With how poor the offensive line looked at times last campaign, there’s no question that NY Giants general manager Joe Schoen will be working overtime to improve the unit this offseason. The interior offensive line needs a total makeover.
The Giants currently have both of their tackle positions locked down for the foreseeable future between both Evan Neal and Andrew Thomas. The future indeed is bright there, especially with Thomas coming off an All-Pro campaign.
This year’s draft class may not be as exciting from an offensive line standpoint as last year, but there are still some rather impressive prospects that could be plugged in as a Day 1 starter regardless of where they are picked. Here’s five big boys up front NY should keep an eye on:
5. Washington OL Jaxson Kirkland
To kick things off we have one of the more interesting offensive line prospects in this year’s draft class: Jaxson Kirkland. He may not be an incredibly touted prospect, but Kirkland has a ton of potential that the Giants may want to capitalize on.
Arguably the best part about Kirkland’s game has to be his versatility, as he has tons of experience at both guard positions, and left tackle as well. This is because Kirkland originally played the tackle position for Washington, however, due to some length concerns, he was shifted to the inside where he has looked rather good.
Outside of his lack of length, Kirkland is an incredibly exciting prospect from a body standpoint. His absolutely massive 6-7, 340-pound frame, combined with some rather incredible speed/athleticism make for a deadly combination that could lead to high levels of success in the NFL.
PFF projects Kirkland to be taken in the fifth round and while we think he deserves to go a bit higher due to his upside, if he manages to slip that far down, the Giants could get a massive steal who could be a game-changer for an offensive line that really needs it.
4. Michigan C Olusegun Oluwatimi
Considering that both Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates are set to hit the free agent market this offseason, the Giants are going to be in need of a center if they opt not to bring either of these two back. If New York goes down this route, Olusegun Oluwatimi might be their best option in the middle rounds of the draft.
Oluwatimi is a 6-3, 307-pound center with a chance to be a very solid player in this league. During his time at Virgina and Michigan, Oluwatimi showed off some interesting potential as both a pass protector and run blocker.
While his smaller frame and lack of impressive strength may limit his draft stock, watching his tape shows that he has all of the tools to be potentially be a very good player in the NFL. Through 410 pass blocking snaps, Oluwatimi allowed four QB hurries and five QB hits.
Most of Oluwatimi’s issues as a pass blocker comes because his footwork tends to become too stagnant at times, which leads to him getting pushed back. This is something that he has improved over the years and will likely continue to as he gains more experience.
Putting a center like Oluwatimi at the forefront of this Giants offensive line could drastically improve the team’s success while running the ball. It may take time for Oluwatimi to progress as a pass blocker, but what he does in the run is already tempting enough and could make him worth drafting.
3. TCU OG Steve Avila
A prospect who could be a great fit with the Giants next season is Steve Avila, a 23-year-old left guard out of TCU who made his name known as a pass-blocking specialist over his college career. A player with Avila’s skillset would be great for the Giants offense, as pass protection is something the interior offensive line really struggled with last season.
While Avila could use some overall work with his ability to block in run snaps, he has arguably the highest floor as a pass protector, and could be a safe choice for the Giants to make in the second round if he’s still available.
In 540 pass blocking snaps, Avila allowed just nine QB hurries and two QB hits, using his massive 6-4, 330-pound frame to dominate opponents off the line of scrimmage. Avila is the definition of a brick wall, as it really takes a lot for opposing defenders to move him. This is due to both his frame, and incredible footwork/hand placement in pass-protection reps, which allow him to simply stop defenders in their tracks.
Alongside how great he is as a pass protector, Avila has a ton of potential as a run blocker as well. While he is much less refined in that area, he certainly has all of the tools to be great at it. Avila has shown some great reps as a one-on-one run blocker, he just needs to iron out his hand placement and ability at the second level to make the jump.
2. Ohio State C Luke Wypler
There may not be a more tantalizing center prospect in this year’s draft class than Luke Wypler. While John Michael-Schmitz certainly has a case to be the best player at the position, Wypler’s age and upside could give him the edge. Wypler is a 6-3, 300-pound center who is just 21 years old, making for tons of room to grow as a player and prospect.
In 449 pass-blocking snaps last season, Wypler allowed just seven QB hurries and one sack, being one of the better offensive lineman in terms of pass protection in this year’s draft class. The only real problem with Wypler’s game that could have a chance of hindering his progress is his strength.
While he certainly isn’t weak, Wypler could stand to add some muscle to his frame – he could struggle going against bigger nose tackles early on in his career. Outside of this, Wypler is an incredible prospect to watch.
Whether it be his footwork, hand placement, speed, or just overall blocking prowess, Wypler is a ton of fun to watch and his film shows how high his potential is to be great in the NFL. He may not have the super high floor of Avila, but Wypler certainly has the higher ceiling and could be one of the biggest steals of the entire draft in the second or third round.
1. Florida OG O’Cyrus Torrence
There are very few doubts that O’Cyrus Torrence is the best offensive guard prospect in this year’s draft cycle and it’s for good reason. His combination of ridiculous strength and technique make for what could be a star right out of the gates.
Torrence is an incredible run blocker while simultaneously being an incredibly solid pass protector. Through 355 pass blocking snaps, Torrence allowed just eight QB hurries. The main thing that is holding back Torrence from being an elite pass protector is his footwork, but there’s time for him to improve there.
Most of the time, Torrence has some pretty good footwork that allows him to dominate no matter what set it is. However, there are some occasions where his footwork can become somewhat stagnant, which allows him to be pushed back easier than he should be. Despite this, we’re not too worried considering how great he is at just about everything else.
Torrence might just be the strongest interior lineman in the entire draft class and it shows on tape. Once he gets a hold of you, he isn’t letting go and will dominate you off the line of scrimmage. The physical capabilities that come with Torrences frame (6-5, 347 pounds) make him a tantalizing prospect alone. He has all the tools to be a playmaker from early on in his career.