Top 5 Combine takeaways: New York Giants may have QB choice

The NFL Scouting Combine officially wrapped on Monday, but the New York Giants still have plenty to evaluate ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft.

New York Giants first-year general manager Dave Gettleman said prior to the event that no decisions would be made in Indianapolis. He likened Scouting Combine interviews to speed dating, but the G-Men did get some useful information out of the annual “Underwear Olympics.”

Medical exams are a crucial part of the event. One of the biggest storylines out of Indianapolis was Maurice Hurst’s diagnosed heart condition. Michigan’s star defensive lineman was projected to be a first to second-round draft selection prior to the Scouting Combine.

On-field drills and the weight room gave some of this year’s best athletes a chance to shine. Cornerbacks Donte Jackson and Denzel Ward showed off their speed in the 40-yard dash. Will Hernandez, Braden Smith, and Quenton Nelson displayed incredible strength in the bench press. Josh Allen and Josh Rosen showed why they are considered two of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s class.

With pro days and free agency still ahead, New York’s personnel departments still have plenty to evaluate before putting together the team’s big board. The Giants have questions along the offensive line, in their backfield, and at linebacker and cornerback on the defensive side of the ball.

Gettleman will likely look to address some of those positions in the draft. Big Blue could also select Eli Manning’s eventual successor with the No. 2 overall pick. Right now, it’s anyone’s guess.

While nothing definitive came out of the Scouting Combine, there were plenty of takeaways from the event. Here’s a look at the top five takeaways from the NFL Scouting Combine from a New York Giants perspective.

#5 – Shaquem Griffin Shines

It was impossible to watch any of the NFL Scouting Combine this weekend without hearing about Shaquem Griffin.

The 6-foot-1, 227-pound outside linebacker put up 20 reps on the bench press while using a prosthetic on his left arm. The 2016 AAC Defensive Player of the Year had his left hand amputated at the age of four-years-old, but that hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his dream of playing in the NFL.

Griffin was already one of the most talked about prospects at the Scouting Combine ahead of his 40-yard dash. Then he posted a 4.38-second run, marking the fastest 40-yard dash time for a linebacker in more than a decade. Griffin had already proven himself a playmaker at UCF, recording 33.5 tackles for a loss, 18.5 sacks, 16 passes defended, four forced fumbles, and three interceptions.

While Griffin surely boosted his draft stock in Indianapolis, he wasn’t the only linebacker to do so.

Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch and Georgia’s Lorenzo Carter also boosted their value. Alabama’s Rashaan Evans, Georgia’s Roquan Smith, and Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds likely solidified themselves as the top three linebackers in this year’s class.

The Giants are in need of upgrades at both inside and outside linebackers. Big Blue is transitioning to a new defense under James Bettcher where versatility is key to success.

#4 – DB Depth – Talent Can Be Found In Mid-Rounds

A report surfaced Saturday that Big Blue would transition Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to free safety in 2018. That only leaves more questions at New York’s cornerback position.

The good thing is this year’s draft class is expected to have plenty of defensive back talent, especially in the mid-rounds. Louisville’s Jaire Alexander and Alabama’s Tony Brown were among some of the top cornerbacks to improve their draft stock. Ohio State’s Denzel Ward and Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick displayed why they are projected to be top 15 picks come April.

LSU’s Donte Jackson might have moved himself into the first-round, but the G-Men will likely be looking to address their cornerback position after day one.

Alabama’s Anthony Averett, Tulane’s Parry Nickerson, Auburn’s Carlton Davis, and Western Michigan’s Darius Phillips are some cornerback prospects that could be on New York’s big board. Alexander and Brown could also be options for Big Blue.

Iowa’s Josh Jackson may have hurt his draft stock at the Scouting Combine. The Hawkeyes defensive back was considered one of the top cornerback prospects entering the event, but a 4.56-second 40-yard dash may cause some teams to hold off on selecting him in the first-round.

It would surely be a steal if Jackson fell to Big Blue at No. 34 overall, but that seems highly unlikely given his play in 2017.

The Giants have two legitimate starting cornerbacks in Janoris Jenkins and Eli Apple entering the 2018 season, making the cornerback position a priority in free agency and the draft. Gettleman may choose to pass on the top cornerback prospects in this first-round, but starting talent can be found in the mid-rounds of this year’s class.

#3 – OL Takeaways – Should G-Men Stay Away From Orlando Brown?

Both Gettleman and Pat Shurmur have made it clear that the Hog Mollies up front are a priority this offseason. The Giants new general manager and head coach both know it doesn’t matter who’s behind center or at wide receiver if the team can’t block up front.

The Giants consistently struggled to find offensive line talent in the draft under Jerry Reese. That needs to change under Gettleman. Luckily there is plenty of interior offensive line talent in this year’s class.

The only problem with that is New York’s biggest weaknesses are their offensive tackle positions. Oklahoma’s Orlando Brown was projected to be one of the top three offensive tackles off the board come April, but a terrible performance at the Scouting Combine is likely to move him down multiple teams’ draft boards.

