The 2019 NFL Draft has officially come and gone, which means it’s time to grade players who have been with their teams for less than 24 hours and have yet to even land in their respective cities.
For the New York Giants, who faced heavy criticism from the jump, the reviews were unlikely to be kind despite general manager Dave Gettleman’s indifference to the hate.
But just how bad was it? Just how bad will the grades continue to be? Let’s take a look.
USA TODAY: D-
USA TODAY gave the Giants the worst grade in the draft and did not hold back on their criticisms.
They wound up with three first-round picks for the first time in franchise history … and it sure felt like ever-salty GM Dave Gettleman reached on every one of them — most notably Duke QB Daniel Jones at No. 6. CB Deandre Baker cost a second, fourth and fifth rounder. And, perhaps worst of all, DT Dexter Lawrence basically takes the roster spot of Odell Beckham Jr. Only the benefit of the doubt precludes an F for Gettleman and Co.
Sports Illustrated: C-
SI went in heavy with their analysis on the Giants, perhaps more so than any other team they graded. And while it wasn’t as vicious as the USA TODAY review, it wasn’t exactly good, either.
Giants fans have been griping for years that the team should find an heir for Eli Manning. And when the Giants finally do, drafting Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick, the response is, “No, not THAT guy, not with the sixth pick!” There will be plenty of time to hash out that argument and watch it quickly get old, as Jones will be heavily scrutinized from now until the day Eli finally IS dismissed. (Then, Jones will be scrutinized even more after that.) Keep in mind, fans’ and media’s reaction to the Jones pick would be more tempered if GM Dave Gettleman were a polished, diplomatic public speaker. Gettleman’s gruff, semi-patronizing tone naturally provoke rebuttals and arguments.
With their next two picks, the Giants did what everyone agreed they most needed to do for 2019: replenish the defense. The Dexter Lawrence choice, however, was befuddling—not just because Lawrence, a potentially dominant gap-clogger, might prove to be only a first and second down player, but because the Giants already had two good young defensive tackles in B.J. Hill and Dalvin Tomlinson. Gettleman has always had an affinity for drafting talented interior defensive linemen.
Deandre Baker was a more understandable choice, though trading back into the first-round made him extra expensive. Baker must contribute right away since defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s blitz-intensive scheme demands outside corners who can cover one-on-one. Entering the draft, New York had only one such corner, Janoris Jenkins, and he is coming off an erratic season. The cornerbacking unit is thin enough that Baker’s fellow rookie, fourth-rounder Julian Love, might also warrant a big role early on.
Because of the emphasis on blitzing, the Giants are less dependent than most teams on natural edge rushers, which is why, despite this being a rich edge-rusher draft, they didn’t take one until Oshane Ximines at the end of Round 3.
Sporting News: B-
The Sporting News went relatively soft on Dave Gettleman in comparison to others, which should be the trend until we know more.
For all the heat Dave Gettleman got for taking Jones way too early, the Giants can’t be faulted for backing up their belief that he will be a franchise passer and the ideal successor to Eli Manning. Lawrence, Baker, Ximines and Love were fine value pickups for every edge and corner of James Bettcher’s defense. That foursome helped them to rebound and land in the middle of the pack.
NFL.com: B
Daniel Jones is a suitable replacement for Eli Manning, says NFL.com.
I mentioned Jones as a sensible replacement for Eli Manning back in November. The QB possesses a lot of positive traits, and it was time for the Giants to find a successor for Manning. However, many people do not believe Jones is an elite prospect, so the value of the pick will be questioned until he proves otherwise. They received an extra first-rounder in the trade of Odell Beckham to the Browns, and they selected Lawrence, a massive defensive tackle, with the pick. If he shows the ability to push the pocket as well as provide a wall inside, he’ll be a major success. GM David Gettleman moved back into Round 1 to pick Baker, the top prospect at a position of need, giving up two Saturday picks (which they had a lot of) in the deal.
