Charles Vitolo’s NY Giants post free agency mock draft 2.0

RD 3 (99th): Jeff Gladney CB – TCU

With all the NY Giants have invested in the cornerback position over the past few years this may seem like overkill, but with all the extra picks we acquired in the Miami trade we’ve got some wiggle room to beef up important roster positions that we wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.

Even though we’ve drafted FS Grant Delpit in this mock draft, in essence sliding Julian Love backover to slot corner, there is simply no guarantee that he’ll work out as a slot in the NFL. I’ve loved what I’ve seen out of Love so far, but adding Gladney into the mix – who has real potential to be a difference-making slot corner at the next level – we’ve dramatically upped our chances at having a functional secondary.

You can never have enough cornerbacks in this league, and there are plenty of times where you’ve got two slots on the field in dime formations, anyway. Not to mention both played outside in college and should be able to flow between both spots in the pros.

Former third-round supplemental draft pick, Sam Beal, is going to have to earn his way into the fray after his first two seasons have been dominated by injuries. Gladney had a staggering 27 pass-breakups over his past two years at TCU, and even though he played mostly along the outside in college, his 5’10 190 LB frame suits him better to be a slot in the NFL.

Gladney’s biggest strength is being able to mirror receivers, sometimes having trouble with the bigger ones. Sounds like a player that’s due to thrive as a nickel in the NFL and we get tremendous value here due to a deep cornerback class.