Ahead of the NFL Combine this week, former scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah was asked his thoughts about what the New York Giants should do with the No. 4 overall selection in April’s NFL Draft.
Well, they’ve got a lot of holes. You pick up there for a reason. And I get what you’re saying about finding some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. But, look, as an organization, your number one priority is ensuring that Daniel Jones is going to grow and develop and be a success.
So if I have to go through another year of watching some vanilla, boring defense lacking in playmakers, I’m going to do that if it means I can go ahead and get my left tackle that will protect this kid for the next 10 years. That would take priority for me. I know there’s depth at the tackle class.
To me Mekhi Becton is a freak, from Louisville, an absolute freak. I’m not in the business of trading off freaks at a need position. He’s a left tackle. He’s a better version of Bryant McKinnie. He’s going to be that guy for the next 10 to 12 years to protect your franchise quarterback. He’s so big, so long, so athletic, even when he is not perfect, it doesn’t matter because nobody can get through him. He’s 6’7″, 370 pounds.
You just don’t see guys like that come around very often. I know trade-back options exist. I know you can take a defensive playmaker. To me I’m not trading off that pick. I’m sitting there right there taking Mekhi Becton.
So, there you have it. I’m always down for a road grader, a “hog mollie” with the top pick. Without large bodies you cannot compete. Becton is certainly that and he can play left tackle.
For the Giants follow Jeremiah’s advice, they’d first have to see who falls to them. By some divine intervention, they could still be in play for Chase Young if a run on quarterbacks causes a ‘trading-up’ frenzy that has QB-needy teams leapfrogging the Giants to grab a signal caller.
If the draft order stays intact, and GM Dave Gettleman decides to stick potential deals to trade back in his desk drawer and stand pat, then Becton is one way to go.
He could be the Giants’ starting left tackle on opening day, moving current LT Nate Solder to the right side or even the bench. The Giants are also high on Nick Gates, who played well in a small sample of games and last year’s seventh rounder George Asafo-Adjei, who missed the 2019 season due to injury.
Mike Remmers will be a free agent and the Giants could also bring him back on a one-year deal, but Jeremiah is right. They need to finally address left tackle and with player such as Becton staring them in the face, they may just pull the trigger.