With the New York Giants in position to land a top 10 pick in this upcoming NFL draft, there is speculation swirling that they could draft tight end Darren Waller’s replacement with their first-round pick.
Georgia product Brock Bowers is projected by several draft boards to fall inside the top 10. Bleacher Report’s player comparison for the prospect is George Kittle, indicating that he could become a game-changing addition to any offense that brings him in.
Bowers could be a better long-term fit than Waller
The idea of getting rid of Waller just one season into his Giants tenure may sound egregious to some. However, a nagging hamstring injury keeping him out of action for a month, combined with lackluster on-field production makes drafting his replacement in 2024 something that the Giants could consider.
“Bowers isn’t exactly built like a traditional Y tight end, but that’s OK,” according to Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department. “Everything he offers athletically more than makes up for lack of ideal size. Bowers is a truly special player with the ball in his hands who can instantly transform any passing game.”
Waller hasn’t lived up to his expectations
The Giants acquired Waller for a third-round pick last offseason, and the expectation coming into this season was that he would become quarterback Daniel Jones’ top receiving target and a lethal red zone threat.
However, those expectations might have been too lofty, as banking on the 30-year-old to be healthy all season proved to be a massive risk. Waller has also been unable to score points at the level they had hoped, as he has recorded just one receiving touchdown in nine games this season, which would be his lowest in a single season of at least nine games played in his career.
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The Giants are still some time away from contention
The Giants have many improvements to make in the offense this upcoming offseason. Acquiring Waller seemed to be a sort of win-now move, as they were hoping to add more to a team that had made the divisional round of the playoffs the year before.
However, it is clear that they are once again in the rebuild phase. It could be better for the Giants if they move on from the aging Waller and opt to draft a potential star in Bowers.
Banking on players from the draft to provide an instant impact comes with its risks, and expecting a prospect to live up to the hype that was put on them ahead of the draft is a huge ask out of them.
However, the Giants are still a ways away from truly competing. Taking on Bowers and developing him into a potential star could pay massive dividends down the road. He would not be the solution to all of the G-men’s problems, but he could certainly be a good starting point.
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