New York Giants have been among NFL's worst drafting teams in Rounds 1-3 over past decade
How successful, or unsuccessful, have the New York Giants been in the first round of the NFL draft in recent years?
Not so good according to a new poll from Daniel Kelly of FTN Fantasy. Since 2015, they rank 26th out of 32 teams. No wonder they've lost 10 or more games in seven of the past eight seasons.
Like every team, they've had their hits and misses, but their misses are what the public is focused on these days.
From FTN:
The Q rating of the Giants' various first-rounders over the last decade is pretty high, but their fame-to-production ratio is lower than you'll find just about anywhere. Saquon Barkley was a hit in a vacuum, but a running back at second overall when guys like Denzel Ward, Quenton Nelson, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson were later in that first round is a rough look, especially when it led to them reaching for Daniel Jones at sixth overall the next year. Add in the blow-up that was Kadarius Toney in 2021, and the Giants have struggled.
Saquon Barkley, although considered a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, is a miss because he didn't move the needle for the Giants as great as he was. They actually overdrafted him, which sounds ridiculous, but he is not a player you add to a rebuilding team. He is more of a final piece, as we've just seen.
The Giants still had some big hits in the last decade, such as Dexter Lawrence, Andrew Thomas, and Malik Nabers, but whiffed on players such as Toney, Eli Apple, Deandre Baker, and Evan Neal.
Evan Engram had issues as a Giant, but is still running routes in the NFL and having some success. The jury is still out on others, such as Kayvon Thibodeaux and Deonte Banks.
Daniel Jones is the lightning rod of the group. The issue with him is that he was extended beyond his rookie deal. That compounded the mistake of drafting him sixth overall back in 2019. It set the Giants back a half-decade.
The Giants have not fared much better in Day 2 in the draft according to the poll. They rank 24th over the past decade. Of the 21 players they picked on Day 2, they only have four Pro Bowls to show for their efforts.
Landon Collins was one of the league's best safeties for a while in there, with three Pro Bowls and a first-team All Pro in 2016-2018. It was another case of burning hot and bright, because his carry dipped from there, but it was a heck of a stretch. The Giants also got reliable types like Sterling Shepard, Dalvin Tomlinson and Wan'Dale Robinson, but the other particularly bright spot was Xavier McKinney, who ditched the Giants at his first opportunity and then made the Pro Bowl and got DPOY votes as soon as he got to Green Bay.
Last year, the Giants added what they hope to be two enduring pieces to their secondary on Day 2 in safety Tyler Nubin and slot corner Dru Phillips. They have three selection on Day 2 in this year's draft -- one in Round 2 (No. 34 overall) and two in Round 3 (Nos. 65 and 99).
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