Does best player available mean Barkley for New York Giants?
The G-Men hold the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and with new general manager Dave Gettleman, it’s anyone’s guess who Big Blue will pick.
Most have assumed the New York Giants would go quarterback at No. 2 and they might. But it is also possible that the Giants look at a different position.
Gettleman expressed that he would go best player available in the draft, via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
"With the second pick we’re gonna take the best player. They screamed at me in Carolina, ‘You got to draft a tackle, you got to draft a tackle.’ If the value’s not there when you pick, you’re gonna make a mistake. We’re gonna set ourselves up so we can take the best player available and if the best player available is a quarterback, that’s what we’re gonna do."
This could open the door for Gettleman to make a similar pick to his last one with the Carolina Panthers. Gettleman drafted Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey with the eighth overall pick.
McCaffrey was not used as the primary rushing option for the Panthers, however he flourished and changed the Panthers passing game. He had 80 catches, 651 yards, and 7 total touchdowns. Gettleman had no problem using a top ten pick on McCaffrey, which may mean he could use the second pick on a better draft prospect at the running back position.
New York Giants
Will Barkley Be The Best Available?
Saquon Barkley was a star at Penn State. Some say he could be better than Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliott. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote that Barkley is the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson.
The reviews have been fantastic for the Nittany Lions running back. If the Giants can make real changes to the offensive line, it’s possible Barkley could be elite right away. But he can’t be elite running behind the line the Giants had last year.
If Gettleman decides to select him with the No. 2 overall pick, Big Blue will have to address their offensive line issues later in the draft and through free agency. Barkley could be a once in a generation talent, and if the Giants don’t feel that way about Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen, they may be best served on waiting for their future quarterback.
They also may like Davis Webb. We just don’t know. If they do feel these guys are franchise changers then they should take the quarterback over a running back. If things don’t work out over the next two seasons, the Giants will likely have a high pick anyway and get a quarterback.
Turning Back The Clock For Eli
Not only will Barkley be an outstanding player but he could be a huge help to Eli Manning.
The Giants two-time Super Bowl winner is aging and his best days are behind him. However, a running back of Barkley’s caliber could help extend his career.
The final four quarterbacks that were left in the NFL playoffs this year were Tom Brady, Case Keenum, Nick Foles, and Blake Bortles. Aside from Brady, Manning can still play at a higher level than these guys.
If the whole offense is not on his back and Barkley establishes the run game for the Giants, New York’s pass game will obviously be much better. Barkley could take some pressure off Manning and perhaps turn back the clock to Manning’s earlier days. With Barkley, the Giants could have one of the best skill groups in the NFL. Manning at quarterback, Barkley at running back, Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard at receiver, and Evan Engram at tight end would rival any team in terms of skill position players.
Whether it is Rosen, Darnold, Barkley, or neither of the three, the Giants have to take the best player available. Taking the best player available could change the Giants franchise for the better both long-term and short-term.