Ximines should be a great fit for the Giants. He’s agile and strong on the edge, where they needed an upgrade. Love and Ballentine were great values at cornerback. Connelly adds depth at ‘backer. Darius Slayton is a downfield receiver who can help Manning and Jones, while Chris Slayton (no relation) consistently caused troubles for ACC offenses. The Giants picked up the underrated Asafo-Adjei in the seventh round, though the offensive line could have been addressed earlier in the day.
Touchdown Wire: C
Our good friend Doug Farrar at Touchdown Wire was kinder than some others at USA TODAY, but he still wasn’t ready to paint Daniel Jones in a positive light.
Like it or lump it, this Giants draft class will forever be tied to the decision to take Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick. My 49th-overall player, Jones is a smart but highly limited player who has average arm strength and doesn’t adjust well under pressure. After that, things started to look up. Big Blue used the 17th pick from the Odell Beckham trade on Clemson defensive tackle Deter Lawrence, who I believe is one of the best players in this class. Then, they traded up into the first round and took Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker, an undersized but technically sound defender who can start right away. Old Dominion edge rusher Oshane Ximines and Notre Dame cornerback Julian Love can also make immediate contributions, but the serious questions around the Jones pick won’t go away anytime soon.
NJ Advance Media: D
NJ Advance Media were a fan of some of the Giants’ picks, but insist the Daniel Jones pick brings the entire haul down.
We like the Baker and Love picks, since the Giants had cornerback issues. But we can’t get past how much of a reach Jones was at No. 6.
Pro Football Focus: Above average
PFF didn’t give out letter grades for the draft and offered an abundance of analysis we would encourage you to read. Here’s a quick snippet:
Few pundits loved the Giants’ sixth overall selection, Duke quarterback Daniel Jones. A third-round talent on PFF’s final big board, Jones overcame one of the lowest-graded offensive lines in college football this past season to earn an 81.9 overall grade, but accuracy concerns ultimately kept him low on our board.
ESPN: C+
Mel Kiper Jr. challenged Dave Gettleman’s pick of Daniel Jones with his grade, and then took it a step further, claiming Gettleman’s scouting of Jones was faulty.
his class — and really, the entire Giants rebuild — depends on one player: quarterback Daniel Jones. If we look back in five years and Jones is leading the Giants to NFC East titles, we’ll know GM Dave Gettleman made the right call. If the Giants are still mired in mediocrity and it’s clear that Jones is not their guy, it’s unlikely that Gettleman will still have his job. This is absolutely a pick that could get a GM fired, particularly one who just traded away one of the most talented pass-catchers on the planet.
Of course, it’s clear that Gettleman thought Jones wouldn’t be on the board at No. 17 (the pick New York got in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade), but value still matters. Gettleman said on Thursday night that he fell in love with Jones’ skill set at the Senior Bowl. I studied the tape from those practices, too — Jones was good, not great. He was inconsistent. Now he’ll get the opportunity to sit behind Eli Manning for at least a season, and I’m sure they’ll share their best David Cutcliffe — who coached both — stories. Let’s see if Gettleman’s gutsy call pays off.
With that pick acquired in the OBJ trade, the Giants took Dexter Lawrence, the best nose tackle in the class. This is right in the range in which I had him on my board, but edge rush is a bigger need for this team. I was surprised none of these first-rounders was an edge rusher. The Giants traded back to the end of Round 1 to add cornerback Deandre Baker (No. 30), giving up the Nos. 37, 132 and 142 picks to Seattle. Baker is a good player who has been questioned because of his recovery speed, but he might be the only surefire immediate starter from this top three.
Elsewhere, New York added some good defenders in end Oshane Ximines (No. 95), the first Old Dominion player every picked in the NFL draft, and corner Julian Love (No. 108), who can play in the slot. Corey Ballentine (No. 180) is a sleeper pick, too, as the small-school corner has some tools.
Ultimately, this is about Jones and the OBJ trade. If I was a GM, I’d rather have Beckham than Lawrence and Ximines (plus Jabrill Peppers). He is a true game-changing receiver, and a guy who could have helped you better evaluate your new quarterback.
