NFL Draft: 5 Defensive prospects New York Giants must have on big board

Utah LB, Devin Lloyd

Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd would instantly step in and fill a much needed role for this Giants team. After three strong collegiate seasons, Lloyd has cemented himself as the top linebacker prospect of this year’s group.

While at Utah, Lloyd played in 36 games. He stuffed the stat sheet by racking up 256 total tackles, 43 tackles for loss, and 15.5 sacks. He also recorded five interceptions, with four of them coming last season. This was the second most in the Pac-12.

Lloyds ability to be effective in pass defense is what makes him such an intriguing prospect for this Giants defense. He is both fast and physical enough to cover the middle of the field and lock down receivers who cross his path. This allows for him to be more than able to hold his own in both man-coverage and zone-coverage.

This above-average pass defense paired alongside his strong run defense allows Lloyd to be capable of making a play whenever he is on the field. He is also able to generate pressure in a way that nearly no other player can. He recorded 10 in one single game against Stanford this past season.

While selecting Lloyd with either of their top-10 picks could be a scrutinized decision, if he is able to perform at a high-level from day one, the Giants will happily live with this decision.