New York Giants: Mike Mayock Weighs In On 2017 NFL Draft
NFL Draft expert Mike Mayock weighed in on what he believes the New York Giants should do at No. 23 overall. He believes New York needs a playmaker.
The New York Giants are preparing for the second phase of an offseason that will define the future of the organization. Having committed a fair share of cap space to returning pillars and fresh faces, the next step will be building for the future.
The Giants may be attempting to win now, but in order to maintain any form of success, the key is and always will be to build through the NFL Draft.
New York is currently in possession of the No. 23 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. Every expert seems to have weighed in on what the Giants should do with the draft pick, but few are as respected as Mike Mayock.
According to Dan Salomone of Giants.com, Mayock believes the Giants need to find a playmaker at No. 23 overall, and listed David Njoku as an option.
"“David Njoku is an intriguing conversation, also at 23, and, you know, maybe you’re also taking a look at some of those running backs at 23,” Mayock continued. “Because I think, more than anything, you need a playmaker. I don’t care whether you call them tight ends, running backs, whatever, you need a playmaker.”"
The Giants have an abundance of talent at wide receiver, but the crop at running back and tight end can be found somewhere in between unproven and underwhelming.
Njoku is a 6’4″ and 246-pound tight end with an awe-inspiring physical profile and elite athleticism. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com compared him to Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, who has become a two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Although the Giants have some intriguing young players at tight end, the inconsistency at the position plagued the team’s offense.
Whether it’s Njoku, O.J. Howard, or another tight end, the Giants will likely consider attempting to upgrade at the position through the 2017 NFL Draft.
At running back, the Giants have a promising young player in Paul Perkins and a dynamic playmaker in Shane Vereen. Vereen’s New York tenure has been plagued by injuries, however, and Perkins has just one NFL season under his belt.
Eli Manning has three tremendous wide receivers in Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall, and Sterling Shepard, but he needs consistency out of the backfield.
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Mike Mayock believes that the New York Giants should prioritize offense over all else in the 2017 NFL Draft.