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What to expect from the New York Giants’ 2019 NFL Draft Class

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The 2019 NFL Draft was full of surprises, including the New York Giants’ selection of Duke quarterback Daniel Jones at number six. GM Dave Gettleman had the 17th pick because of the Odell Beckham Jr.trade and selected Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The team also traded back into the first round to select Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker.

While the Giants had three first-round picks, they only drafted one difference maker. Baker will start right away in the secondary but Jones and Lawrence offer little positional value for the team in 2019. Eli Manning is slated to be the starting quarterback, so it’s unclear what Jones’ role will be in 2019.

Lawrence is a talented defensive tackle, but the Giants were already set at the position with B.J. Hill and Dalvin Tomlinson. It is possible that Lawrence starts alongside those two, but he and Tomlinson are both run stuffers and offer little value in the pass rush. Gettleman did not address the pass rush until the end of the third round in Old Dominion defensive end Oshane Ximines.

The Giants drafted Lorenzo Carter in the third round last year, but they traded away their top pass rusher in Olivier Vernon. Free agent signing Markus Golden had 12.5 sacks in 2016 but he has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons. Ximines might not be the best run defender on the team but his impact will be felt on third down.

The Giants emphasized the cornerback position in the draft as they selected three cornerbacks. Notre Dame’s Julian Love and Washburn’s Corey Ballentine were selected in the third day in addition to Baker. The team did not address the safety position despite losing Landon Collins in free agency.

Love could transition to safety in the NFL but the Notre Dame product is a playmaker on the outside. He does not have the elite top-end speed but Love is good enough to play corner for the Giants right now. Ballentine was a playmaker for Washburn but will have a big transition to make from Division II.

He was involved in a shooting over the weekend but is expected to make a full recovery. Janoris Jenkins is still on the team but his time with the Giants could be numbered. He has two years left on his $62.5 million contract, so Gettleman could be looking to move him for cap space.

Fifth-round picks Ryan Connelly and Darius Slayton are the only other draft picks that will help the Giants in 2019. The former is a quality backup middle linebacker who provides depth behind Alec Ogletree and B.J. Goodson. Slayton is a speedy receiver that should stretch the field for the Giants in 2019.

The Giants addressed most of their needs in the 2019 draft but they overvalued their first two picks. The team needed a quarterback but used a pick on a quarterback with a below average arm and decent accuracy. Lawrence is a talented prospect but does not address the team’s biggest need on defense which was a pass rusher.

The success of the Giants’ 2019 draft is hinged on how Jones does in the NFL. If the Duke quarterback leads the team to a Super Bowl, fans will laud Gettleman for the selection. But if Jones flops in New York, the Giants will be trying to repair the damage for years to come.

The post What to expect from the New York Giants’ 2019 NFL Draft Class appeared first on isportsweb.


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