The 2018 NFL Draft is finally here! For the first time in my existance, the New York Giants have the 2nd overall pick in the NFL draft. This is the earliest the Giants have picked in the draft since they had the 4th overall pick in 2004 and traded for Eli Manning. With a 3-13 season and a Philadelphia Super Bowl victory (I just fucking puked everywhere), the Giants cannot mess this draft up by any means. What is done with this pick will define the career of the new Giants GM, Dave Gettleman.
This is such a polarizing draft because of these Quarterbacks. Does anybody think any of them are good? Every mock draft has a different QB ahead of the other. There is absolutey no clear-cut best QB in this draft. For the Giants, do they have to grab their QB of the future in this draft? You don't get a top 2 pick every year unless you're the Browns. With the Giants picking 2, is this the time to draft Eli Manning's successor? I say HELL NO! I don't trust any of these quarterbacks. I think they are all garbage and none of them are ready to immediately step in and win in their first year. Now that wouldn't be the case if the Giants drafted a QB but I still don't trust any of these guys after a 2 year learning curve. Usually you know when the quarterback is "The Guy" but that's not the case with any of the quarterbacks in this draft class.
The only place we can begin with before deciding on the Giants pick is figuring out what the Cleveland Browns are going to do with the 1st overall pick. Surprisingly, the first overall pick hasn't been revealed before Draft day. I think without a doubt the Browns are going Quarterback first. Which one? Who the hell knows and I don't care. I can't see Cleveland taking Saquon Barkley. Its obvious the Jets traded up to the #3 pick to take a QB so they can't risk the possibility of the Giants and Jets taking a QB ahead of them and taking the 3rd QB off the board at #4 especially when you finished 0-16. Why would the Browns take Barkley anyway when they signed Carlos Hyde this offseason to a 3 year deal and still have Duke Johnson Jr. on their depth chart. I think Cleveland takes their QB first overall and then at #4 either drafting DE Bradley Chubb to play alongside Myles Garrett or trade back for more picks. We all know how much the Browns love trading their picks.
This brings us to that big time pick that's had my heart pounding since, well...... September. The New York Giants are on the clock and Gettleman's got a gigantic decision to make in his first year as GM. Here are the options I stand by with the Giants #2 pick:
Saquon Barkley RB Penn State - Lets face it, Barkley is hands-down the best player in this draft. You don't need to be a head scout or Mel Kiper Jr. to know that this guy is equipped with all the tools to be a prolific player in the NFL. But is he the right fit for the Giants? Runningbacks are easily the most replaceable position in the NFL. If you get 10 years out of your RB, he was a dandy. Though Barkley is a dandy, is throwing him behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league going to work out? It doesn't matter how great and special you are, if the offensive line sucks (and the Giants o-line fucking blows), there's not much production that can be provided. A forgotten trait of Barkley's is his ability to block. When he becomes the 2nd best blocker on the team after newly acquired Nate Solder, that's a problem. But if Barkley is as good as he's billed and he probably is, he can probably bring balance into a Giants offense that has been in the bottom of the league in rushing. Barkley and Odell Beckham Jr. will be matchup nightmares for defenses, and they both will make Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram's jobs much easier. Great teams like the Patriots do not draft for need, they take the best player. Saquon Barkley is the best player in this draft.
Quentin Nelson OL Notre Dame - You're average fan would be in outrage if the Giants took an offensive line with the 2nd pick. Well when it comes to team need, there's nothing the Giants need more than an elite offensive lineman like Nelson. Sure, the Giants will be fun to play with on Madden if they draft Barkley but in reality, without a line, it's hard to succeed. Nate Solder was a great signing from New England but the G-Men did lose Justin Pugh who was somebody I really wanted to see on the Giants line as the second best lineman. Maybe it's a blessing because Pugh was frequently inured. The more they focus on this position, the quicker fat, lazy, stupid, low-energy, holding machine Ereck Flowers leaves the team. I don't expect them to draft Nelson, but I wouldn't be upset one bit if they did.
Bradley Chubb DE NC State - Chubb is the best pass rusher in the draft. The Giants won 2 Super Bowls in the Eli Manning era with fierce pass rushing. The Giants use to rush the shit out of the quarterback by just rushing their front 4. Big Blue traded away Jason Pierre-Paul who hasn't been the same player and are over-paying out the fucking ass with Communist Olivier Vernon. Chubb on a line with Damon Harrison and a hopefully improved Vernon can get the Giants the pressure on the quarterback that can get this defense back to one of the best in the league like they were 2 seasons ago.
TRADE BACK - Are the Giants really as bad as the 3 win team they were last year? This team won 11 games 2 seasons ago, they had a DIPSHIT for a head coach, and Roger Lewis Jr. was the #1 WR for half the season. This is a whole new regime. We have a head coach who won 13 games with Case Keenum as his quarterback, a new GM who provides a fresh start and can't possibly draft as many busts as Jerry Reese did, and a defensive coordinator who is blitz-aggressive. The Giants play in a tough division and have a very difficult schedule despite finishing last. There's more holes to be fixed then just the #2 pick can fix. If the Giants trade back, they will get more picks to provide more pieces to build a more complete team. Trading back gets more picks and they still have the 34, 66, 69, 108, and 139th picks overall. That's a lot of picks to get a lot of talent and the fact that it's not Jerry Reese picking them makes me a whole lot more confident. The Giants should get in All-In mode to win another Super Bowl with Eli Manning. The clock is ticking on Eli. If Gettleman doesn't like these QB's like me, trading back would be a very wise move. The #2 pick in the NFL draft holds TREMENDOUS value. Look at the 2012 NFL draft when the Redskins traded for the Rams #2 pick. The Rams received the Skins 2012 1st round pick (6 overall), 2012 2nd round pick, 2013 first round pick, and a 2014 first round pick. Nice trade Washington! The Jets moved up from 6 to 3 in this years draft and gave up their 6, 37, and 49 picks. It's a hot pick because if the Giants were to trade the pick, the team they did business with jumps ahead of the Jets who are obviously taking a quarterback.
The Verdict.
If they don't take a Quarterback, it's a win.
Best case scenario: The Giants Trade the pick. The best way to rebuild this team and address multiple positions.
Best pick if they keep the #2 pick: Saquon Barkley. He's the best player. Take the best player.
Let's see what Gettleman does tonight Giants fans. It's a big time pick. What do you want to see the Giants do with their 2nd overall pick? Do you agree or disagree with my take? Let's hear it.