The 6-foot-8, 360-pound first-team All-American put up just 14 reps on the bench press. He ran the fifth slowest 40-yard dash time (5.85 seconds) of any player since 2003. Worst of all, Brown was told to stop “loafing” by coaches during the combine drills, according to Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller.

The Giants already had problems with effort in 2017. They can’t afford to waste another high draft pick on a player with question marks. Brown’s draft stock may have taken the worst hit at the Scouting Combine. But he can still be one of the top tackles off the board, depending on the results of his pro day and draft visits.

The Sooners left tackle wasn’t the only offensive line prospect to hurt his draft stock. Ohio State’s Jamarco Jones also struggled in Indianapolis, posting the second worst three-cone drill time (8.32) among offensive linemen. Jones was one of the biggest risers at the tackle position following the 2017 season. The Buckeyes tackle could now find himself falling to the third or fourth-round.

While Jones and Brown damaged their draft value in Indy, there were some offensive linemen that boosted their draft stock over the weekend.

UTEP’s Will Hernandez, Notre Dame’s Quenton Nelson, and Iowa’s James Daniels all displayed why they are considered first-round selections. Nevada’s Austin Corbett and UCLA’s Kolton Miller were among those that boosted their value in Indianapolis.

The other biggest storyline among the offensive linemen was Billy Price’s partially torn pectoral. Ohio State’s first-team All-American suffered the injury during the bench press portion of the event. He was considered a first-round prospect prior to the Scouting Combine, but he isn’t worried about the injury, via NFL Network.

"“I’m not worried about this at all. This is something where I’m gonna come back stronger. You’re gonna really have to put a bullet between us Ohio State guys’ eyes to put us down. So I’m looking to get back out there and whatever team ends up selecting me, we’re going to be 100 percent going into it.”"

#2 – Saquon Barkley Is Worthy Of The No. 2 Pick

Saquon Barkley was already considered the top talent entering the NFL Scouting Combine, and he did not disappoint.

Gettleman selected Christian McCaffrey with the No. 8 overall pick in last year’s draft. Barkley is a far superior talent and may be the best running back prospect to enter the league since Adrian Peterson.

There are surely risks with taking a running back at No. 2 overall, but Gettleman tried to put the myth about the position to rest in his Scouting Combine presser, via New York’s team website.

"“The bottom line is: is the guy a football player? This whole myth of devaluing running backs, I find it kind of comical. At the end of the day, if he’s a great player, he’s a great player. It doesn’t matter what position he is. The other thing, listening to Pat, sometimes I think it gets lost that football is the ultimate team game. You blow the whistle, 11 guys have to go out there. Offense, defense and special teams. Everyone has to understand that every player is important. That is why when you are looking at the second pick of the draft, which we are, the first thing we have to determine is, is this guy worthy of being the second pick of any draft? Not just this year’s draft, of any draft. You make that determination and you move forward.”"

Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott, and Leonard Fournette all immediately helped their teams in their rookie seasons. The Giants have plenty of work to do on the offensive line but so did Jacksonville last season. The additions of Fournette in the first-round and Cam Robinson in the second-round worked out pretty well for Dave Caldwell and Tom Coughlin.

While Barkley stole the show for running backs, Oregon’s Royce Freeman and Georgia’s Nick Chubb also helped their draft positioning in Indianapolis. LSU’s Derrius Guice and San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny also displayed why they are considered two of the top running back prospects in this year’s class.

#1 – Big Blue Could Have Choice Of QB

The New York Giants could have their choice of quarterback in the 2018 draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

Barkley is reportedly in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick, leaving Big Blue the chance to take any quarterback they want. Josh Allen and Josh Rosen showed in the throwing portion why they are expected to be first-round selections. Sam Darnold elected not to throw at the Scouting Combine but did post a 4.85-second 40-yard dash.

Darnold will get a chance to showcase his arm at USC’s pro day and could still easily be the top quarterback off the board. It may be a three-man race for the Giants at the quarterback position.

Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield may have eliminated himself from the discussion with his comments in Indianapolis. The Sooners quarterback was always a long-shot to end up with Big Blue.

Allen may have boosted his draft stock the most. But questions about his accuracy will likely linger until he proves otherwise in an NFL uniform. He could be an ideal option to groom behind Manning for a year or two, but there’s also no denying Darnold and Rosen’s talent.

NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock believes the Giants should take Barkley unless Gettleman falls in love with a quarterback, via NFL Network.

"“First and foremost, if you fall in love with a quarterback at No. 2 and you think he’s the guy for the next 10 years. You probably have to take him. However, if you don’t love the guy and don’t believe in him with all your heart and soul, Saquon Barkley, if he’s there at No. 2, is the most obvious choice in the draft. He’s special. He’s different. He’s all those things.”"

The safest pick for the G-Men is arguably Nelson or Barkley. But the chance to draft a franchise quarterback at No. 2 overall doesn’t come along often, unless you’re the Cleveland Browns.

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Either way, Gettleman is likely far from making a final decision. Plenty has changed since the Senior Bowl wrapped up at the end of January. Players’ draft stocks will continue to rise and fall before the G-Men are officially on the clock in Arlington, Texas on April 26.