Who should the NY Giants target in the 2nd round of the NFL draft?

With the 4th pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the NY Giants should easily be able to find an impact player that can contribute right away. The bigger challenge will be drafting a capable starter in the 2nd round. The team simply can’t afford to mess up the 36th pick.

There will be plenty of great prospects available when it is the NY Giants turn on day two of the draft. The Giants have holes all over their defense and offensive line, and they need their 2nd round pick to be someone that could step in and start right away as the team still has many needs after free agency.

The players featured in this article are prospects I believe the NY Giants should target with their 36th pick. I strongly believe the team should select a safety, center, offensive tackle, edge defender, or inside linebacker with their second-round pick, largely depending on what takes place in the 1st round.

If the NY Giants draft a receiver in the second round, it should be a player they think has a high floor and superstar potential. I could understand the team taking one high-upside receiver in a historically good wide receiver draft class. If they do target a wide receiver, it should be someone with size that excels at winning contested catches.

The players featured in this article are prospects I think the Giants should draft, not who I think they will end up drafting. Some popular players that have been projected to the Giants in the second round that I have omitted from my article include Austin Jackson (OT), Ezra Cleveland (OT), Lloyd Cushenberry (C), Julian Okwara (Edge), and Terrell Lewis (Edge).

Offensive tackle has a pretty high bust rate, and players like Jackson and Cleveland wouldn’t be guaranteed to start for the Giants on day one (especially with the signing of Cameron Fleming). I think Cushenberry lacks the strength and anchor ability that the Giants desperately need at center. Okwara and Lewis are not big enough upgrades over Lorenzo Carter and O’Shane Ximines to warrant the 36th overall pick, in my opinion.

The following players would fill positions of need and be of adequate value to the NY Giants in the second round. Each of these players would become immediate starters for the Giants and could be difference-makers right away.

These are the prospects I think the team should be targeting in round two of the 2020 NFL draft.

Antoine Winfield Jr:  S, Minnesota

Why would he be a good value for the Giants in the 2nd round? Winfield excels at playing the deep half safety position. His special knack for attacking the ball in the air and being in the right place in coverage would make him a great value for the NY Giants at #36. Winfield’s ability to play coverage in the deep half of the field is something teams are clamoring for throughout the NFL.

The best deep half safeties didn’t have the chance to hit the market in free agency. Devin Mccourty was extended by the Patriots for big money, even at his advanced age. Justin Simmons and Anthony Harris were both were tagged before they could hit the open market the start of free agency.

What does he excel at? Winfield is an instinctive defender that sees the field exceptionally well. This allows him to quickly diagnose what an offense is doing and get in the right position to make a play. For Minnesota, Winfield was a true playmaker, totaling 7 interceptions and 85 tackles in 2019.

Winfield is the son of former NFL Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield Sr. Like his father, he is an aggressive tackler that is eager to fill the gap and stop incoming ball carriers. His ability the quickly process plays allows him to consistently be in the right place when stopping the run.

Why the Giants might hesitate: Winfield lacks ideal size and athleticism for an NFL safety. He isn’t slow by any means (his 4.45 40 yard dash is proof of that), but he lacks the second gear to chase ball carriers from behind. Standing at just 5 feet 9 inches, he might have trouble versus tight ends over the middle.

Personal excitement level if drafted: (9/10) Winfield would fill a glaring hole at free safety for the NY Giants. The Golden Gopher has tremendous football pedigree, football instincts, and the mindset of a playmaker. If he was chosen by Big Blue in the second round, I would be ecstatic.

Likelihood he will fall to #36: (6/10)

Denzel Mims-WR, Baylor

Why would he be a good value for the Giants in the 2nd round? Denzel Mims has legitimate superstar potential. In a typical draft, Mims would be a surefire first round pick. In a historically good 2020 wide receiver draft class, there is a chance someone like Mims could slip into the second round.

