The NY Giants need to keep attacking the EDGE position in the 2021 Draft.
The NY Giants have admirably tried to make their pass rush a proud unit that is a core symbol of the franchise’s history. Unfortunately, injuries and a lack of developmental progression has held the EDGE rushers back from making a significant difference in this defense. Instead, the defense’s success has funneled more through the team’s interior defensive linemen and inside linebackers.
Much of the pass rush has come from the trio of Leonard Williams, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Dalvin Tomlinson. Kyler Fackrell has also made an impact in the sacks department as well before landing on the IR.
The team has selected outside linebackers in the 3rd Round of back-to-back drafts. The team selected Lorenzo Carter in 2018 and Oshane Ximines in 2019. However, neither player has made the expected 2nd-year or 3rd-year jumps many fans and the coaching staff was expecting. Both players have dealt with injuries, a lack of playing time, and both have spent the vast majority of 2020 on season-ending IR.
In their absence, the team replaced their two draft picks with guys off the street such as Jabaal Sheard, UDFA Niko Lalos, and 7th round 2020 draft picks in Carter Coughlin and Cam Brown. While this newly-formed quadruplet has played admirably in their roles, not one of them was expected to do so this year.
The EDGE needs a major overhaul on the NY Giants’ roster. Lalos has made enough plays to keep for the future, and Coughlin and Brown look like building blocks for the future. As Carter enters year four next year and Ximines enters year three, they need help to generate more pressure and come up with more sacks.