Auburn DT Derrick Brown has been connected to the New York Giants, but is it realistic?
Whenever Gettleman or Joe Judge jumps on the phone to give the media their dose of smokescreen, everyone seems to forget Derrick Brown was once linked to the New York Giants earlier in the draft process.
Brown is a stud interior defender from Auburn, praised for his immense qualities in stopping the run and plugging holes in the trenches. His undeveloped pass rush is also a positive Gettleman is likely looking at. Still, the reality is, the Giants have far too many needs to allocate more resources toward a defensive tackle.
This offseason Big Blue franchise-tagged Leonard Williams for a nudge over $16 million and drafted Dexter Lawrence in 2019, suggesting that Brown is not in their plans, but is there a chance he could be?
Interior DTs have always enamored Gettleman, and Gettleman’s draft in 2013 attests to that, as he drafted Star Lotulelei and Kawaan Short back to back in the first two rounds. While that was a long time ago, it’s clear he prefers big bodies, which can also push the pocket and log sacks as the season progresses.
Brown is a unique prospect and one of the best players in the upcoming draft — his incredible combination of size and strength makes him a plug and play starter in the trenches. He’s quick off the LOS and fills holes with ferocity. His ability to draw double teams and use his massive arms to clear blockers allows linebackers to jump up and stop runners in their tracks.
Now, you can make the argument that Dexter Lawrence, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Leonard Williams are all similar players and offer matching qualities, to a degree. That’s the primary reason Brown to the Giants makes little sense unless Gettleman is trying to sell high on one of those players.
Williams is on the franchise tag, so expecting any other team to want him at $16 million per season is blasphemous, so we can rule that out. Tomlinson had a stellar 2019 campaign against the run, and he’s a cheaper second-round selection going into a contract year. Replacing him would be ludicrous unless they extended him first to guarantee team control, and Dexter has immense potential as a sophomore in 2020.
From all angles, drafting Brown doesn’t make sense, and with a laundry list full of needs, Gettleman shouldn’t have any positions other than offensive tackle and linebacker on his mind.