With the New York Giants desperate for help on the offensive line, they may look no further than PFF’s top-ranked NFL Draft offensive tackle, Mississippi State’s Charles Cross. It is widely assumed that the Giants will use one of their two first-round picks on an offensive tackle during the NFL Draft.
In the majority of mock drafts you lay your eyes on, you’ll see Evan Neal or Ikem Ekwonu being selected by the new Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen. There is one tackle that, despite not being mocked to the Giants as consistently as the other pair, may just be the selection for the New York Giants come April 28th.
Charles Cross out of Mississippi State has often been the forgotten man in this year’s first-round tackle conversation but, if recent chatter is anything to go by, he might find a home in East Rutherford in 2022.
The New York Giants could use Charles Cross to bolster offensive line
The team had a strong contingent at the stand-out tackle’s pro-day earlier this month. Both offensive line coach Bobby Johnson and assistant offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. joined offensive coordinator Mike Kafka in Mississippi to watch the 2021 first-team All-SEC talent workout.
The signs have been enough to change the tune of many in the industry, including Peter Schrager of ‘Good Morning Football’, who had the Giants taking Cross with pick five in his latest mock draft. Let’s take a look at three reasons why Charles Cross to the New York Giants makes sense during the NFL Draft
New York Giants: 3. Protect the Passer
If you have watched any New York Giants football over the past few years, you will likely have seen Daniel Jones, or whoever was filling in for the injured Jones, running for their lives. In 2021, the New York Giant’s offensive line ranked 30th in the league according to PFF. As bad as that may seem, it was actually a one-spot improvement on their 2020 ranking of 31st.
The point is, the line has been horrific at protecting the passer, as well as just in general, over the past few years. It certainly played its part in the historically bad New York offense under Jason Garrett’s command.
In a recent mock draft, Todd McShay labeled Cross “the best pass protector in the class”, a sentiment shared by many in the industry. Having invested heavily in wide receiver last year, adding a tackle who can ensure Jones has the time to get the ball to the team’s new assets is essential.
In Mike Leach’s air raid offense at Mississippi state, Cross saw significantly more reps in pass protection than any other top tackle in the draft. In an incredible 719 pass-blocking snaps this past season, Cross only gave up 16 pressures (PFF). Even more impressively, he gave up 0 pressures on 66 snaps against one of the nation’s best teams in Alabama.
New York Giants: 2. Much needed flexibility
The one position on the offensive line that it seems the Giants are happy with is left tackle, with second-year pro Andrew Thomas making significant improvements in 2021.
Thomas did however miss four games last season with an ankle injury which landed him on IR. Left tackle is still the most important piece of the offensive line and, without Thomas healthy, the Giants had nobody of adequate class to step into the spot in reserve.
Cross would be able to step right in to protect Jones’ blind side, should Thomas suffer another injury in 2022. The two-year starter at Mississippi State started 22 games at left tackle over the past two seasons in college football’s premier conference – the SEC.
Despite playing his college career at left tackle, he has performed drills at right tackle during the draft process. NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein stated, “he can become a good, long-time starter at either tackle position” in his NFL draft profile.
The flexibility provided by Cross would no doubt be appreciated by the Giants, who have been lacking top talent at almost all five positions on the offensive line for some time. It also affords Joe Schoen and the team a safety net should Thomas take a step back in 2022 or beyond.
New York Giants: 1. Immediate Impact
Cross should be able to step in and impact the Giants’ protection of Daniel Jones from week one of the season. When asked about Cross on “Mock Draft Live” earlier this month, Lance Zierlein said he believes cross is “more game ready” than Ikem Ekwonu, another potential target for Joe Schoen in round one.
For any team, it is beneficial for their first-round pick to step in and play well immediately – for the Giants, however, it may be essential. The franchise has had a difficult time evaluating now fourth-year Jones in his Giants career so far. He has seriously lacked weapons in the passing game, as well as playing behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines.
With not long left on his rookie contract, Schoen and the new front office would benefit from being able to evaluate Jones based on his play behind an adequate offensive line, particularly in the passing game.
When you add to that the fact the franchise will also be evaluating running back Saquon Barkley on similar merits, the improvement Cross immediately brings to this offensive line represents a critical step in the rebuild in New York.
Fortunately for Schoen and the Giants, roster evaluation alone does not need to be a reason to draft a prospect. Instead, it will come as a positive side-effect of taking what could be the best tackle in the draft.
At the end of the day, even if the team moves on from both Jones and Barkley after 2022, they will have a young tackle pairing in Cross and Thomas who can protect skill players for the best part of a decade together in East Rutherford – or at least the Giants will hope.