It would make no sense for the New York Giants to do this.
The New York Giants have some very clear needs to address in this year's NFL Draft, and just about all of them are at premium positions.
The Giants need help at cornerback, defensive tackle and wide receiver, with their primary non-premium hole being at right guard.
So, naturally, you would expect New York to rectify those areas in the draft considering it wasn't able to fully do so in free agency.
Well, Dane Brugler of The Athletic feels otherwise.
In a seven-round mock draft Brugler posted this week, he predicted the Giants to use their first two draft picks on safety Caleb Downs (No. 5) and linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (No. 37), two non-premium positions where New York doesn't necessarily need to add assistance so early.
Honestly, this would be a complete failure of a draft for the Giants.
Could New York stand to bring another safety? Sure, considering how disappointing Jevon Holland was this past season and how Tyler Nubin does not look like a viable starter on a contender. But at No. 5? And for a player in Downs who may have a pretty scary knee issue?
Jacob Rodriguez. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.As for Rodriguez? The Giants just signed Tremaine Edmunds in free agency. Off-ball linebacker should absolutely not be a priority for the team. Especially for an undersized one like Rodriguez.
To make matters worse, Brugler has New York selecting running back Kaytron Allen in the fifth round. I like Allen, but what does he offer that Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy do not? And why are the Giants even entertaining the running back position with so many other more pressing areas of weakness?
Brugler also dose not have Big Blue nabbing a cornerback until Round 6, where he has John Harbaugh's squad taking Thaddeus Dixon. I actually do think Dixon is a sleeper, but New York needs to be selecting a cornerback far sooner.
I don't like anything about this mock. That includes the selection of wide receiver Deion Burks in the fourth round. Yes, the Giants need a receiver, but there are far more intriguing — and bigger — options than Burks.
New York needs to focus on areas where it actually needs to add pieces. Just haphazardly selecting players under a "best player available" mindset is absolutely not the way to go for this team.
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