Getty New York Giants take the clock early in Round 2
The New York Giants threw a wrench in the majority of mock drafts on Thursday night when they used their 1st-Round selection, fourth-overall pick, to draft Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas.
Now, after a night to allow fans to digest the pick, and the 1st-Round as a whole, Giants enter Day 2 in prime position to add a game-changer atop Round 2.
New York currently holds two draft picks on Friday night. Big Blue will first be on the clock at 36th-overall, the fourth selection in Round 2. They will then have to wait for 63 more selections until pick No. 99 in the 3rd-round.
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Could NY Take a Safety in Round 2?
Jabrill Peppers and Julian Love appeared destined to be New York’s starting safeties when the team takes the field in Week 1. With that said, the Giants didn’t likely expect there to be a legitimate possibility that the likes of Xavier McKinney, Grant Delpit, and others would still be available for the taking come Round 2.
Not a single safety came off the board in Round 1, despite numerous prospects at the position garnering 1st-Round buzz throughout the draft season.
McKinney, in particular, should pique New York’s interest. The former Alabama standout is a versatile playmaker, with experience operating out of both safety positions as well as in the slot. McKinney is currently rated the third-best player still on the board entering Round 2 according to NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah.
Love’s experience at cornerback always leaves the door open for the former Notre Dame product to transition back to his college position, allowing New York room to draft a safety if he happens to be the best player available on their board.
Other potential fits include California’s Ashtyn Davis and Minnesota’s Antoine Winfield Jr., both of which rank within our Top-15 of Best Players Available Entering Round 2.
Giants Must Address The Linebacker & Pass-Rusher Position
New York signed Blake Martinez to a fairly large contract in free agency. Yet, while he’s a tackling machine, he’s been picked apart in coverage throughout his NFL career. On the edge, 2019 sack-leader Markus Golden still remains unsigned and appears to be out of the team’s future plans at this time.
That leaves Kyler Fackrell as the team’s most feared pass-rusher at the moment. While Fackrell does have a double-digit sack season under his belt, he only recorded a single sack a season ago.
Wisconsin’s Zack Baun could be a perfect fit for Big Blue with the 36th-overall pick. The former Badger was a dominant pass-rusher in his final collegiate season, collecting 12.5 sacks and demonstrating a deadly first step.
Baun lacks the type of length teams look for on the edge, which is likely why he fell out of the 1st-Round. However, he’s shown the ability to drop into coverage in the past, making many project him as a stand up backer at the next level.
The Hybrid playmaker has been pegged a potential fit for the Giants ever since the team took a specific interest in him at Wisconsin’s Pro Day, prior to the Covid-19 outbreak putting an end to such events.
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