The NFL Draft is nearly here, with the first round commencing this Thursday. This is a big draft for the New York Giants, who have several holes to fill at various key positions, and currently are in possession of the sixth overall pick.
The main areas of need lie within the offense, as they are coming off a season in which they produced bad results in terms of scoring and playmaking. Their offensive line also gave them historically bad play despite drafting an offensive tackle (Evan Neal) in the first round in 2022 and a center (John Michael-Schmidtz) in the second round last year, and having an All-Pro left tackle in Andrew Thomas.
The Giants addressed the offensive line in free agency
They could prioritize the offensive line again this year, but after drawing some bad luck in the past few offseasons, they are likely looking to upgrade that area through free agency, as evidenced by the earlier signings of RT/RG Jermaine Eluemunor and LG/RG Jon Runyan.
Some of the top offensive line prospects include Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Alabama’s JC Latham, who would help strengthen any team’s offensive line. However, at pick no. 6, the Giants’ best options may be elsewhere.
As previously mentioned, the Giants have run into bad luck when it comes to drafting offensive linemen with a first-round pick in recent years, most notably demonstrated by the likes of Evan Neal and Ereck Flowers. Andrew Thomas ended up being a gem, however, that occurred after two seasons of struggles to begin his career.
Therefore, it may be wise for them to prioritize other key positions such as wide receiver, a department that has suddenly become a gaping hole in the Giants’ depth chart.
The Giants desperately need playmakers
With running Saquon Barkley leaving in free agency, the Giants lack playmaking significantly, as they also do not have a true No. 1 wide receiver. Washington’s Rome Odunze and LSU’s Malik Nabers have been linked as the best fits for the Giants if they were to draft a wide receiver, as either one of them would immediately assume the WR1 slot on the team.
As of now, the playmaking side of things is a major weakness for the Giants. Wan’Dale Robinson is currently the team’s top receiver, as tight end Darren Waller is contemplating retirement after a flurry of injuries derailed yet another season for him.
Therefore, the better route could be to explore their options at playmaking positions, as that has become a more desperate need for them. The possibility still exists for the Giants to trade up and draft a quarterback as well.
As draft day approaches, expect the Giants to be very active in this year’s edition, and it could see them draft a player that makes a massive difference for them going forward.
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