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New York Giants: Inside Linebackers To Consider In 2017 NFL Draft

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reuben Foster (10) communicates at the line of scrimmage during the fourth quarter in the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reuben Foster (10) communicates at the line of scrimmage during the fourth quarter in the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 26, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores inside linebacker Zach Cunningham (41) celebrates after a fumble recovery during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores inside linebacker Zach Cunningham (41) celebrates after a fumble recovery during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

The New York Giants need to improve at inside linebacker. Which 2017 NFL Draft prospects would make sense for Jerry Reese to target?

The 2016 NFL season has come to a close and the offseason has officially begun. For the New York Giants, nothing will be more important than complementing the stars in place by addressing the few voids that remain.

As the Giants evaluate the current roster and pinpoint the areas of weakness, few stand out quite as much as inside linebacker.

Devon Kennard is becoming a solid NFL player, but New York is thin at linebacker. Only one Giants linebacker earned a Pro Football Focus grade above 70.0 in 2016, which is a fair indication of how much of a weakness linebacker remains.

With Kennard on the outside and Kelvin Sheppard now a free agent, the Giants need to find a player who can solidify the defensive interior at middle linebacker.

New York drafted B.J. Goodson in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, but there’s no guaranteeing that he’ll develop into a starter at middle linebacker. For that reason, Jerry Reese must evaluate his options in 2017.

Fortunately for the New York Giants, the crop of inside linebackers in the 2017 NFL Draft is nothing short of promising.

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