The 2017 NFL draft is now done, which means that a new mock draft must already be in the works somewhere in the football world. All kidding aside, the seven rounds show what the Giants think of this team.
Evan Engram was the surprise pick in the first round, the Giants taking the Ole Miss tight end at No. 23 overall. There were plenty of other surprises as well and some good value later on in the draft, but is it enough to push the Giants from being a Wild Card team to a division contender and a side capable of a deep playoff push?
Meh. Likely not. Not enough difference makers were taken and areas of need coming into the draft? Yea, they still remain for the most part.
Three things learned from the Giants’ draft picks:
1) The Giants are all in on scoring points – The selection of Engram underscores that the Giants want to open up their offense. This offseason, they added a Pro Bowl wide receiver in Brandon Marshall to run alongside Odell Beckham Jr. and last draft, they took a potential playmaker in wide receiver Sterling Shepard. Engram is a speedy, rangy tight end. He isn’t huge and isn’t a very good blocker. But he does bring some big play potential to the team. The Giants struggled at times to score points last year and Engram is another weapon to balance the offense assuming that their quarterback has enough time to throw the ball back there. Tight end wasn’t seen as pressing a need for the Giants, so this one is puzzling.
2) They like their offensive line – The Giants had one job coming into the draft and that was to take a starting-caliber offensive tackle, either to be slotted in at right tackle or supplant Ereck Flowers on the left side. They failed to do that. In the sixth round they did select Adam Bisnowaty out of Pitt, a good player but one who may not be ready to start. The offensive line was their weakness last year and they likely didn’t add a starter who can contribute this year. Bisnowaty is a good value pick with big upside, but he needs some work. Cam Robinson was there in the first round, the four-year starter at Alabama was ready to play right away but the Giants went with a tight end instead.
3) Following the Aaron Rodgers model – Ben McAdoo was the Green Bay Packers quarterback coach and helped groomed Rodgers, who they selected in the first round in 2005. McAdoo joined the Packers the next year and oversaw the couple of seasons where Rodgers sat and learned behind Brett Favre. It looks like a similar plan might be in place for Davis Webb, the Cal quarterback taken in the third round. He has the tools, including good accuracy and production in college. Give him a couple seasons behind Eli Manning to learn and get up to speed and the Giants might have their quarterback of the future.
