When looking back to the 2018 NFL Draft, the New York Giants came away with one of the better hauls of the year. Players like Saquon Barkley, B.J. Hill and Lorenzo Carter top the list of quality starters that were snagged.
General manager Dave Gettleman seemed to follow a simple rule in regard to drafting well and establishing a solid foundation for the future of the organization.
What is the simple rule?
Don’t reach. Every pick that Gettleman spent last season was as safe as it gets, no risks or fliers on skill-positions. We’ve seen Jerry Reese make optimistic picks on players like Eli Apple and Evan Engram in the past, but no more. The upcoming draft presents a lack of talented quarterbacks which will put the Giants in a peculiar situation. They can either elect to take a risk on Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins or wait until 2020 to address the position in a much more prominent class.
The question is – is Haskins a QB1?
The OSU signal caller finished 2018 with 4,831-yards, 50 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also had four rushing touchdowns. If you compare those numbers to Eli Manning’s best season at Ole Miss – 3,600-yards, 29 touchdowns and 10 interceptions – well, you can make your own judgement. Additionally, Haskins had a 70.2% completion rate.
Personally, I like what the top quarterback entering the draft has to offer, but other teams might be interested in drafting up to secure his talents. Gettleman hasn’t frequently traded up in past drafts to secure talent, and I wouldn’t anticipate it happening in 2019.
The Giants will likely stay put with the No.6 overall pick and wait for their opportunity to strike. Even if they miss out on Haskins, they will have a shot at one of the top offense and defensive lineman. A positive gain nonetheless.