The New York Giants have been busy in the offseason recently. Dave Gettleman is trying to save as much face as possible and might have succeeded with his last two signings. Now, the franchise is looking ahead to the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.
To begin the offseason, he was able to sign star wide receiver Kenny Golladay to a four-year deal. Next, the Giants upgraded their secondary significantly with the addition of Adoree Jackson. The duo of Jackson and James Bradberry is set to be a force. With that being said, the Giants still have a lot of holes to fill in all three phases.
New York is coming off of a season where they finished 6-10 in the NFC East. They were one game behind Washington, who ended up winning the division crown. The only good thing is that the Giants were able to move up draft spots by losing out on the division crown. Now, it is up to executives to make the right call with the draft pick.
This is something they have not done in recent years. The Giants will have many options when they are on the clock and it will be interesting to see which direction to go. Here are three intriguing prospects that could end up in blue on draft night with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
3. Micah Parsons, Linebacker, Penn State
Parsons did not play for Penn State this season, but he is one of the top linebackers on the board. This is a position the Giants need if they want to solidify their defense even further. New York showed glimpses of success on that side of the ball last year, but were still an imperfect group.
The Penn State product has incredible speed and athleticism. Parsons is a next-level linebacker because of his ability to chase down the ball carrier and deliver a hit. He has the makings of a future star in the middle of a defense.
In the NFC East, it is going to be important to stop the run and there’s another area that Parsons can help. The Giants spent some money on defense in the offseason with the addition of Jackson and the new contract of Leonard Williams. This is another move to improve the unit.
The Giants have a chance to contend in the division this season and adding a player like Parsons would help. It will be interesting to see if he is on the board when the Giants pick at 11.
2. Kwity Paye, Defensive Line, Michigan
It is no secret that the Giants need a pass rusher. This is one of the biggest needs on the team and much bigger than linebacker. They missed out on the opportunity to draft Chase Young when they picked up of meaningless late season victory over Washington in the 2019 NFL Draft. Now, they will have to add another player somehow.
This is not an area that they improved in free agency, so they could be waiting for the draft to do so. Paye is an intriguing name to keep an eye on. He has the size and strength to rush the passer and could cause havoc in the backfield. The Giants’ secondary is without a doubt their strongest point and now they need to improve the front seven.
Historically, the Giants are a franchise that has had players that can get to the quarterback. Just look at players like Michael Strahan and Justin Tuck. They do not have that at the moment and it is definitely something they will need if they want to compete moving forward.
1. Christian Darrisaw, Offensive Tackle, Virginia Tech
Another huge area the Giants need to look at is the offensive line. They drafted Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick a year ago and it is looking like a potential bust. A team built like Giants definitely needs to beef up the offensive line.
Daniel Jones has yet to take the next step in the league and could definitely use more protection. Saquon Barkley will be returning from injury and the Giants are going to give him the ball a ton right away. All signs point to New York adding an offensive lineman and Christian Darrisaw could be the name to keep an eye on. Penei Sewell will not be on the board at 11, so the Giants will have to look at the next best options.
Jones has to stay protected and Barkley has to stay healthy if the Giants want to compete. A good offensive line can help a quarterback take the next step with some more time and that is what Jones could use. Darrisaw would be a very good fit in the NFL Draft this year.
