New York Giants: Top 10 Fifth Round Draft Picks of All-Time
By Neal Lynch
In the 2014 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected USC Trojans linebacker Devon Kennard, who’s shown promise in his first two seasons. He might just eventually make it onto our list of the top 10 fifth round draft picks in Giants franchise history.
The fifth round of the NFL Draft is typically when a lot of fans – and sometimes even war rooms – go on cruise control. But, there are still great diamonds in the rough. There are still under-the-radar, dark horse gems to be had. It’s football’s version of clam diggin’.
The Giants draft history has seen some of its best draft classes come in the ’60s, ’80s, and early-t0-mid 2000s before current General Manager Jerry Reese took the reins in 2007. Which years did Big Blue find success in the fifth?
Previously, we counted down the franchise’s best draft picks of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounds. With this post, we’ll rank the Giants’ top 10 best 5th round draft picks.
10. Don Chandler – K/P, Florida Gators (1956)
Games: 64
Approximate Value w/ Giants: 24
Seasons w/ Giants: 9
Average AV Per Season: 3
Drafted by the New York Giants in the 5th round (57th overall) of the 1956 NFL Draft, a few picks after Philadelphia Eagles picked up Valparaiso guard Fuzzy Thurston and the Green Bay Packers selected Indian tackle Bob Skoronski.
In 9 seasons with the G-Men, Chandler booted 525 punts for more than 23,000 yards averaging 43.8 yards per game. Don’s 65 punts, 2,859 punting yards, and long of 67 were all league-highs in 1958.
Chandler was also the kicker for the last four years of his tenure with Big Blue, but was good on only 46 of 78 field goals. However, in 1963, his 52 extra point conversions and 56 extra point attempts were both highest in the NFL.
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