New York Giants 7 Round Mock Draft: Fleecing division rivals with trades, adding starters
By Ryan Messick
Round 6, Pick No. 189: Derrick Deese Jr., TE, San Jose State
It turns out neither tight end came off the board, and Deese is the pick.
I’m relieved to get one, as the draft board just kept falling for me to take other positions. Don’t get me wrong – I’m thrilled with this draft. I was just a little worried about leaving the cabinet bare at tight end.
That said, at this point in the draft, of course, Deese isn’t a sure thing. He’s 6’4, 236 pounds, and doesn’t have that ideal height for the position – nor is he an excellent blocker. But he runs great routes and has strong hands. If he were a bit faster, he’d probably be a wide receiver. Hopefully, the Giants could develop him into a pass-catching tight end, capitalizing on his ability to track the ball, hauling in passes with his long arms and great hands, and run crisp routes.
Also, I believe it’s much easier to improve as a blocker at tight end than as a pass-catcher. There’s just a certain level of natural skill in catching a football, whereas blocking can be learned by adding strength and practicing fundamentals.