The New York Giants signed first-round picks cornerback DeAndre Baker and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to rookie contracts on Friday.
Lawrence, a defensive tackle out of Clemson, was the 17th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Baker, a corner out of Georgia, was the 30th overall draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The New York Giants moved up to gain a third pick in the first round, nabbing Baker with the pick and giving the secondary a nice boost.
Lawrence, 6-foot-4 and 342 pounds, played in 40 games at Clemson and was a three-time All-ACC selection. He recorded 145 tackles (74 solo), 19 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, five passes defended and one interception. He was also a two-time national champion with the Tigers.
As a corner at Georgia, Baker recorded 116 tackles (83 solo, four for a loss), one sack, seven interceptions (145 yards in returns), 23 passes defended and a fumble recovery. He has already been touted as a player who is capable of playing opposite Janoris Jenkins and will likely see plenty of time on the field this season.
Lawrence is expected to receive a four-year contract worth around $13 million, and Baker is expected to sign a four-year contract worth around $10.5 million.
While both signings move the team forward for the season, they still await the signing of their first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft: Daniel Jones. Jones, a quarterback out of Duke, will vie for the starting spot against Eli Manning this season, but has not yet signed with the team.
