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NFL Draft: NY Giants take Elerson Smith | 3 Things to Know

By Danny Friedman

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 30: Defensive Lineman Elerson Smith #47 from Northern Iowa of the National Team during the 2021 Resse's Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 30: Defensive Lineman Elerson Smith #47 from Northern Iowa of the National Team during the 2021 Resse's Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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The NY Giants have added another pass rusher in the 4th round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

In the 4th round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the NY Giants added a promising pass rusher in Elerson Smith. 

Smith will join 2nd round pick Azeez Ojulari in a new-look Giants EDGE group on the defense. He was one of the FCS’s most dominant and disruptive players in 2019. He lost his 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was invited to the 2021 Senior Bowl where he shined and proved his worth against the nation’s top senior prospects.

Smith was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year before the season was moved to the spring. Smith opted out of the spring season and opted to enter the NFL draft where he will join the NY Giants at a huge position of need.

Here are three things to know about the NY Giants’ latest pick, Ellerson Smith:

A productive edge rusher

Smith was an absolute menace for opposing offensive linemen, offensive coordinator, and coordinators week in and week out in the MVFC. Whether he was heavily accounted for or not, Elerson was an impressive pass rusher in 2018 before improving mightily in his last season back in 2019.

Smith racked up 7.5 sacks off only 19 total tackles in 2018, an impressive (but hard to repeat) sack-to-tackle ratio. In 2019, Elerson shined with 63 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and five forced fumbles.

Elerson’s 2020 campaign earned him 1st team All MVFC Honors and more importantly, 1st Team FC All-American. The 6’7, 255-pound EDGE rusher can play with his hand in the dirt at d-end and stand up as an EDGE rusher.

Abundant athleticism

Elerson Smith likely earned his pick as a New York Giant during the Senior Bowl in 2021. Dave Gettleman loves his Senior Bowl picks whether it’s Daniel Jones, Matt Peart, Oshane Ximines, or others, Gettleman has added numerous small school smaller-name prospects that excelled at the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Elerson did well against some of the top players in this draft. He showed impressive athleticism for a man his size at 6’7, 255 pounds. He looks like and runs like a tight end on the football field.

Elerson has a strong background in other athletics. Smith ran track and field in high school along with wrestling and playing basketball. He has a good blend of speed and size that makes him an intriguing fit off the EDGE for New York.

Projecting Smith’s role with NY Giants

Elerson Smith may not start right away, but that shouldn’t be fully expected with the Giants’ new-look current linebacker/EDGE groups. Smith joins a now crowded bunch with several fellow draft picks of the New York Giants.

On one side, it’s likely that Lorenzo Carter starts at his same spot as last season where he was playing his best ball before getting hurt. With Carter, the other EDGE spot may end up for grabs amongst 5 or so different players.

Elerson Smith will compete directly against Ojulari right off the bat, as they will go up Oshane Ximines, Carter Coughlin, Cam Brown, Niko Lalos, and the free agent in Ryan Anderson. All of them have different skills, backgrounds of getting to the Giants, and their impact on their team(s) in 2020. Smith has his work cut out for him to find the field, but it’s certainly doable for the NY Giants’ 4th round draft choice in 2021.

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