LSU linebacker Devin White talks about his expectations in the NFL and his formal meeting at the Combine with the NY Giants. Art Stapleton, Staff Writer, @art_stapleton
Quarterback is the most important position for the future of the New York Giants, yet it still remains to be seen whether general manager Dave Gettleman addresses the situation with either of his two first-round selections.
The Giants have 12 draft picks next month, the most for the franchise since 1992, and as much as Gettleman has acknowledged publicly the need and desire to find a successor to Eli Manning at the position, even if the rookie will come in and watch for a season, seeing first-hand what it takes to be a pro.
Could that be Dwayne Haskins of Ohio State, or maybe Missouri's Drew Lock or Duke's Daniel Jones intrigues them enough for Gettleman to pull the trigger at No. 17?
There is also the possibility of being able to pluck Josh Rosen from the Arizona Cardinals, who are heavily rumored to be interested in taking Oklahoma's Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick. An addition of Rosen would be intriguing, and while the Giants are believed to be among those considering a play for the 2018 No. 10 pick, should he become available, the price tag is unknown despite rumors to the contrary.
This is yet another critical offseason for the Giants with questions to answer and decisions to make as Gettleman tries to improve this roster enough to find sustainable success; and he's doing so while being second-guessed by many, seemingly at every turn, and especially after Big Blue decided to trade Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns and let Landon Collins leave for the Redskins via free agency.
Here is a look at what the Giants may do in the draft, especially if another suitor trades up into the Top 5 for Haskins:
Jan 22, 2019; Mobile, AL, USA; South tight end Foster Moreau of LSU (18) catches a pass during the South squad 2019 Senior Bowl practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports (Photo: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
Round 7 (from Vikings): TE Foster Moreau, LSU
Moreau is becoming a popular mention for the Giants at some point in the draft. He seems to fit what Giants coach Pat Shurmur wants from the position. Moreau ran a 4.66-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine (fifth among all tight ends), and his 36½-inch vertical jump was tied for third. His production was not there as a receiver (22 catches, 272 yards and two touchdowns last season), but Moreau is an ideal athlete to work with at the position with the chance to surprise as his role expands.
Previous pick: CB Alijah Holder, Stanford
Round 7 (from Rams): OL Alex Bars, Notre Dame
Irish lineman Alex Bars (71) suffered a serious knee injury against Stanford. (Photo: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)
Bars is an intriguing prospect, and if you're going to take a chance on someone on the offensive line, Notre Dame has certainly had a very good history in recent years. Bars was a starter for the Fighting Irish since late 2015, and he's following in the footsteps of linemen such as Quenton Nelson, Mike McGlinchey, Ronnie Stanley, Zack Martin and Nick Martin. Bars has played right tackle and both guard spots. He's recovering from a torn ACL and MCL suffered in his left knee in late September, or else his stock would be much, much higher.
Previous pick: WR Hunter Renfrow, Clemson
Round 6: DE Michael Dogbe, Temple
Nov 10, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback D'Eriq King (4) is sacked by Temple Owls defensive tackle Michael Dogbe (9) in the second half at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports (Photo: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports)
The Giants will be looking to add depth up front, especially with the departure of Kerry Wynn to the Bengals. The 6-foot-3, 280-pounder was a three-year starter for the Owls with 8.5 career sacks, including seven last season. Dogbe has experience at nose tackle, but he's also moved around depending on scheme. He's played 5-technique, 3-technique, and 1-technique throughout his career.
Previous pick: T Dennis Daley, South Carolina
Round 5 (compensatory pick): CB Blessuan Austin, Rutgers
Rutgers cornerback Blessuan Austin breaks up this pass intended for Washington State's Dom Williams in the second half. (Photo: Chris Pedota/NorthJersey.com)
Projected by some to be the top senior cornerback in the Class of 2019 late last summer, Austin re-injured his surgically-repaired left knee in Week 1. He had 14 passes defensed as a sophomore and quickly emerged as a prospect to watch, but tore his ACL as a junior. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Queens, N.Y. native was coached by Giants assistant defensive backs coach Henry Baker, so there is familiarity here. Austin is at about 70 percent in his rehab, and he would be a wise selection worth the potential with this many picks.
Previous pick: DE/LB Sutton Smith, Northern Illinois
Round 5 (from 49ers via Lions): S Will Harris, Boston College
Boston College Eagles defensive back Will Harris picks up and runs with a ruled lateral by the Syracuse Orange offense to score a touchdown during the second quarter of game at the Carrier Dome. (Photo: Mark Konezny, USA TODAY Sports)
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Harris performed well at the Senior Bowl and he could be the next sleeper safety from Boston College to make an impact in the right situation (Justin Simmons, Broncos; John Johnson III, Rams). He has enough coverage ability to hold his own and is physical at the point of attack. Harris started all 12 games at strong safety this past season, and recorded 73 tackles and 1 interception.
