New York Giants: Top 15 first-round draft picks all-time
By Henry Buggy
9. player. 31. . Defensive End. South Florida Bulls, 2010. Jason Pierre-Paul
When the Giants selected Jason Pierre-Paul in 2010, Big Blue knew it was getting a raw talent with huge upside potential.
The 6-foot-5, 270-pound pass rusher spent just one season at South Florida after transferring from community college. But he quickly made his presence felt, earning first-team All-American honors in 2009. It didn’t take long for “JPP” to transition to the next level.
In his second season, he recorded a career-high 16.5 sacks while helping the Giants hoist their fourth Lombardi Trophy. Pierre-Paul earned First-Team All-Pro honors that same season and was named a Pro Bowler in both 2011 and 2012.
In 2015, the Giants former first-round pick suffered a devastating hand injury due to a 4th of July fireworks accident. Despite playing with just seven-and-half fingers, “JPP” has proven he can still be an impact playmaker.
Since the incident, Pierre-Paul has amassed 16 sacks and five forced fumbles but missed tackles have become a bigger issue. The Giants have moved on from “JPP” this offseason, trading him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
His 58.5 career sacks ranks seventh all-time in Giants history, placing him just ahead of George Martin and right behind Justin Tuck.