With the 2023 NFL Draft almost here, the NY Giants have a pretty big decision to make with the No. 25 overall pick in the first round. While there are many positions the Giants need support in, that doesn't mean Joe Schoen can't be too careful with who he goes with.
This year's draft class is an incredibly deep and talented one, don't get us wrong. However, there are certainly some prospects the Giants must avoid picking. Entering a massively important 2023 season, the Giants can't afford to draft a bust in the first round.
Whether it's because of overall talent, lack of scheme fit, or the fact that they aren't worth a first-round selection, here are five players the Giants must avoid selecting in the first round.
5. LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas
The likelihood of Drew Sanders realistically being selected in the first round are pretty low. However, some mock drafts have had him going anywhere from 25 to 32 and so on. While Sanders may be a very solid player with some upside, we find it hard to believe that he is worth a first-round pick, especially when looking at the other linebacker options in this year's draft class.
With players like Jack Campbell and Trenton Simpson being more versatile and having higher floors, it's pretty hard to see a team picking Sanders before either of these two. Sanders will make a great second or third-round pick for whatever team selects him, but there is no way he should touch the first round.
For starters, Sanders has a massive tackling issue, missing 22 over the course of the 2022 college season. This could be solved as he develops, but when the other top two linebacker prospects don't have this problem, why take the risk?
In addition to this, while Sanders may not be a total liability in coverage, he is nowhere near as polished in that department as Campbell or Simpson. The good thing with Sanders, though, is that he is an elite pass rusher, one would fit in well with Wink Martindale's system.
Maybe if the Giants decide to select a linebacker in the second round, Sanders will be their guy, but taking a project player in the first round with the situation New York is currently in simply would not be wise.