NFL Mock Draft 2016: 5 Most Popular New York Giants First Round Picks
By Neal Lynch
1. DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon, Sr.
SBNation thinks the Giants will actually trade up from 10th to 8th to get Buckner, adding “Buckner’s get off at the snap is good enough, he has solid long speed and knows how to play with power.” Right now, the Miami Dolphins hold the 8th overall pick, one ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are also in the market for a pass rusher. Miami is currently over their allotted salary cap for 2016, so they’ll be looking to acquire a lot of draft picks as they shed a bunch of bigger veteran contracts and lose younger talent to free agency.
From FootballsFuture:
"“Buckner brings the ability to play inside and out, with tremendous length and athleticism.”"
From OurLads.com:
"“Has the body and skill set to play anywhere along the line in the 4-3 scheme. Find a matchup problem and plug him in. The Giants defensive line was among the league’s worst in 2015.”"
From Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller:
"“…he’s an ideal fit for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, because he’s versatile enough to slide around the line and threaten the offense from multiple positions. Buckner, who dominated offensive linemen in Oregon’s 3-4 scheme as a 5-technique end, is a Day 1 starter.”"
From Josh Norris of RotoWorld:
"“Buckner has desired size and length. He is not slow off the football. He has strength in his hands and uses length. All of these show up as a run defender. Once he shows urgency and intent to play behind the line of scrimmage and shed against the pass, he can be a huge factor on a defense. The Giants might see a Justin Tuck comparison here”"
From NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks:
"“Buckner is the kind of long, rangy defender that GM Jerry Reese needs to shore up a Giants defense that’s struggled getting stops in critical moments.”"
I’m sold. The quick first step and the versatility to play up and down the line is what convinced me. Can the Giants afford to give a draft pick when they’re already down one due to the Brad Wing trade last year? Considering Jerry Reese’s mid-to-late round misses, they probably won’t even miss it.
Next: OTHER POPULAR PICKS