With a little over a week until the NFL Draft, rumors have been running rampant on what the New York Giants will do.
The NFL Draft arrives on April 23, and rumors are swirling on what the New York Giants will do with the No. 4 overall pick. Some feel they should take Clemson All-American linebacker Isaiah Simmons, while others feel it’s in their best interest to select one of the top offensive tackle prospects. There are even some who feel it would be beneficial for the Giants to trade out of the No. 4 pick and acquire more draft capital.
Only general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge know which direction the organization is leaning towards as they look to start the new decade on a positive note.
We’ll find out in a little over a week how Gettleman and Judge will proceed. But for right now, here are four predictions in regards to what the Giants will end up doing.
1. The Giants will not trade out of the No. 4 overall pick
One of the reasons the Giants will not trade out of the No. 4 pick goes back to what Gettleman said prior to the 2018 draft, that if you get too cute and try to trade back, you might miss the player you want.
Another reason they won’t trade back is because the Detroit Lions, who carry the No. 3 overall pick, seem willing to trade back and swap picks with a team that’s looking to take a quarterback at the top of the draft. If the Lions stay put, Gettleman may not have enough time to properly evaluate trade offers, unless a team blows him away with one.
2. They will take Isaiah Simmons with the No. 4 overall pick
Simmons is a rare player that can help all three levels of the Giants defense. Big Blue has a plethora of issues on the defensive side of the ball and Simmons could address each one of them.
Of the players projected to be available at No. 4, not only is Simmons the best, but he’s also the safest pick. He’ll surely have a major impact in his rookie campaign.
3. The Giants will still acquire one of the top offensive tackle prospects
By taking Simmons at No. 4, the Giants won’t be able to select any of the top four offensive tackles in the draft — Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Andrew Thomas, and Jedrick Wills Jr. Nonetheless, Gettleman knows it’s imperative to acquire a quality tackle to protect Daniel Jones.
That’s why he’ll either use the team’s second-round pick (No. 36 overall) or trade back into the later part of the first round and draft USC’s Austin Jackson or University of Houston’s Josh Jones.
Gettleman is no stranger to trading back into the first round. He did so last year prior to the acquisition of Deandre Baker. Therefore, he’ll do what’s necessary to make sure he comes away with one of the best tackles in the draft.
4. Gettleman will add size to the Giants receiving corps in the middle rounds
The Giants possess a talented receiving corps, one that’s headlined by Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, and Darius Slayton. The latter-most individual experienced a breakout rookie season in 2019. But, all of those receivers are shorter than 6-foot-2.
This is why Gettleman will look to add someone who can win the 50/50 balls and be a red-zone target. South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) and Liberty University’s Antonio Gandy-Golden (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) are options for their third-round selection (No. 99 overall) or their fourth-round selection (No. 110 overall).
Either one of these wideouts would be a great compliment to the receivers already on the roster.
