Ranking NY Giants’ NFL Draft needs after free agent spending spree

The NY Giants still have much work to do, plugging hoes in the roster, during 2021 NFL Draft.

The NY Giants filled some of their most glaring offseason needs with players at the top of the free agency market, on both sides of the ball, but still have much work to do during the NFL Draft later this month.

Wide receiver Kenny Golladay and Leonard Williams plugged what had the chance to be major holes. John Ross added boom-or-bust depth and first-round pedigree. Meanwhile, Adoree’ Jackson’s arrival might lift the NY Giants’ secondary into the upper echelon in the NFL.

Free agency seemingly opens up general manager Dave Gettleman to choose the best available player, with each of the team’s picks either to dramatically increase the talent at the top of the depth chart or add a starter at a position of need.

Here’s how we rank the NY Giants’ five biggest NFL Draft needs, following this offseason’s spending spree:

5) Offensive guard

The NY Giants signed Zach Fulton earlier this offseason, but it remains to be seen if he is anything more than a short-term Bandaid after Kevin Zeitler was released as a cap casualty.

Last season, fifth-round rookie Shane Lemieux split snaps at left guard with Will Hernandez, and eventually supplanted the former second-round NFL Draft choice was the starter. But, both Lemieux and Hernandez are coming off disastrous 2020 campaigns.

Lemieux allowed five sacks, 25 total pressures, and was given a 16.9 pass-blocking grade and 32.2 overall mark from Pro Football Focus after playing 504 snaps as a rookie. Meanwhile, Hernandez was charged with one sack and 25 pressures with a 50.9 pass-protection grade.

It almost goes without saying, that with Andrew Thomas entrenched as one of the NY Giants’ starting offensive tackles for the foreseeable future, drafting at least one guard should be a priority this year.