The New York Giants Went CB In Round One; Who Does Reese Draft In Round Two?

Jerry Reese and the New York Giants did was many fans were clamoring for… Kind of. They drafted a defensive player in the first round. And while the Giants need help on all levels of their defense and certainly at linebacker, Leonard Floyd was taken the pick prior.

So, the Giants selected Eli Apple, cornerback from Ohio State, to help bolster a pass defense that allowed 4,783 yards through the air. That massive total is the second-most in NFL history.

Reese addressed the media last night after selecting Apple. “He’s a terrific young player, and it’s a need pick. It’s a value pick where we had him ranked, and it’s absolutely a need pick. Look out there and see our corner depth, you guys can see that.”
To those two argue the pick was a reach, VP of Player Evaluation Marc Ross has an answer for you.: “We’ve heard it before. We’ve taken other players that (were called) a reach. Nobody knows … It’s easy to second-guess and pick and say get everybody’s pick right and tell them what they should do, but you’ve just got to put in the work and trust what you do.”

One can certainly argue that a trade down would have been preferable, but Reese explained, “we got a call, we didn’t like it, and we stayed where we were.”

So, moving on to the second round and third rounds. The Giants hold the 40th and 71st picks on Friday night and have significant needs. The Giants could select a starter at free safety, linebacker and offensive line. While Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul will start at defensive end, another top pass rushing defensive end could certainly come off the board Friday night.

Who’s still on the board for the Giants?

Myles Jack (LB, UCLA)
Jack’s doctors found out there’s more to his surgically repaired right knee than merely a torn meniscus. Prior to the draft, all reports indicated the Giants wouldn’t draft Jack with the tenth pick, but if he’s not snatched up early Friday night, they could get an unbelievable talent. There’s absolutely risk of injury and possible surgery in his future so who knows how much risk Reese is willing to take with a second-round pick.

Cody Whitehair (G, Kansas State)
Whitehair would be an absolute steal for the Giants who have John Jerry slated to start at right guard. He did play tackle his final two years at KSU and was believed to be a surefire first-round pick. Whitehair would start immediately and, if no other moves are made, Bobby Hart and Marshall Newhouse would battle for the starting right tackle slot.

Kevin Dodd (DE, Clemson)
Dodd was another player who was thought to be a first-round pick but slipped to day two. Dodd had been mocked to the Giants early in the process, but both he and his teammate Shaq Lawson slipped down boards as the draft approached. Dodd had 12.0 sacks in his first and only year as a starter and would be a selection based on his potential as an NFL pass rusher.

Michael Thomas (WR, Ohio State)
The Giants could go Ohio State in the first two rounds and give Eli Apple a roommate at rookie OTAs. He has prototypical size and can play outside or in the slot. The Giants can’t count on Victor Cruz even if the belief is he’s “100 percent.” Would be a steal pick to play opposite Odell Beckham Jr. and could be a valuable red zone threat.

Deion Jones (LB, LSU)
The Giants missed out on Leonard Floyd in the first round who would have provided a cover linebacker and a pass rusher. Jones would check all those boxes. He is a speedy linebacker who can cover receivers out of the backfield and get to the quarterback. Jones had two interceptions in addition to his five sacks and 100 tackles his senior year. His 4.38 40-yard dash at his pro day certainly helped his cause.

Darian Thompson (FS, Boise State)
Thompson is versatile and has big play ability. Reese seems to be confident in his young, unproven crop of safeties on the roster, but Thompson could compete for the starting role his rookie year. He’s played both safety positions and corner and could be a value in the Giants secondary. Would Reese select two players for the secondary with his first two selections, though?

Emmanuel Ogbah (DE, Oklahoma State)
Ogbah is a pure pass rusher and would be able to step in right away and rush the quarterback. His run stopping ability could be improved, but he would fill a need for the Giants. He’s reportedly a high character guy, but his inconsistency on the field gives a lot of scouts pause.

Sterling Shepard (WR, Oklahoma)
Again, receiver is a need but Shepard is a different type of WR than the aforementioned Thomas. Shepard is more in the mold of OBJ. He’s a speedy wide receiver who runs great routes and has very reliable hands. Shepard would fit the Giants offense perfectly catching short passes from Eli Manning with the possibility for big gains.

Kamalei Correa (LB, Boise State)
Another tweener linebacker like Jones that would check a lot of boxes in Spagnuolo’s defense. Spags wanted to blitz more in 2015, but didn’t have linebackers with the ability to cover and Correa has that ability. He notched up 19 sacks and five forced fumbles in his past two seasons. Correa has lots of upside, but will need to be molded in the NFL.

Noah Spence (DE, EKU)
At one point, Spence was thought to be a top-ten selection, but fell into the second round. He certainly has character flaws, but is a versatile pass rusher. He can rush from all over the field and from any stance. He converts his speed into power and eludes blockers. Spence would be an absolute steal in the second round if he can keep his nose clean.

Who else do you want the Giants to grab?