What are the New York Giants’ biggest needs leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft?

New York Giants, Nate Solder, Jon Halapio, Mike Remmers
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 04: Jon Halapio #75, Will Hernandez #71, and Nate Solder #76 of the New York Giants look on during second half of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on November 04, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The New York Giants just crushed the 2021 NFL free agency period. The Giants landed the top wide receiver on the market in Kenny Golladay. They added an extra playmaker in veteran tight end, Kyle Rudolph. They also signed Adoree’ Jackson, a high-potential cornerback that could push their secondary to be one of the best in the league.

The Giants signed some talented players to fill some major needs on their roster. Now, with the 2021 NFL Draft just a month away, what are the biggest needs that the Giants will look to address in April?

Biggest needs on the Giants’ roster post-free agency

Offensive line

The Giants’ offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL in 2020. The Giants’ pass-block win rate in 2020, according to ESPN, ranked dead-last in the NFL at 46%. Their run-block win-rate ranked 18th at 70%, which is about average or slightly below. The Giants prioritized upgrading Daniel Jones’s weapons, however, maybe more than anything, they still need to fix the offensive line in front of him.

New York lost its best offensive lineman, Kevin Zeitler, as a cap casualty this offseason. They signed veteran guard Zach Fulton, but he is not considered a long-term answer as a starting guard. The Giants have their left tackle of the future in Andrew Thomas. They feel comfortable with Nick Gates at center. But both offensive guard positions and right tackle are question marks. The Giants need to build this offensive line through the 2021 NFL Draft.

Defensive tackle

While New York managed to add a lot of talent this offseason, they did also lose a crucial piece of their defense. Dalvin Tomlinson walked in free agency, signing with the Minnesota Vikings, leaving a hole on the Giants’ defensive line. Tomlinson was one of the Giants’ best defenders over the past four years. Now, they will need to replace the four-year starter.

The 2021 NFL Draft features a few mid-round defensive tackle prospects that the Giants could target. The defensive line has been one of the biggest strengths on the Giants’ defense over the past few years. Much of the pressure that New York generated in 2020 came from the interior of their defensive line. While Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams will return in 2021, their third starting down-lineman has yet to be determined.

Depth

The Giants addressed most of their biggest weaknesses in free agency. They found a new starting outside cornerback and added a top receiving weapon to the offense. The offensive line is still a work in progress, but so is the rest of the roster. The Giants need to add more depth to their roster.

The signing of Adoree’ Jackson was exciting and could be huge for New York’s defense. But Adoree’ is a player that has dealt with significant injuries in the past. Many starters on the Giants roster have dealt with significant injuries, like wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Kenny Golladay. The Giants need to prepare for the worst and build out the bottom of their roster in the 2021 NFL Draft. New York needs more talented depth pieces at nearly every position.

In 2020, the Giants saw their depth pieces play increased roles on the defensive side of the ball. Late-round draft picks Carter Coughlin and Cam Brown ended up seeing significant playing time last season as the Giants dealt with numerous injuries at edge rusher. The Giants were fortunate enough to have depth at that position. New York needs to make sure they have sufficient depth at other positions in 2021.