Who is the best defensive option for the New York Giants at Pick 4?
To see any mock draft that has anything except Burrow, Young and either Okudah or a QB that was traded for in the top three is completely non-existent. However, a lot of recent mocks also have the Giants taking an offensive tackle at #4. While it seems to still be up in the air exactly which one Dave Gettleman wants to take, more and more mocks are moving away from a defensive player pick four.
It is no surprise that is the case either, what with three offensive tackles who would be the consensus best option at the position in several other drafts and where opinion is widely split as to which one is best. That is before Mekhi Becton is even discussed, whose combine showed him as a physical freak, and whose upside might even put him close to, if not up there with Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills and Andrew Thomas.
As a result, why should the Giants, who are unquestionably more than one offensive tackle away from contending, want to pick at four, when all three are available, if they do not have a significant preference.
Could the New York Giants add a play maker by moving back?
There is still a high likelihood that there are still teams who want either Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert and may want to trade up to get their preference. However, there is also at least one more blue-chip defensive prospect in this draft, maybe even two or three, if the Lions also trade down and one of those quarterbacks goes with the third-overall pick.
So, let us say that the Chargers or Dolphins get worried about losing their preference of those two. Suddenly the Giants are on the clock with, not only all three tackles on the board but also, the only two elite defensive players available in this draft.
There is one team in the top 10 who is absolutely desperate to replace their playmakers on defense, whether that be a position-less play maker like Isaiah Simmons or the only elite cornerback in Jeff Okudah. That team is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Adding either of these would replace the identity that has been ripped apart as the likes of Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye have left.
By moving up above the likes of the Carolina Panthers and with the Lions having also traded down in this scenario, they have gazumped both of those teams to add their choice of two talented players.
As for the Giants, a move down to nine means they are almost certain to still get at least one of the top tier offensive tackles, as well as potentially adding another piece towards the Joe Judge regeneration in the trade with the Jaguars…
…Yannick Ngakoue
Ngakoue fills a huge need for the Giants
Name me a Giants’ pass-rusher that is a current threat to NFC East offenses?
When the best name you can likely think of is Leonard Williams, it demonstrates the issue. The entire front seven lacks any kind of presence or quality. If Williams was the answer the Giants were looking for, they would have signed him to a long-term deal in the off-season.
Who knows if Ngakoue is a perfect fit for whatever a Joe Judge/Patrick Graham defense wants to do, but there is no question that Ngakoue would be able to rush the passer from whichever position you put him in. He is certainly better than any pass-rusher in this class not named Chase Young, let alone anyone they could get at 36.
If all it would take, especially after Ngakoue’s twitter bust-up with the Khan family, is to drop five places in the draft to get one of the three tackles they wanted anyway on a cheaper contract than they would have had to pay them at pick four, then it is worth it. That is before the fact it gives Gettleman a known quantity in this most difficult of drafts.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars get rid of Ngakoue and add the type of defensive centrepiece they could not get at nine without giving up their own second first-rounder at 20.
This is the trade no-one is talking about but actually might make as much sense as any in the top half of the first round.
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