I wrote about Mims’ elite speed, agility, and route running in my column about the athletic freaks the Giants should target in the draft.  His elite size (6 foot 3, 207 pounds) and atleticism (4.3 40-yard dash and a 6.6 3-cone drill), would add a different dimension to the Giants offense. Daniel Jones would have another burner on the outside, which would open up room for Saquon Barkley in the run game.

What does he excel at? Mims has plucky hands and a very large catch radius. He has able to easily win contested catch battles against defensive backs and he uses his size to his advantage. Additionally, Mims displays excellent awareness of the sideline, making him very quarterback friendly.

The Baylor Bear is the type of receiver that you can feel comfortable just throwing it up to. His ability to focus and make the catch with bodies around him is special. The Giants have lacked a player with his skill set since Hakeem Nicks was in his prime.

Why the Giants might hesitate: The Giants don’t have a glaring need at wide receiver. They have needs all over their defense, and still need solutions at center and offensive tackle. Despite Mims’ elite athleticism, his route running and RAC ability in college was not the best.

Personal excitement level if drafted: (6/10) The Giants defense and offensive line were dreadful in 2019. The wide receivers, including the rookie 5th round pick Darius Slayton, were not the reason they went 4-12. Mims could end up being a great player, but he would not fill a need for the Giants.

Likelihood he will fall to #36: (5/10)

Cesar Ruiz-C, Michigan

Why would he be a good value for the Giants in the 2nd round? Ruiz is considered by many to be the best interior offensive lineman in the 2020 NFL draft. He has experience playing guard, but his play at center should intrigue the Giants. Ruiz could be a major upgrade over Spencer Pulley.

The NFC east is chock full of powerful interior lineman that can push the pocket and make life difficult for the run game. The Cowboys beefed up their defensive line this offseason with the additions of Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe, while the Eagles added the dangerous Javon Hargrave to team up with the Giants-killer Fletcher Cox. The NY Giants need to shore up the middle of their offensive line if they plan on getting the running game going in 2020.

What does he excel at? Ruiz has a powerful build to go along with elite athleticism for his size. He is able to hold his own versus large nose tackles and deliver devastating double team blocks in the run game. Ruiz is naturally thick, especially in the lower half, which allows him to hold his ground and have excellent anchor ability against defensive tackles.

The Michigan Wolverine’s strength and technique gives quarterbacks the opportunity to step up confidently in the pocket. Ruiz was a three year starter at multiple positions along the interior of the offensive line at Michigan. His experience and football IQ means that he’s rarely caught off guard by stunts and blitzes, a major issue for the Giants in 2019.

Why the Giants might hesitate: Ruiz is built compactly to take on nose tackles, but he lacks ideal length. This could cause some struggles against longer pass rushers.

Personal excitement level if drafted: (8/10) It could be argued that center is a more glaring need than offensive tackle for the Giants. Ruiz is the best center in this draft and would be a major upgrade over Jon Halapio and Pulley. He would help Daniel Jones in pass protection, and create a push for Saquon Barkley in the run game.

Likelihood he will fall to #36: (4/10) Ruiz is climbing up draft boards, and with the early retirement of Travis Frederick, he could be headed to Dallas in the first round.

Ashtyn Davis: FS, California

Why would he be a good value for the Giants in the 2nd round? Davis possesses versatility, toughness, physicality, and every other adjective Joe Judge emphasized during his introductory press conference. The safety from the University of California has top-notch speed to cover the deep half of the field and fill the free safety need for the NY Giants. Davis also has experience covering wide receivers out of the slot, which could help solve another weakness for the Giants’ defense.

What does he excel at? The former Pac-12 champion in the 110-meter hurdles is a football guy that happened to be good at track. He can process plays quickly, has the ability to cover receivers in man-to-man from the slot, and he can even contribute on special teams as a gunner with impressive straight-line speed. Coaches at Cal even used him to blitz off the edge, where he was effective getting after the quarterback.

