4 players the NY Giants must avoid in Round 1 of the NFL Draft
By Zak Musso
2. RB Bijan Robinson
If the Giants do not re-sign Saquon Barkley this offseason, they should absolutely not be drafting a running back in the first round to replace him. If Barkley signs elsewhere this offseason, his replacement should be drafted in the later rounds of the draft.
The running back draft class is absolutely loaded in 2023. Tyjae Spears, who had a monstrous week at the Senior Bowl, Deuce Vaughn, Zach Charbonnet, Kendre Miller, Sean Tucker, and Israel Abanikanda are among running backs who profile as quality NFL players who could be available in the third round and beyond.
If general managers have one golden rule, it should be to never draft a running back in the first round. Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette are two prime examples of why you should not draft a running back early on. Despite being highly productive players early in their careers, by their age 27 seasons, both had broken down. Zeke had a disappointing 2022, with Tony Pollard putting on a show.
The Giants have holes at WR, CB, ILB, and OL that they need to address to improve both next season and the future. It would simply be bad business to draft a running back in the first round who can only be elite for only 4-5 seasons, when they could potentially add a player at a premium position that could be elite for the next decade.
Robinson is the best running back draft prospect since Barkley and will make a monstrous impact on the team he is drafted to in 2023. Avoiding him in the first round has nothing to do with his ability, but rather the position he plays.