Leading into the 2019 College Football season, and for the majority of the duration of the year, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas seemed like a shoo-in for the top offensive tackle off the board come the 2020 NFL Draft.
Yet, towards the latter part of the college season and towards the beginning of draft season, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills seemingly supplanted Thomas as the consensus top-guy at the position.
There’s also been the well documented sudden surge of Louisville mammoth of a tackle Mekhi Becton. The 6’7”, nearly 370 lbs tackle had seemed like a day two pick in the majority of mock drafts. That was until NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah’s inaugural mock draft of the offseason was released and had Becton as a top-four pick, fittingly with the New York Giants. The internet and armchair GM’s globally began to follow suit, and Becton can now be found in the majority of first rounds, usually at the top half.
However, if recent reports reign true, the Giants could take the podium in late April with their choice of the litter when it comes to offensive tackles and pass on all the names previously mentioned above, instead opting for Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the year Tristan Wirfs.
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Giants ‘Love’ Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs
We’ve heard names such as Clemson’s do-it-all defender Isaiah Simmons and Ohio State’s potential lock-down corner Jeff Okudah, the latter of which was recently mocked to the Giants in ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, constantly linked to Big Blue. Yet, we also know that the need to shore up the offensive line in front of Daniel Jones is atop the offseason agenda for New York.
According to SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, they could beef up their o-line with Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, a player that the organization has reportedly become smitten with.
“The Giants will clearly be on the hunt for offensive line help this offseason,” Vavvhiano stated. “And while there is no guarantee they’ll select one in the first round of the NFL draft, there are already a couple of top prospects they seem to really like.”
“In fact, the Giants already “love” Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs, according to an NFL source familiar with the Giants thinking…”
Wirfs has been downgraded on a plethora of experts’ draft boards for the simple reason that he played predominantly on the right side of the line during his time at Iowa. Yet, he is still widely regarded as a legitimate first-round prospect.
Wirfs, who The Athletic deemed College Football’s Biggest Freak heading into 2019 for his absurd athletic ability at his size, should light up the combine next week with superb testing.
Giants Interested in Alabama’s Jedrick Wills
Vacchiano didn’t stop at Wirfs, reporting that the Giants have a similar affection for yet another top tackle in the class.
“They have expressed similar interest in Alabama’s Jedrick Wills. Both of them are widely considered among the top four offensive line prospects in this year’s class, and they will get a good look from the entire league at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next week.”
“It is far too early to know whether either of them would interest the Giants enough to draft them with the fourth overall pick. Right now, the NFL consensus seems to have Wirfs and Wills in a four-man group at the top of the offensive line charts, with Georgia’s Andrew Thomas and Louisville’s Mekhi Becton. Which order they will eventually land in depends, for now, on who is asked.”
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Giants ‘Love’ One of Draft’s Top Offensive Tackles: Report