Davis’ ability to play deep half safety is what coaches might like the most. He displays good short area quickness, and can cover a lot of ground when supporting cornerbacks in coverage. His speed and physicality can make receivers hesitate when running over the middle of the field.

Why the Giants might hesitate: Davis struggles with run support, especially when he is playing up close in the box. While he is a very physical player that can deliver big hits, he is not always reliable when it comes to making sound tackles.

Personal excitement level if drafted: (8/10) Davis just seems like a Joe Judge type of player. He does not make plays on the ball or tackle as well as Winfield, but he is tough and smart. If Winfield is gone by pick #36, I would be rooting for the Giants to pick Davis.

Likelihood he will fall to #36: (9/10)

Zack Baun-Edge/LB,Wisconsin

Why would he be a good value for the Giants in the 2nd round? Zack Baun might be the best edge prospect after Chase Young in the 2020 draft. The only reason he could fall to the Giants in the second round is his size is not prototypical for a full-time NFL edge. For the Giants, Baun can be a versatile defender for Patrick Graham’s scheme and can make plays all over the field.

Baun’s 7 second 3-cone drill at the combine backed up the twitchy athleticism he showed on tape in the Big 10. The Giants desperately need better pass rushers, and Baun has natural pass-rush ability.

What does he excel at? Baun terrorized college quarterbacks with 12.5 sacks in 2019. I believe Baun is at his best when he is getting after the quarterback with his speed and leverage. He is great at anticipating snap counts, has a very high football IQ, and his versatility in coverage should be seen as a strength.

Why the Giants might hesitate: There has been talk of Baun converting to an off-ball linebacker like Anthony Barr in the NFL. At 238 pounds, Baun lacks the ideal size for an edge player in the NFL. Despite his lack of size, Baun was able to hold up well against the run in college.

Personal excitement level if drafted: (9.5/10) I think Baun would be a home-run pick for the Giants. He could step in on day one and become the Giants’ best edge player. The pass rush is still the Giants’ most glaring weakness, and Baun would certainly help in that department.

Likelihood he will fall to #36: (3.5/10)

Players that the Giants should heavily consider, but will likely be gone by the 36h pick:

Josh Jones- OT, Houston

Many draft experts consider Jones to be in the elite tackle prospect group with Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton, Jedrick Wills, and Andrew Thomas. If Jones fell towards the end of the first round, I think the Giants should try trading up back into the first (similar to last year when they traded for DeAndre Baker). Jones is good enough to start right away for the NY Giants at right or left tackle.

A.J. Epenesa- Edge, Iowa

Epenesa was a very productive player in the Big 10 with double-digit sacks the past two seasons. He displays expert pass-rushing moves but relies on power instead of speed. His lack of elite athleticism (5.04 40-yard dash) might cause him to slip into the second round, but the NY Giants can’t afford to pass on elite pass-rushing talent if he is there at pick 36 (and Baun is off the board).

Grant Delpit-FS, LSU

After an exceptional 2018 season, Delpit was viewed by many to be a future top 10 pick. Despite playing well overall in a national championship season for the LSU Tigers, Delpit struggled with an ankle injury and tackling issues throughout much of 2019. If his poor tackling in 2019 causes him to fall out of the first round, Delpit would be an excellent value and fill a need at free safety for NY the Giants.

Patrick Queen- LB, LSU

The player that improved his draft stock the most throughout the season for the LSU Tigers defense was Patrick Queen. The likely first-round pick played at an elite level and was a legit force down the stretch against Georgia, Oklahoma, and Clemson. If the NY Giants end up passing on Isaiah Simmons, they would be extremely lucky if the uber-athletic Queen fell to them in the second round.

Kenneth Murray-LB, Oklahoma

Another athletic middle linebacker that would be the perfect type of player to pair with the newly acquired Blake Martinez, Kenneth Murray has everything the Giant’s defense needs. Murray moves like a safety in space and has ridiculous sideline to sideline speed. If he somehow fell into the second round, the Giants would greatly benefit from his ability to quickly shoot the gaps and make plays in the backfield.