The 2020 NFL Draft offers far more than just Isaiah Simmons, Chase Young, and Joe Burrow. It presents one of the best offensive tackles classes in recent memory, and the New York Giants are in dire need of support at the position.
With the 4th overall pick, Big Blue has the opportunity to grab a top talent at the position on a rookie deal, helping to protect young quarterback Daniel Jones for the foreseeable future.
Here are three of the best options the New York Giants should consider:
1.) Andrew Thomas – Georgia
At 6-5, 320-pounds, Andrew Thomas is one of the best tackle options in the draft. He’s a top-three tackle and has some of the best fundamentals out of the crop. A three-year starter for Georgia, Thomas is a front-runner to win the Joe Moore Award. Playing both left and right tackle during his tenure, Thomas has the potential to slide in at right tackle where Mike Remmers formerly sat for the Giants.
Thomas is a gritty player with the ability to recover nicely in pass-protection and get the job done in the run game. He’s a day one starter who will slot in with whichever team is lucky enough to draft him. While his build isn’t ideal for the NFL, he has a tough mentality and athleticism to compensate.
2.) Jedrick Wills
Wills is also 6-5, 320-pounds, but his abilities are a bit different than Thomas’s. He has some of the best punches in the game and a varied approach towards preventing pass-rushers from finding a rhythm. His mobility and hip-control allow him to follow pass-rushers in pass-protection, but having the agility and nimbleness to move freely enables him to jump to the second-level in the run-game.
While Wills is speedy and mobile, he tends to jump the gun at times, giving too much leverage to opposing defenders, allowing them to catch him off-balance and overly committed. As one of the most impressive prospects in the draft, the Giants could slot him in at right tackle with ease.
3.) Mekhi Becton
As one of the biggest tackles in the draft, Becton would be a behemoth addition to the Giants’ offensive line. At 6-7, 369-pounds, Becton would be a great right tackle with great mobility for his size.
While Mekhi played primarily at left tackle last season (11 games), he has the ability to move to the right side where the Giants would need him. His seven-foot wingspan gives him the length to stop opposing pass-rushers but also reset if need be. His upper body is strong, and his kick-out gives him the agility to react upon the snap of the ball. One of the more underrated aspects of Becton is his ability to jump to the second-level and block against the run. Being his size doesn’t make that easy, which only adds to his value in the first round.
However, size can be a bad thing at the NFL level, and without ample discipline, he could be exposed against faster pass-rushers. He can throw himself off balance at times when winding up to punch, which is a notable negative to consider. Overall, he’s a fantastic prospect with arguably the highest ceiling of any tackle in the draft.