The New York Giants should go against their typical status quo and trade the fourth-overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Trading down in the first round of the NFL draft is not a move the New York Giants typically make.
The last time New York traded down in the draft was 2006 when the Giants sent the 25th-overall pick (Santonio Holmes) to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for the No. 32 pick (Mathias Kiwanuka), a third-round pick (Gerris Wilkinson), and a fourth-round pick (Guy Whimper).
In 2020, the Giants should move away from their status quo and move down from the fourth slow. Here are four reasons why.
More Draft Capital
Perhaps the most obvious reason the Giants should move down is to obtain more draft capital.
In the midst of a rebuild, the Giants have several holes to fill on. Offensive lineman, edge rusher, middle linebacker, defensive back, and an offensive playmaker are all positions that come to mind. With a trade of the fourth-overall pick, they can obtain the picks to fix more than one of these weak spots.
The last time the No. 4 pick changed hands occurred in 2014 when the Cleveland Browns traded the pick (Sammy Watkins) to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for the No. 9 pick (later traded to Vikings), a 2015 first-round pick (Cameron Erving) and a 2015 fourth-round pick (Ibraheim Campbell).
While the Giants may look to obtain 2020 draft selections exclusively, the team clearly can acquire plenty of draft capital by trading a top-five pick.
One of those is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who own the 14th overall pick in the draft. The Bucs’ future at the quarterback position is up for debate after Jameis Winston threw 30 interceptions in 2019.
If the Bucs feel he’s not the answer, they could look to jump the quarterback-needy Los Angeles Chargers, who have the sixth pick, to obtain the services of Oregon standout and Senior Bowl MVP Justin Herbert.
A trade with Tampa could land the Giants the 14th overall pick, a mid-round selection, and perhaps even future Tampa Bay draft selections.
Whether with Tampa or not, the Giants can land a big package of draft picks that will help them fill multiple holes on their roster.
Plenty of Mid-First round talent
The main argument against trading down in the draft is always about the drop in talent. In 2020, the first-round talent drop-off from No. 4 to the middle of the round isn’t too substantial.
With the fourth pick, the Giants would likely have their choice of players like Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas or Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.
While trading down with a team such as the Buccaneers would mean losing out on this trio, they would not miss out on other high-caliber players.
In Mel Kiper of ESPN’s latest mock draft, the players projected to go in the middle of the first round fit New York’s needs. These names include Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, pass rusher A.J. Epenesa and Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs.
While this list of names might not include any top-five talents, there are talented players who could become franchise-changers.
New York would also likey to obtain a mid-round pick in which it’s found several gems in the Dave Gettleman era such as Darius Slayton, Julian Love and Ryan Connelly.
Thus, the talent will still be there, and the Giants will still have an opportunity to improve their roster significantly.
No Chase Young
When New York defeated the Washington Redskins in Week 16 to hand the division rival the second-overall pick, many Giants fans took to social media to express their anger. Why? Because it meant Ohio State pass rusher Chase Young was bound for the nation’s capital instead of the Big Apple.
While rooting for a loss is hard to explain, it’s evident why Giants fans would want Young on their team. At Ohio State last season, Young recorded 16.5 sacks and six forced fumbles to help lead the Buckeyes to an undefeated regular season.
If healthy, Young will likely be an instant game-changer at the NFL level and would fill the Giants’ biggest need. Instead, he’ll be chasing Daniel Jones around as a member of the Redskins.
With Young off the board, there’s no perfect fit for the Giants, which gives them the flexibility to move back.
No need for a quarterback
When the Giants are on the clock, it’s likely every quarterback not named Joe Burrow will still be on the board. By picking Daniel Jones last season, there’s no need for the Giants to take a quarterback, but other teams behind are in need.
Thus, New York has the perfect excuse to move back in the draft. There’s no pressure on missing out on a potential franchise quarterback. Trading back to acquire picks and fill more than one hole should be the priority for the Giants.