Previous pick: S Darnell Savage, Maryland
Round 5: WR Johnnie Dixon, Ohio State
Ohio State receiver Johnnie Dixon celebrates his first-half touchdown. (Photo: Greg Bartram, USA TODAY Sports)
The 5-foot-11, 198-pound Dixon might just be the best route runner in the class, and he has a strong performance at the Ohio State Pro Day with Dwayne Haskins impressing as well. He's also a willing blocker with top notch effort. I don't believe the Giants will be looking to draft a front line WR - whether one exists in this draft is debatable - but Dixon could be a valuable piece to the puzzle from the start.
Previous pick: G Dru Samia, Oklahoma
Round 4 (from Saints): DE/LB Sutton Smith, Northern Illinois
FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2018, file photo, Northern Illinois defensive end Sutton Smith (15) reacts after sacking Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson (3) during the second half of the Mid-American Conference championship game, in Detroit. Smith was named to the 2018 AP All-America NCAA college football team, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018.(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File) (Photo: The Associated Press)
Smith's versatility might fit perfectly into James Bettcher's defense. This is a spot where you want to draft for production on defense and special teams, and you can't ignore Smith's 15 sacks. The two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year would make this team better with immediate contributions somewhere.
Previous pick: OT Oli Udoh, Elon
Round 4: DT Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois
North defensive tackle Khalen Saunders of Western Illinois (99) runs drills during practice for Saturday's Senior Bowl college football game, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) (Photo: AP)
The 6-foot, 320-pounder put on a show at the Senior Bowl and followed that up with a strong performance at the Combine. The Giants are looking to add to their interior pass rush, and we know how Gettleman will not hesitate to add talent at the position even with B.J. Hill, Dalvin Tomlinson and R.J. McIntosh all drafted there in the last two years, given his history in Carolina.
Previous pick: LB Gary Johnson, Texas
Round 3 (from Browns via Patriots): CB Amani Oruwariye, Penn State
Sep 15, 2018; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye (21) during the first quarter against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Kent State 63-10. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports (Photo: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports)
The Giants forfeited their third round pick for the chance to draft cornerback Sam Beal in the 2018 supplemental draft, but they jumped back in after acquiring this selection from the Browns in the deal for Beckham. The 6-foot-1, 203-pound Oruwariye put forth a solid performance at the Senior Bowl and ran faster than expected at the Combine, putting him on the Day 2 radar.
Previous pick: None
Round 2: OT Cody Ford, Oklahoma
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 27: Offensive lineman Cody Ford #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners gestures to the crowd before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Kansas State 51-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
He's a mauler and still somewhat raw at tackle, considering he'd spent much of his time with the Sooners at guard prior to this past season. Some scouts believe his best future is back at guard, but Gettleman could be eyeing a versatile lineman who can add depth at multiple positions (David Diehl anyone?) before taking over as a starter. That would be an ideal situation for Ford. The Giants could also consider Kansas State's Dalton Risner in that role, but he'll likely be gone by Day 2. Alabama State's Tytus Howard is someone to watch if they want to go for the best tackle prospect, but he's gaining more attention as a potential sleeper.
Previous pick: Jaylon Ferguson
Round 1: Edge Brian Burns, Florida State
Burns is one of those pass rushers nipping at the heels of the top pass rushers in this draft class. He had 15.5 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks in just 12 starts this past season. When Burns weighed in at the Combine at 249 pounds - 14 pounds heavier than his playing weight in the fall - teams noticed. Then he went out and ran a 4.53 40-yard dash. Burns might not be around at No. 17, and he could also be a surprise pick at No. 6 if things fall a certain way, but for this mock, the Giants sprint to the podium to nab him here.
Previous pick: Cody Ford
Round 1: LB Devin White, LSU
Jan 1, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; LSU Tigers linebacker Devin White (40) against the UCF Knights in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
A lot of pre-draft speculation has White landing in Tampa Bay, one spot ahead of the Giants. But there is also a very real possibility of a shake-up in the Top 5 if someone looks to trade in, say, with the Jets at No. 3 to snag Dwayne Haskins ahead of the Giants. That could allow a prospect such as White to slid a few spots and right to the Giants, who could use a young, three-down linebacker whose leadership draws rave reviews. No longer will opponents be able to attack with tight ends in the middle of the field with a guy like White ready to take the assignment.
Previous pick: Dwayne Haskins
Email: stapleton@northjersey.com
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