3 disastrous first-round picks the Giants wish they could erase

The New York Giants have developed a reputation in recent seasons for making questionable first-round draft decisions that failed to deliver long-term success.

The most glaring example came in the 2019 NFL Draft when New York selected Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick. While Jones managed to win a playoff game in 2022, he never found consistent success as Eli Manning's successor and was released by the Giants.

While selecting Jones was certainly a disastrous move, as the former Duke Blue Devil posted a dismal 24-45 record in his six years as Big Blue's starter, there have been far worse first-round selections that were quite simply catastrophic. These three first-round draft picks by the Giants might just be the worst the team has ever made.

Three worst first-round picks in New York Giants history

3. CB Eli Apple

Eli Apple's tenure with the Giants was filled with many ups and downs, to say the least. Big Blue drafted the cornerback with the 10th overall pick in the 2016 draft, and after a strong rookie campaign, Apple's play dropped dramatically.

After starting in the Giants' final 10 games of the 2016 season and finishing with 51 combined tackles (41 solo), seven pass deflections, one interception, and a forced fumble, he failed to build on the promise he showed. During his final two seasons as a Giant, he struggled on the field and began to cause problems in the locker room.

The 2017 season saw Eli Apple benched twice for disciplinary reasons, causing him to miss four straight games. His immaturity was on full display when he posted on Twitter from the sidelines during a blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys at home in Week 14. Despite incoming head coach Pat Shurmur voicing support for Apple in 2018 and calling for a "clean slate," Apple was ultimately traded to the New Orleans Saints near the trade deadline. He simply could not handle the pressure of playing in New York, allowing his emotions and immaturity to get the best of him. This first-round selection failed to pan out in any meaningful way.

2. OT Ereck Flowers

The Giants' offensive line has struggled for years, and they hoped drafting Ereck Flowers ninth overall in the 2015 draft would be a cornerstone for rebuilding the unit. To put it bluntly, the guard failed to live up to expectations during his tenure with the Giants.

During his first three years in the NFL, Ereck Flowers allowed an alarming 16 sacks and committed 33 penalties, which drew heavy criticism from Giants fans and the New York media. In the 2017 season, Flowers gave up 169 total pressures, which was the most of any tackle in the league during that span. He was also ranked as the 54th-best tackle by Pro Football Focus.

Flowers was on a short leash in 2018 after the Giants declined to pick up his fifth-year option before the season. He was moved to right tackle following the signing of veteran Nate Solder as the team’s new left tackle, but his struggles continued. Eventually, he was benched and later released. Flowers had been highly touted as one of the best offensive linemen during the NFL Combine, but he simply failed to deliver during his time with the Giants.

1. CB Deandre Baker

The Giants had three first-round picks in 2019. They selected the aforementioned Daniel Jones sixth overall, while defensive end Dexter Lawrence was taken with the 17th pick and has proven to be an excellent choice. However, the third pick New York used was on cornerback Deandre Baker, whom they drafted 30th overall after trading up with the Seattle Seahawks. Say what you want about the Jones pick being a mistake, but drafting Baker was an outright disaster.

Baker's tenure in New York lasted just one season, making Dave Gettleman's decision to trade up for a player who was not projected to go early in the draft a costly mistake. During his lone year with the Giants, Baker gave up six touchdowns and allowed a 130.1 passer rating. Adding to his disastrous rookie campaign, Baker admitted midway through the 2019 season that he did not know the Giants' defensive playbook.

Baker's fate was sealed in May 2020 when a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm. This led to him being placed on the commissioner's exempt list in July 2020, and he was later waived by the Giants. This pick was an unmitigated disaster and will likely go down as one of the worst first-round selections in franchise history.

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