Round 6, #172 Overall: LB Monty Rice, Georgia
Monty Rice was a productive, rangy four-year player in the SEC lining up for the Georgia defense.
Rice enters the NFL at 6’1, 235 pounds as an undersized, speedy linebacker that can make plays in space and has decent coverage skills. Rice plays with an engine similar to that of Tae Crowder’s who was Mr. Irreleveant as a linebacker coming out of Georgia last season. Rice had 219 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles and one recovery, and five pass deflections.
Rice looks like a high-upside pick with the ability to provide another linebacker that can help the Giants’ pass defense. The two former Bulldogs in Crowder and Monty Rice would look good in blue together, helping Blake Martinez line the defense up and form a nice depth chart at linebacker.
Round 6, #177 Overall: TE Noah Gray, Duke
With the Giants’ last pick, we give Daniel Jones another player to be excited about and a familiar face. Gray was at Duke for Jones’ last two seasons. Although never a featured, premier player, Gray has been a reliable presence at tight end where he can make plays in the passing game with soft hands and crisp routes. More importantly, he has shown a willingness to block, something that has been sorely missed from the Giants’ tight ends for several years.
With Evan Engram being so untrustworthy, the impending cut of Levine Toilolo, and the lack of production from Kaden Smith, the team needs more from their tight ends. With any luck, Gray develops into a nice piece and a steal for NY in round six.