The NY Giants must avoid these position groups in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The NY Giants are going to need immediate impact from whoever they take in the first round of the upcoming 2021 NFL draft.
There are several positions known for success translating from college to the pro game much faster than other positions. For example, countless receivers have come into the NFL in recent years and taken the league by storm. Whether it was Justin Jefferson last season, D.K. Metcalf in 2019, or Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014, some of the best and most dominant rookie seasons have come from the pass catchers on offense.
There are many positions that naturally take more time to adapt to in the NFL as the game speed and playbook are much more intense than in college. The Giants won’t be in the market for a QB in this first round, but it’s well-documented the struggles rookie quarterbacks have had historically. Even all of the greats either started as backups or struggled to win or limit turnovers such as Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and many more.
The decision around what position group the NY Giants take in the 1st round will be a hotly debated topic over the next few months. From there, you can highlight and focus on certain players likely in that draft range.
Here, we breakdown what position groups the NY Giants should avoid and not look at in the 1st round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The NY Giants have bigger needs than cornerback in Round 1.
As enticing as it may be to add a first round cornerback prospect to pair with James Bradberry, the NY Giants should explore other avenues to do so.
The team is best suited to address their cornerback needs through free agency with veterans and through the middle rounds of the NFL draft. Look at recently drafted guys such as Darnay Holmes and Julian Love along with old Giants such as Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster. Holmes had a nice rookie season as did Julian Love in 2019 in a smaller role. Both Thomas and Webster were good, reliable starting cornerbacks who both had numerous seasons with 4+ interceptions.
When the Giants have used their first round pick on cornerback lately, it has ended disastrously. DeAndre Baker and Eli Apple were both colossal busts in New York. Both players struggled with their attitude, maturity, and play on the field as they equally struggled on Sundays and in the locker room. Apple lasted not even 2.5 years with the team while Baker was subsequently cut after one year after a legal situation that turned into a complete fiasco.
Along with the Giants’ big misses at first-round cornerbacks, it’s a hard position to adjust to in the NFL. Running with world-class athletes in NFL wide receivers is significantly harder than hanging with undeveloped college receivers. The defensive schemes are also much more complex, the language is different, and corners can no longer rely on their superior athleticism. Several young corners, rookies in particular, struggle with their technique and footwork which often leaves them grabbing and interfering with opposing receivers.
Many big-name cornerbacks such as Jeff Okudah, Vernon Hargreaves, Trae Waynes, Justin Gilbert, and Dee Milliner all struggled in their rookie years, and most of them never lived up to their pre-draft expectations.
With all of this, the NY Giants should not focus their attention on cornerbacks in round one. Prospects such as Caleb Farley and Patrick Surtain very well may end up good players, but there are greater needs elsewhere on the roster. Neither player is a sure thing, those are the top two cornerbacks in this draft, and many mock drafts have connected them with the New York Giants.
The Giants can’t afford another miss in this first round. Using their own historical footprint, they must learn from their mistakes and other teams’ mistakes and not use their biggest asset on a player who may struggle early and often in the NFL.