“With the 6th pick in the 2019 NFL draft, the New York Giants select Daniel Jones, quarterback, Duke University”.
I remember audibly saying, “What the fuck? Who the hell is this guy?” This came one year after the Giants used the number 2 overall pick on my favorite player Saquon Barkley, which sadly has looked worse and worse every season as he battles injury after injury. Looking back now, I don’t necessarily hate either of these picks, and I really believe that Jones can take a step under the new management this year.
There are many reasons that the Giants haven’t been able to get back to the top of the NFL mountain after 2011, but perhaps the most glaring problem is their draft picks not panning out. In the past decade, they have hit on 1, maybe 2 of their first round picks (jury’s still out on Andrew Thomas), but even Odell didn’t end well on the Giants. After Odell, the G-Men have made such colorful picks as Erick Flowers at #9, Eli Apple at #10, Evan Engram at #23, and the aforementioned Jones pick at #6 that had me scratching my head.
With the kind of track record my Giants have in the NFL draft, you’d think I would have learned my lesson in getting excited for the draft. However, maybe I’m a glass half full kind of guy, or maybe I just like the punishment, who knows, but I’m pumped for this year’s draft. I can’t wait to see what Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll, and the new staff do with their multitude of picks.
The item at the very top of my wishlist for this year’s draft is offensive line, and if anybody out there reading this is also a Giants fan, it should be at the top of your list too. I mean this is a team that started Nate Solder at right tackle last year.
Item number 2 on my list is a receiver. I know the Giants have a $72 million dollar investment at receiver right now, but with all due respect, Kenny Golladay is not that guy, and the fans HAVE to see more than 5 touchdowns for receivers in 2022.
The last item on my wishlist for this year is a quarterback. I know what you’re thinking, “didn’t you say you believe in Daniel Jones earlier?” Yes, and I do, but I’m a firm believer in competition, and Jones has had basically zero competition since he was drafted besides 4 games from an aging Eli Manning in 2019. Jones needs a push in order to be the best QB for the team and for the fans, and a rookie to give him some competition throughout camp or even win the job can only be a good thing if you ask me.
Where are my fellow Giants fans at? What do you hope they do in the draft this year? Are you hopeful that the new staff can bring us back to contention? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments! I’ll leave you with my “perfect” draft, let us know what you would change down below!
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