The 2019 NFL Draft begins this Thursday, April 25. The New York Giants hold the 6th overall pick and the 17th overall pick in the 1st round of the draft. This draft will be crucial for the Giants’ future.
The Giants passed on a quarterback last year. With the 2nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Giants drafted running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, however, the Giants have been continuously scrutinized for passing up on a quarterback.
The Giants’ current quarterback, Eli Manning, is 38 years old and well past his prime. The Giants need to find Manning successor as soon as possible in order to be prepared for Manning’s inevitable departure.
For this and many other reasons, the 2019 NFL Draft is crucial for the Giants’ future success. General Manager Dave Gettleman is fully aware of this. Gettleman needs to crush the 2019 NFL Draft in order to secure his future in New York.
Dave Gettleman’s Controversial 2019 Offseason
Dave Gettleman has gotten away with a lot this offseason. He has made multiple moves that have been heavily scrutinized from fans and experts alike. Moves such as trading Odell Beckham Jr. and refusing to franchise tag Landon Collins have brought a lot of controversy to the Giants.
Dave Gettleman needs to make these moves look reasonable with a strong draft in 2019. Collins and Beckham were two young, talented players who made a great impact during their time in New York. Getting rid of these players leaves big shoes to fill on the Giants’ roster, and Dave Gettleman needs to fill those shoes.
If Dave Gettleman does not find solid replacements for Odell and Landon (whether at their positions or elsewhere), he will look like a fool for letting them go. Big losses need to be replaced with big wins. If Dave Gettleman can somehow bring in two superstar players from this year’s draft class, then his past decisions will not look as bad.
One of those two superstar players will need to be on defense. The Giants have holes all over their defense and are in need of an impact player. With the 6th pick, the Giants could look to draft players such as Quinnen Williams, Ed Oliver, Devin White, or Josh Allen. The other superstar player will need to be a quarterback.
The Giants’ Future At Quarterback
General manager Dave Gettleman has been open about his interest in drafting a quarterback. The question is, which quarterback piques Gettleman’s interest? Whatever answer to that question Gettleman comes up with will define his future success with the Giants.
Dave Gettleman has a lot of options at the quarterback position in the 2019 NFL Draft. Kyler Murray is likely to be the 1st overall pick, so the Giants will not have a chance to get him. However, quarterbacks such as Dwayne Haskins, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones will all be in consideration for the Giants in the 1st round.
If Gettleman drafts a bust at the most important position in the NFL, it will be difficult for the Giants to keep him on the payroll. There is no position more important than the quarterback position, which is why Gettleman needs to make sure he gets the right guy at that position.
Whoever Gettleman drafts at the quarterback position will be expected to start for the Giants for the next 10-15 years. Anything less than a 10-year starter is a disappointment and a failure of a draft pick. The Giants cannot keep a general manager who disappoints and fails at his job.
If Dave Gettleman gets the right man for the quarterback job, he will be admired as a successful manager who set his team up to win for the next decade. That will warrant trusting in Gettleman for the future.