NFL Media Analyst Charles Davis released his latest mock draft and he had the New York Giants selecting a Clemson pass rusher. No news there. Shaq Lawson has been a popular target in mock drafts since the offseason began.
However, Davis didn’t have Lawson’s name being called with the tenth pick. In his mock draft, the Giants pick Kevin Dodd while Lawson’s name is still on the board. Dodd finished his 2015 behind his All-American teammate with 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.
Davis had this to say of the Dodd selection: “The Giants have always loved their pass rushers, and Dodd’s production in college will be heavily scrutinized (one-year wonder?), but N.Y. is banking on his Ziggy Ansah-type potential.”
Dodd, the “one-year wonder,” was a reserve for three years at Clemson and was set back by a 2013 knee injury. But playing alongside Lawson his senior year he excelled. Dodd has prototypical size at 6’5”, 275 pounds, but showed off his underrated speed at the combine. He ran a 4.86-second 40-yard dash, impressive for his size, but still slower than Lawson.
Can a case be made for Dodd over Lawson? Mel Kiper said the difference between the two prospects is marginal. “It’s a slim difference… If you look at the body of work, you would go Lawson. If you look at this one year, and certainly the way he played in the championship game, you would go Dodd.”
And would the Giants would even draft a defensive end after their free agency spending spree? “They spent a lot of money on Vernon,” an NFC scout told NJ.com’s Mark Eckel. “And they kept JPP. But you never know. Jerry (general manager Reese) and Marc (director of college scouting Ross) are usually true to their board. If there’s a defensive end they like when their pick comes, they could take him. You never have enough pass rushers.”
That philosophy should ring true for Giants fans. New York drafted Mathias Kiwanuka in 2006 when they had Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck on the roster. And then in 2010, the Giants selected Jason Pierre-Paul to help Osi, Tuck and Kiwi get to the quarterback. Super Bowl victories soon followed.
So if the Giants do still target a pass rusher, should they go with the upside of Dodd or the proven numbers of Lawson?