5 Terrific players left on the board for NY Giants at #36 (part one)

Due to several teams making head-scratching selections during the back half of the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, there are several high-end players available for the NY Giants at pick #36. Here are five that could be there.

Man, the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft could not have played out much better for the NY Giants. After GM Dave Gettleman used smokescreens to a tee and ended up with the best offensive tackle in the draft at pick #4 – not panicking when there weren’t any trade-down opportunities – several top prospects have now fallen into the second round.

Based on my player grades, I have a staggering nine players with round-one grades that are available heading into round-two that make sense for the NY Giants. With just three picks before Big Blue selects at #36, Gettleman will have his pick of the litter between those players at our positions of need which is an extremely positive development.

Even though center is a humungous need for the team and I love prospects such as Lloyd Cushenberry and Matt Hennessy, the NY Giants might be in a position now where they can address center in round three now and go after one of these players they would have not expected to be around at #36 before things kicked off.

Shockingly, no safeties were selected in the first round of the draft, which lends itself well to Big Blue finding a stud at #36 should they so choose.

Due to there being so many high-level prospects that make sense and should be available for the NY Giants at pick #36, my colleague, Ross O’Keefe, will have a top-five piece just like this of his own dropping later today.

Without any further ado, here are five players highly-graded players that make sense for the NY Giants at pick #36 and have a solid shot of being available.

1. FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Minnesota

One of the fastest risers during the latter of the 2020 NFL Draft process, free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was widely expected to land in the back half of the first round of the draft. However, not a single free safety was selected, and in turn, my second-highest rated FS is still right there for the taking for the NY Giants.

Although he stands at just 5’9, Winfield Jr. is a true center fielder that is one of the few safeties in this draft that can play single high and make a mammoth difference in the deep passing game. He makes up for his lack of size with fast-twitch abilities, timing, and instincts — all super-important traits for free safety.

His single best trait is recovery ability and speed, as seen in the clips below, which is paramount for an elite free safety.

Winfield Jr. battled injuries during two of his seasons with the Golden Gophers before exploding in his redshirt ‘sophomore’ campaign in 2019 that saw him rack up 63 tackles, 3 sacks, and 7 interceptions. He was a first-team All-American, the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, and was a major reason for Minnesota’s resurgence back to national recognition.

The NY Giants have not had a true ball-hawking, rangy free safety since Antrel Rolle and Winfield fits that bill in spades. He would be a terrific pick for Big Blue at #36 and the selection would allow Julian Love to slide back into his more natural role of slot cornerback.

GMENHQ Grade: 1st rounder:  B

Team need: 7/10

Chance he falls to #36: 90%

2. EDGE Zack Baun – Wisconsin

During the early parts of this draft process, edge-rusher Zack Baun had been as commonly mocked to the NY Giants as you ever could imagine a player could be at a pick as late at #36. However, he also enjoyed a major ride up draft boards during the winter months and was considered a lock for the first-round as recently as a week or two ago.

As we know now after last night, that didn’t happen. It’s fair to assume his flagged drug test at the NFL combine played a role in this, although there’s also a good chance that teams are realizing this is a weak edge class without many players really worthy of being drafted in the first round of any other draft.

The scary thing with Baun is he only had one even solid season — but man, was that a solid season. In 2019, the Wisconsin pass-rusher racked up 53 tackles and 12.5 sacks while also showing he has the skills to be an off-ball linebacker, as well.

He’s a perfect scheme fit for the NY Giants’ 3-4 ‘multiple’ scheme, as he could bring pressure from inside or out, stay on the field whether there were three or four linebackers out there, and potentially cover ‘backs and tight ends.

Should he fall the few spots to #36, the Giants could end up leaving this draft with a high-ceiling edge rusher — something that didn’t seem possible before this thing started.

GMENHQ Grade: 1st rounder: B-

Team need: 9/10

Chance he falls to #36: 85%

3. OT Josh Jones – Houston

All in all, this is the player I’m most shocked slipped out of the first round. In my last NY Giants dream mock scenario in which I traded down with the Miami Dolphins to #18, I was stoked to pick up Jones as I have him rated as my #4 offensive tackle in this draft.

I simply cannot believe that the Dolphins went with USC tackle Austin Jackson at that same pick over the polished and super-productive Jones. Rumors are swirling that the Bengals will take him with the first-pick in the second round, but if they don’t, he should be in play for Big Blue even though the team used the #4 pick on Andrew Thomas.

Gettleman says he will take the highest player on his board, and Jones would at least have to be near that ranking. Although we still need a center, an edge, and a free safety, the idea of finding two legit bookend tackles in the same draft is a tantalizing one.

Nate Solder can’t factor into the equation here, as I can’t think of many better ways to rebuild the right way than landing two potential blue-chip offensive tackles in the same draft, especially for a team like the NY Giants that has had some of the worst players at the position in the NFL in recent years.

Jones allowed just four total pressures on 325 pass-blocking snaps in 2019, an unheard-of amount.

GMENHQ Grade: 1st RD: B

Team need: 6/10 (after Thomas pick)

Chance he falls to #36: 33%

4. FS Grant Delpit – LSU

Another player that was once considered to be a top-ten lock, LSU FSU Grant Delpit’s stock took a major hit in 2019 even though he won the Jim Thorpe Award (given to the nation’s best defensive back) — figure that one out. Tackling issues aside, he’d make the NY Giants’ defense better overnight.

Speaking of those tackling issues, from the tape I watched, they were very exaggerated. Did he miss a few here and there by overextending and not using proper form? Sure. Did I see a player that was soft and avoided contact, which is what would really worry you? No.

I saw a player that was much closer to the All-American, Jim Thorpe Award winner. Outside of Winfield Jr., he’s the only other free safety in this class that I believe has the true ability to flourish as a single-high safety, which would be a lovely tool for new defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham, to use.

Delpit ran a blazing 4.39 40 and has all the physical tools, with the tape and stats to back it up. The play-making safety had 7 career sacks, 8 career picks, and 25 career passes defended and was all over the field for the National Champion Tigers.

Sign me up.

GMENHQ Grade: 1st RD: B

Team need: 7/10

Chance he falls to #36: 85%

5. S Xavier Mckinney – Alabama

ESPN’s highest-rated available player left on the board (17th), Xavier Mckinney is an excellent safety that is a versatile as any safety in this class. By the way, sensing a theme here with the safties? Clearly, the NFL isn’t valuing safties right now, which is weird considering they are having a larger impact on the game now than ever.

Even though he’s rated higher by mostly ever expert than Delpit and Winfield Jr., he’d still be my third-choice only because he’s not a true single-high center fielder. Can he play there in spots? Sure. But, he’s more of a mix-it-up safety in the Jabrill Peppers mold, although his coverage skills are far superior.

The junior safety had a loaded 2019 stat sheet with 59 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, 3 picks, and 5 passes defended. He truly can do it all, and a safety duo of Peppers and Mckinney sure would be enticing.

Again, this would allow Love to slide back to nickel, in essence plugging another hole, while n all reality, these three could all flow between those three positions. This would be a very solid pick for the NY Giants.

GMENHQ Grade: 1st RD: B-

Team need: 6/10 (-1 for not being a ‘true’ FS’)

Chance he falls to #36: 60%