The 2022 NFL Draft is just under a year away, but it looms large on the minds of NY Giants fans heading into the 2021 season with an uneven feeling about their two most important skill players.
Daniel Jones has been an adequate quarterback the past two years in in an NY Giants uniform, though New York hasn’t enjoyed much in the way of success on the field during that time.
Jones inspired hope early in his rookie year in limited action and had the team in the thick of the playoff hunt in 2020 despite ending four games below .500.
That said, year-three struggles could have the team scouring the NCAA’s upperclassmen QB pool for either a direct replacement–should the team warrant a top 5 pick–or a long-term, slow-burn replacement later on in the draft.
Then again, Jones could also make the leap.
In that case, he’ll more than likely be making use of all the imported weapons entering his artillery in Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, and Kyle Rudolph. Perhaps the issues will lie somewhere else on the roster.
The offensive line is an easy culprit to picture. The Giants‘ was barely pushing DLs and giving Devonta Freeman and Wayne Gallman a shot to be factors in the running game. Jones was also on the receiving end of over three sacks per game in 2020 as he went down 45 times in 14 appearances.
Another potential issue could be the RB position due to the ACL tear of Saquon Barkley.
Now, granted, guys like Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore have shown that you could have a fruitful career after such a debilitating injury. But, both were no longer at the same workhorse back level they were previously at.
Barkley could need a platoon pair-up going forward, and unless Devontae Booker profoundly defies expectations, these 4 2022 NFL Draft RBs would be the best options:
NY Giants 2022 RB option #1: Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M
Isaiah Spiller has game-breaking speed and the ability to shed tacklers at his feet, as though he is rubbing sand off his legs after a trip to the shore.
In two seasons at Texas A&M, Spiller has averaged around 1,000 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns per season.
That’s the definition of consistency, especially in a brutal SEC West that features some of the most punishing defenses in college football year in and year out like Alabama, Auburn, and LSU.
Spiller showed up in the Aggies’ Orange Bowl victory over UNC, finding the end zone twice despite his second lowest number of carries in any game all season. That said, his true breakout performance came in a two-TD, 192 all-purpose yards performance against the SEC East winner Florida Gators in the biggest win of TAMU’s season.
His big-play ability figures to be a bit more subtle in the pros, but Spiller could serve a similar function in the NY Giants’ offense as Saquon if he loses several steps post-ACL surgery.