New York Giants: The NFL draft isn’t fantasy football

For the New York Giants, drafting at No. 6, allows them some flexibility in terms of whom they target, prior to the NFL Draft.

In terms of positional needs, certainly New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has to consider edge rushers, linebackers, cornerbacks, offensive linemen and safety as areas that need improvement in this draft.

That’s over the course of the entire draft, and subject to change based upon what happens in free agency.

One thing that will perhaps stay constant throughout this process in 2019: I’d bet the mortgage that at No. 6, the New York Giants aren’t taking a safety. Anyone who wants to debate that point, please feel free to speak your piece. The value at the safety position just isn’t there in 2019.

More from GMEN HQ

• Workout clip of Evan Neal training with former All-Pro OT has Giants fans excited
• NFL Draft Schedule of Events: How to Navigate Draft Weekend
• 4 NY Giants who must step their game up in 2023
• This SEC CB at No. 25 overall for the Giants is gaining steam
• When is the NFL Draft?

Obviously, New York Giants can and should speculate about the ongoing quarterback sagas, going on throughout the league. When teams end up in the top 10, and there’s an emerging need at QB, it makes sense to consider the position intently. Same theory goes with an edge rusher, as Big Blue had the 30th ranked pass rush in the NFL.

I understand the linear thinking at work in these cases.

Who I don’t understand are the draftniks, those writing for high-level sports operations, yet seem to operate in a vacuum.

For example, if the top running back, or wide receiver in this draft, drops to No. 6, are the New York Giants selecting that player?

I mean the consensus sixth best player in this draft happens to be a running back (work with me here), are the G-Men running to the podium with his name on their draft card?

Of course not, they already have rookie-of-the-year Saquon Barkley, so in essence, someone’s or everyone’s, draft board of best players becomes irrelevant.

Which is why I don’t understand how some so-called talent evaluators continue to try to fit a square peg in a round hole.  The latest example in this phenomenon came from CBS Sports draft analyst Ryan Wilson.

"Wilson wrote a piece called, “Best fits for Kyler Murray: Here are 10 NFL teams that make sense for QB now that he’s committed to football”."

Now, I read his article fully believing that the New York Giants were not going to be one of the ten teams included. Upon further review, clearly I was wrong, but perhaps I should have anticipated that.

Anyway, here’s what Wilson said about the New York Giants:

"“First things first: We’re absolutely convinced that the Giants should take Murray. It sure doesn’t feel like they’re interested, however; general manager Dave Gettleman seems content to bring Eli Manning back and if this team is going to fall in love with a quarterback, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins feels like the obvious choice. And Haskins makes a ton of sense — he’s our top-rated quarterback — but imagine a Giants offense that features Murray, Saquon Barkley, Odell Beckham and Evan Engram? You think that group would score more points than the offense led by Eli in 2018?”"

Absolutely convinced? What’s that sentiment based upon?

There are multiple areas where we can criticize Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur about in 2018. Not having a philosophy, and not sticking with that philosophy, don’t make the list. In fact, it’s true that both guys are very old school.

The bell cow running back, and loyalty to one of the remaining pocket passers in the NFL tells us so. Putting together talent for the sake of accumulating talent absolutely doesn’t work in the NFL, just look at the New England Patriots, the Super Bowl champions.

Do they have Pro Bowl talent at every position?

Heck no, but they have many very good players, and the best head coach of all-time. They are fundamentally true to their system and bring in players who fit their system.

Case in point: who’s better Julian Edelman or Antonio Brown?

That’s a no-brainer, but Edelman has a Super Bowl MVP trophy to his name.

The Buffalo Bills thought Chris Hogan was expendable, but he starts on the New England Patriots.

No doubt, that in fantasy football the objective remains the acquisition of high scoring players, but it doesn’t work that way in the NFL. And while Kyler Murray could become a Pro Bowl NFL quarterback, he absolutely is not a fit for what the New York Giants are trying to do. In that respect, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins makes total sense.

It doesn’t mean Haskins to Big Blue will happen though.

Before the trolls come out in force, keep in mind, I’ve already said that Big Blue should hone in on Manning’s successor. In fact, I would have done so at the 2018 NF Draft, so for me it’s not about the need.

And keep in mind that Murray’s Heisman Trophy hardware means nothing when it comes to the NFL.

Wasn’t Robert Griffin III supposed to change the NFL forever? Reggie Bush, even those his hardware was taken away, was an ordinary NFL player. Jason White? Troy Smith? Tim Tebow?

In the end, Murray could end up being a very effective NFL player. Like any quarterback, he first needs to get into the right system, and has to be surrounded by complementary players. For Kyler Murray, that situation appears to be the Arizona Cardinals, not the New York Giants.

The draft represents the intersection of talent versus need. Maybe it’s my own pet peeve, but I wish more evaluators would approach their work from that standpoint, than trying to incite debate utilizing faulty logic.