E-GIANTS
Dave Klein was the Giants' beat writer for The Star-Ledger from 1961 to 1995.
He is the author of 26 books and he was one of only three sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls up until last year. Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

THE TOP THREE AREAS WHERE THE GIANTS MUST DRAFT WELL

By Jason Leach
A look at the three biggest areas of concern for the New York Giants heading into the draft.

Giants' general manager Joe Schoen should be commended for the job he's done so far this offseason. He improved the team on both sides of the ball by signing free agent linebacker Bobby Okereke and trading a third-round pick for tight end Darren Waller.

He also made some more subtle moves in signing free agent wide receivers Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder to one-year contracts.

But the roster still needs upgrading at several key positions if New York is going to contend with the best teams in the league. The biggest concerns on the roster at this moment are the interior offensive line, cornerback and the obvious lack of a true number-one wideout.

Fortunately for the Giants, the NFL draft is right around the corner, and there are a number of prospects who can address those needs. We'll take at these areas of concern, and how the team can address them early in the draft.

INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE

It was evident that the interior offensive line had to be upgraded, and that was even before starting center Jon Feliciano and guard Nick Gates left via free agency. Most of the teams across the league don't have an interior offensive line high on their priority, so some of the best interior linemen will be available when the Giants are on the clock with the 25th overall pick.

Some of those players include centers John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota and Joe Tippman from Wisconsin. Many feel the 6-6, 312-pound Tippman is the best interior offensive lineman in this draft. He's powerful and athletic and would be poised to be the starter from day one of training camp, thanks to his two years as a collegiate starter.

Schmitz also seems to have a bright NFL future ahead of him as he garnered First-Team Associated Press All-American honors. He's a little smaller than Tippman (6-3, 300), but his lateral quickness is better. He has good balance and technique and would also be ready to be plugged in as the starter on the first day of training camp.

Based on the other draft prospects at other positions, some feel taking Schmitz or Tippman would be a bit of a reach. But since it's a position of great need for the team, nobody would be shocked if they went in this direction.

Of course, you never know what could unravel in the draft, and it is entirely possible that Schmitz and/or Tippman could fall into the second round and could be still on the board when Big Blue makes its next selection with the 57th overall pick. However, if they're not available in round two, Schoen could turn his attention to Ohio State center Luke Wypler (of Montvale, N.J.).

Wypler was a two-year starter at Ohio State, which will help prepare him for the physicality of the NFL. His 6-3, 303-pound frame is ideal for today's NFL centers.

A TRUE NUMBER ONE RECEIVER

Some fans may think that after the Giants re-signed Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton and Isaiah Hodgins, and then added free agents Campbell and Crowder, that the team wouldn't need another receiver in the draft. Well, those people would be wrong. None of the wideouts on the roster is a true number-one receiver, and with the exception of Slayton and Wan'Dale Robinson, and neither of them is signed beyond the 2023 season.

Unless you have Patrick Mahomes throwing to Travis Kelce, it's difficult for an offense to have a prolific passing attack without a dynamic playmaker on the outside.

Despite picking late in the first round, the Giants stand a good chance of having at least one of the top five wideouts on the board when they're on the clock. Those top five receivers appear to be Jordan Addison from USC, Jaxon Smith-Njigba from Ohio State, Quentin Johnston from TCU, Zay Flowers from Boston College and Jalin Hyatt from Tennessee.

The 6-4, 193-pound Johnston would bring a size and physicality that's been sorely missing at the position for several years. He would also be an ideal target in the red zone for Daniel Jones. The other four receivers are smaller and shiftier than Johnston and excel at running after catch.

Addison won the 2021 Fred Biletnikoff Award when he played for the University of Pittsburgh and had 100 receptions for 1,593 yards and 17 TDs. He then transferred to USC for his final collegiate season and caught 59 passes for 875 yards and eight touchdowns.

In 2021, Smith-Njigba was the best receiver on a Buckeye team that had future first-round picks Chris Olave and 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson. Njigba led the team in receptions (95) and in receiving yards (1,606). Unfortunately, injuries limited him to just three games last season.

Flowers is an exceptional route runner who knows how to get open. He's listed as 5-10, which might be kind, but there's no mistaking his talent. In his four years at BC, he caught 200 passes for 3,056 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Hyatt is a vertical threat who can strike fear in opposing defenses. In his final season with Tennessee, he averaged 18.9 yards per reception and had 15 receiving touchdowns to go with his 1,267 receiving yards.

Of course, New York doesn't need to grab a receiver in round one, Hyatt's teammate, Cedric Tillman, could be available in round two along with Josh Downs of North Carolina and Rashee Rice of SMU, or perhaps they could take Cincinnati's Tyler Scott in the round.

It would be surprising if the Giants do not take a receiver at some point in the first three rounds. All of the young and talented quarterbacks in the NFL have a dynamic playmaker on the outside and it's time for Schoen to get a game-breaking receiver for Jones.

CORNERBACK

Taking a cornerback in the first round has not worked out well for the Giants over the last two decades. Aaron Ross (2007) and Prince Amukamara (2011) showed flashes at times but never lived up to being selected in round one.

But the team is in dire need of a corner because the only one they can trust on the roster is Adoree' Jackson, and he has a tough time staying healthy.

If New York wants to take the chance again with a corner in round one, a player who has been linked to them is Maryland's Deonte Banks. Banks is athletic and physical, and at 6-1 and 200 has the size to match up with physical receivers. If Joey Porter Jr. from Penn State were to slip in the draft, he could also be an option with the 25th overall pick. Just like his father, Porter is a physical player and would be a good fit in Wink Martindale's defense.

With a premium of teams needing quality corners, it's possible Banks and Porter will be gone by the time the Giants make their first pick. So they can look at Illinois cornerback Jartavius Martin.

One reason Martin could be a fit for Big Blue is his versatility to play corner and safety and he could be used similarly to how Martindale used Julian Love (now with the Seattle Seahawks).

Another option in round two is Emmanuel Forbes of Mississippi State. At 6-0 and 180 he has ideal size for a corner, and he's a ball hawk who baits quarterbacks into throwing interceptions. He has 14 in the last three years.

davesklein@aol.com

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