions.
6. Prince Amukamara
Position: Cornerback
College: Nebraska
Overall Pick: 19
Year Drafted: 2011
Fun statistic regarding both Prince Amukamara and Aaron Ross– the last time the Giants drafted cornerbacks in the first round (Ross in 2007 and Amukamara in 2008) they went on to win the Super Bowl. No pressure, Eli Apple.
Prince Amukamara, similar to Kenny Phillips, had tremendous potential, but often struggled with injuries. In his four years as a Giant, he played all 16 games only once. A day after being drafted in 2011, he broke his left foot. In 2014, he tore his bicep, which sidelined him for the entire season.
In the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Amukamara actually played very well, injuries aside. He had the look of a guy with the potential to be a top cornerback, but unfortunately, the Giants let him go in free agency– the Nebraska product signed a one year deal with the Jaguars. His absence hasn’t been felt all too much, as his replacement, Janoris Jenkins, is a near lock for the Pro Bowl and is garnering consideration for Defensive Player of the Year.
Amukamara is a solid NFL player, and he won a Super Bowl in his rookie season. If not for injuries, he may have been higher on this list, but his strong play in his final 2 seasons with New York, as well as his Super Bowl ring, save him from bust status.
He is ranked higher than Aaron Ross simply because he is, and was, a better cornerback.
5. Mathias Kiwanuka
Position: Defensive End
College: Boston College
Overall Pick: 32
Year Drafted: 2006
You have to go all the way back to 2006 to recall when Mathias Kiwanuka was drafted 32nd overall by the Giants. He played all 9 of his NFL seasons with the Giants, and was a very productive rotation defensive end for many seasons. He racked up a respectable 38.5 career sacks, 301 tackles, 15 passes defensed, and 13 forced fumbles.
Kiwanuka was constantly overshadowed by the other dominant pass rushers the Giants have had: Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul. However, he always played a role in the team, always was productive, and as a result, collected two Super Bowl rings.
He was never an elite player, but he was a very productive rotation defensive end, who was loyal to the franchise for nine seasons, and won 2 Super Bowls in the process. Real Giants fans will remember fondly the underrated, overlooked contribution that Kiwanuka made to the team.
As a first rounder, he was never a star, but his longevity and production made him a worthwhile first round selection.
4. Hakeem Nicks
Position: Wide Receiver
College: North Carolina
Overall Pick: 29
Year Drafted: 2009
Giants fans will scoff at Hakeem Nicks and call him a bust, and to some extent, they may be right. His career declined sharply in 2013, when he caught zero touchdown passes and was subsequently let go and allowed to move to the Colts.
However, Nicks was undeniably a very productive player in his first several seasons in the NFL. In his second NFL season, Nicks caught 10 touchdowns and began to establish himself as a top receiver in the NFL.
In the 2011 postseason, Nicks put his name into eternal Giants lore with three outstanding performances in the postseason.
Against the Falcons in the Wild Card Round, he had 6 catches for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns. In the divisional round, against the 15-1 Packers, he had 7 catches, 165 yards, and 2 more touchdowns, most notably reeling in a 37 yard Hail Mary to end the half:
Perhaps most importantly, Nicks had 10 catches and 109 yards against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. While he was overshadowed by Victor Cruz, who caught a touchdown, and Mario Manningham, who caught that incredible sideline throw from Eli Manning on the final drive, if Nicks doesn’t come up with 10 catches, the Giants might not win that game.
In the first four seasons of his career, Nicks had 27 touchdown receptions, and had over 1,000 yards receiving in two of those four seasons. While the final three years of his career, two with the Giants and one with the Colts, have left a sour taste in fans mouths, Nicks was an incredible asset for the Giants, and was instrumental in their Super Bowl run in 2011.
Looking at his early career production, it is difficult to consider Hakeem Nicks a bust.
3. Justin Pugh
Position: Offensive Guard
College: Syracuse
Overall Pick: 19
Year Drafted: 2013
Justin Pugh was not a celebrated draft pick. Pundits thought his arms were too short to make him an effective tackle. Fans were annoyed that the Giants took an offensive lineman instead of a sexier option.
3 years later, and it is clear that the Giants pick paid off. Pugh is the heart of the Giants offensive line, a line that nearly imploded in the five games that Pugh was out injured. While he isn’t the most physically gifted offensive tackle, he was a very safe pick, and is one of two above average lineman that the Giants have (Weston Richburg being the other).
Look at the Dallas Cowboys. They spent three first round picks on their offensive line, and as a result, they have the best rushing attack in football. Tackle Tyron Smith, guard Zack Martin, and center Travis Frederick are among the best, if not the best, in the NFL at their respective positions.
Pugh might not be as good as any of those guys, but he is still an above average offensive lineman and a leader on this team. Pugh might even get a Pro Bowl nod this year. He’s been that good when he’s been healthy.
Moral of the story: Sometimes the non-sexy picks turn out just as good as the sexy ones.
2. Jason Pierre-Paul
Position: Defensive End
College: South Florida
Overall Pick: 15
Year Drafted: 2010
Remember when Jason Pierre-Paul lost part of two fingers during his Fourth of July fireworks incident? That incident has overshadowed the fact that Pierre-Paul has been among the best players on the Giants defense since his entry to the league in 2010.
JPP’s defining year came in 2011, when he took the baton from Tuck and Osi as the Giants’ premier pass rushing defensive end. He racked up 16.5 sacks, 65 tackles, and 2 forced fumbles, leading the Giants to a Super Bowl victory.
Pierre-Paul has struggled with injuries throughout his NFL career– he is currently sidelined for the remainder of the regular season with a sports hernia. His most recent injury is a shame, considering how well he was playing– 7 sacks, 8 passes defensed, 53 tackles, and 3 forced fumbles have JPP in the conversation for a Pro Bowl nod. More importantly, this season is the first time that he has looked close to returning to his pre-injury dominance.
Pierre-Paul has a shot of making it back during the postseason (it would probably not be until the Conference Championship Game, assuming the Giants advance that far), but regardless, his career trajectory has bounced back nicely following his firework fiasco.
Pierre-Paul’s contribution in 2011, his 12.5 sack year in 2014, and his bounce back 2016 are three examples of how good a defender this guy can be. When he is at his best, he is among the most dominant defensive players in football. Talk about a draft pick well spent.
1. Odell Beckham Jr.
Position: Wide Receiver
College: LSU
Overall Pick: 12
Year Drafted: 2014
Odell Beckham Jr. is putting up numbers that would have justified his selection as a number one overall pick. He’s been that damn good.
It’s difficult to sum up Beckham’s career, since I spend at least a paragraph in every Giants article I write fawning over how good this kid is. Why shouldn’t I?
He’s easily a top three receiver in the NFL. He is, quite literally, the Giants offense. His big play ability and the excitement he brings in the open field is second to none. His ability to casually make one handed catches, diving grabs, and his tendency to turn 10 yard slants into 60 yard touchdowns make him one of the premier weapons in the NFL.
It was always going to take a big personality with immense talent to take Eli Manning’s place as the face of the franchise. In less than three seasons, Beckham has done that, and more. He is on pace to be the face of the entire NFL, let alone the Giants, and might go down with Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, and Eli Manning as a Giants legend.
Sure, he might be a headcase, but Giants fans that complain about his antics should step back and wonder where on Earth this franchise would be without #13.
The answer, most definitely, is not 10-4 and fighting for a playoff berth.
Odell has reinvigorated this franchise and the NFL in less than three years, and he is hands down, by far, with ease, the best first round selection the Giants have made in the past decade. Heck, he’s up their with the best ever, as far as I’m concerned. What a player.