Aside from finding a quarterback and improving a defensive line that desperately needs help after finishing near the bottom of the league in sacks, one of the goals the New York Giants went into the 2019 NFL Draft with was finding help for the secondary which would enter the offseason looking quite thin. The Giants weren’t deep at cornerback last year and the departure of Landon Collin doesn’t help their case either.
But at the corner position, the team received significant help through the draft with the additions of Georgia corner Deandre Baker and Notre Dame DB Julian Love, both of whom are players that many think were undervalued by teams other than the Giants. The team thought high enough of Baker to trade back into the first round for him after spending their first two picks addressing other positions, and that move could pay off well if Baker is able to make an impact early in his career.
So far, all signs point to that being the case. Draft analyst Mel Kiper has a high opinion of Baker, stating so in a piece or ESPN. Here’s what Kiper had to say about the pick:
He is the most pro-ready of the top group of cornerbacks in this class, and he can be a legitimate No. 1 corner. He’s going to play early and often for a New York defense that allowed 61 receptions of at least 20 yards last season, the second-most such passes in the league.
Kiper also states that while Janoris Jenkins is the number one corner going into the year, there’s not yet a clear cut answer for the number two spot and that Sam Beal will likely compete for it along with Baker, Love, and Corey Ballentine. That youth in the secondary is something that could either turn out very well or very bad for the Giants depending on just how quickly the rookies adapt to the league.
However, they do have one thing that they didn’t have going into last year: a hopeful outlook and massive potential for the future.