3 Players the NY Giants should stay away from at top of the draft

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 29: Defensive lineman Derrick Brown of Auburn runs a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 29, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 29: Defensive lineman Derrick Brown of Auburn runs a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 29, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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NY Giants draft target Mekhi Becton (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
NY Giants draft target Mekhi Becton (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

2. OT Mekhi Becton – Louisville

It’s hard to look at Mekhi Becton and not be wowed by his tantalizing abilities and other-worldly physique. The former Louisvlle tackle is a monster of a man at 6’7 370 pounds, and he showed he can use that frame well while racking up an unheard of 60 pancake blocks in 2019 with the Cardinals.

Watching Becton consistently push defenders literally off of the TV screen view was a sight to behold, but that mostly came in the run game. I saw serious flaws in his pass-protection sets that he was able to hide for the most part in college, but would be likely to come out in the NFL.

On Paul Esden Jr’s radio show on Syracuse 1260 the score, I made the comment that Becton could be anything from Ereck Flowers to Jonathan Ogden. While taking a chance on a player that could turn out to be the HOF’er that Ogden was is intriguing, the NY Giants are not in a position where they can gamble in any way with this #4 overall pick.

Esden Jr. responded that he talked to numerous personnel guys that told him they wouldn’t be surprised to see Becton as the best left tackle in the league, or at out the league in general in three years time. Again, after what has transpired over the past 7-8 years on this offensive line, that is not a risk we can afford to take.

Recent news of Mekhi Becton failing a drug test at the combine only further clouds his draft stock, as even though the new CBA that takes effect next season is much-more lenient on substance abuse, it shows a startling lack of awareness for Becton to fail a drug test during the biggest job interview of his life.

Again, Becton may turn out to be a very fine player for a team that already has a solid offensive line in place that can afford to take a risk on such a boom-or-bust prospect with a terrific, proven coaching staff (cough: Patriots); that is not the NY Giants at this juncture.