Big Decisions for Giants GM Gettleman
COVID-19 has affected everyone around the world, including the NFL. The draft, occurring on April 23rd, will go virtual and force Scouts, Coaches, and General Managers to be in separate rooms while completing their draft. This doesn’t seem to make anything easier for Giants GM Dave Gettleman, who already has to make some tough decisions that will determine whether he is working for the New York Football Giants next season. Giants fans seem to be set on two options, either drafting Clemson’s stud linebacker Isaiah Simmons at number four or picking one of the top tackles that won’t make it to their second-round pick. These two options have their pros and cons, but whoever the Giants select in the first round needs to live up to expectations or jobs will be lost.
Taking Simmons
We got to see Isaiah Simmons perform on the biggest stages of College Football. There's not much the Clemson product can’t do. His abilities at linebacker are rare, and coach Dabo Swinney and the Tigers moved him all over on their top-ranked defense. Simmons played snaps at linebacker, safety, edge rusher, and cornerback. The Giants have many holes on their defense that Simmons would help improve immediately. The Giants haven’t taken a linebacker in the first round since 1984, when they took eventual first-team All-Pro and Giants legend, Carl Banks, out of Michigan State. Draft experts have made the case that Simmons is the second-best prospect in this year's draft. It’s going to be really difficult for Gettleman and his draft team to pass on Simmons. He is exactly the type of player Joe Judge wants when he was describing the type of guys he would bring to the Meadowlands. Simmons is known for his versatility and toughness, two traits Judge emphasized in his press conferences. With Gettleman and others on the hot seat, Simmons may be the safest pick and that is what I would expect come draft night.
Protecting the Money Makers
The last two drafts, the Giants have taken the guys this team is going to be built around. Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley have both shown promise to be great Giants throughout their early career, but have yet to show what they can do with solid protection upfront. The Giants have been on a merry-go-round of tackles for years since the departure of David Diehl and Kareem Mckenzie, solid players on Coughlin's second super bowl team in 2011. There are 4 worthy tackles that will be taken early in the 2020 NFL Draft: Mekhi Becton (Louisville), Jedrick Wills (Alabama), Andrew Thomas (Georgia), and Tristan Wirfs (Iowa). Selecting any of these prospects at number four would mean that the Giants believe they have their franchise tackle, and if they don’t live up to that potential the pick has failed. If they were to take one of these top tackles, they would help both of their young stars develop to their full potential at a faster pace. Since none of these tackles have shown to be a can’t miss prospect, and Gettleman is under extreme pressure from ownership, I wouldn’t expect the Giants to take a tackle in Round 1 unless they trade out of the fourth spot, acquiring assets in later rounds to fill more holes. Austin Jackson, the second round-graded tackle with potential, seems like a much more likely option to be in New York come draft weekend.
Writer/Gamer