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Gettleman took over as GM in 2018, and regardless whether you agreed with the choices to burn down the core of the last Giants team to make the playoffs in 2016 and trade away Odell Beckham, Landon Collins, and company, this is the reality of the situation. Objectively speaking, due to the talent retention issue and wasted draft pick capital that the final classes of former General Manager Jerry Reese tenure brought the team was looking at a top heavy roster that had several holes that needed to be addressed in short order before a core built for long term success could be in place.
A roster can't be rebuilt from scratch to compete with the most complete teams in the league with just one draft class, so before we address the 2020 Draft, a quick reset of the Gettleman era:
2019 Draft
Round 1: Daniel Jones, QB Duke (Pick 6)
Round 1: Dexter Lawrence, DT Clemson (Pick 17)
Round 1 : Deandre Baker, CB Georgia (Pick 30)
Round 3: Oshane Ximines, Edge Old Dominion (Pick 95)
Round 4: Julian Love, CB Notre Dame (Pick 108)
Round 5: Ryan Connolly, LB Wisconsin (Pick 143)
Round 5: Darius Slayton, WR Auburn (Pick 171)
Round 6: Corey Ballentine, CB Washburn (Pick 180)
*Giants traded away Odell Beckham Jr & Olivier Vernon to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Jabrill Peppers, Kevin Zeitler, and the Browns 1st and 3rd round picks (Dexter Lawrence & Oshane Ximines)
2018 Draft
Round 1: Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State (Pick 2)
Round 2: Will Hernandez, Guard UTEP (Pick 34)
Round 3: Lorenzo Carter, LB Georgia (Pick 66)
Round 3: B.J Hill, DE NC St. (Pick 69)
Round 3: Sam Beal, CB Western Michigan (Supplementary draft)
Round 4: Kyle Lauletta, QB Richmond (Pick 108)
Round 5: RJ Mcintosh, DT Miami (Pick 139)
As one of the last remaining running back truthers left on the planet, group me firmly in the subsection of people who didn't lose sleep at the choice to take Saquon Barkley with the second pick in the draft. Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, and Josh Rosen sitting on the board for the Giants to take at #2 were among those considered to be the better value picks at the time. None of those QB's would of drastically shifted the Giants trajectory alone without the infrastructure needed in place for a young QB for succeed.
Taking the wrong QB inside the top 10 can easily be damaging to a teams long term prospectus than taking a super human Saquon Barkley who's median outcome in terms of value produced over the career as an asset was extremely high as the only way he flames out would be due to injury. If there was a sin to taking Barkley early it has nothing to do with his talent but on the lack of creativity the Giant's have used to optimize their number one weapon. Was it the most efficient use of draft capital? Probably not. But was it a bad pick? Nope, but it falls in line as a double off the wall instead of a home run.
The NFL Draft isn't an exact science. Executives and decision makers are rigid, extremely stubborn, and maybe even have some mild racial undertones with how these players are selected. The success of Lamar Jackson was often met with takes about how surprising his early success has been, but truthfully speaking the idea the other QB's taken in Round 1 of the 2018 draft having a higher floor or upside than him was always laughable alone off what Jackson put on film at Louisville playing in a pro style offense due to teams being unwilling to adjust their team and offensive schemes to fit an otherworldly talent.
Will Hernandez has been a mixed bag to this point as one of the building blocks on the offensive line, with the team hoping a change in blocking scheme and tutelage under new offensive line coach Marc Colombo help bring more consistency. Lorenzo Carter & BJ Hill both possess impressive raw tools and have shown flashes of being starters but year 3 for each of them will be pivotal to the success of the 2018 class.
Deandre Baker's senior season at Georgia showcased why he had all of the tools necessary to be a solid man coverage cornerback in the NFL. Although he struggled mightily during the 1st half of his rookie campaign, during the back half of the season the light started to go off for him as his instincts as a defensive back to limit separation from opposing receivers and physicality at the line of scrimmage began to shine.
Darius Slayton selection in the 5th round is to date the best value pick that the Gettleman era has unearthed to date. Showing an all around proclivity that you wouldn't expect from a your run of the mill speedster that can rip a 4.39 40 yard dash. Slayton has impressed by flashing as a crisp route runner and a knack for big plays.
Dexter Lawrence and Oshane Ximine both have a role to play on rebuilding a defensive line that has been a disgrace to great front four's of NYG past in years past, that may actally be looking at a glut when considering the addition of Leonard Williams.
Last but not least, rewinding to draft night of 2019, the Giants selection of Daniel Jones was largely laughed at for being a reach and the next puzzling move in a growing number of head scratching moves under the leadership of Gettleman. I'll eat a healthy amount of crow along with the rest of the public for not seeing team brass' infatuation that was being leaked on the rumor mill leading up to the draft regarding Danny Dimes.
During his rookie campaign, Jones showed an ability to put the ball on the money to his wideouts in tight spaces and the toughness to stand behind a offensive line that was normally a ticking time bomb waiting to detonate with a rushing defensive lineman in his face. Becoming more consistent with his decision making and pocket presence are next in line on the checklist for Jones' improvement, but evidently he's earned the right for some additional leash that wasn't given to hon draft night as we watch the next progression of his career. The most important pick of the Gettleman era has a chance to expedite the entire rebuilding process if he's able to improve on what we saw during his abridged rookie season.
Maybe Gettleman isn't senile after all? EH. Jury's still out. He's done some good thing's and made his share of questionable choices. If you squint hard enough you can see the core of a decent team starting to come together if the coaching staff can do a better job with player development with the talent already on the roster. This is the most important draft of the Gettleman regime and if the scouts and player evaluation team can hit on another draft the arrow will unquestionably be pointing upwards.
2020 NYG Free Agent Additions
James Bradberry, CB 3 years 45 million (32 million guaranteed)
Blake Martinez, LB 3 years 30 million (19 million guaranteed)
Dion Lewis, RB 1 year 1.5 million
Austin Johnson, DT 1 year 1.5 million
Cam Fleming, OT 1 year 3.5 million (2 million guaranteed)
Kyler Fackrell, LB 1 year 4.6 million (3.5 million guaranteed)
2020 NYG Mock Draft by @Krishan_Mamba24
Round 1: Jedrick Willis, OT Alabama (Pick 6)
Round 2: Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE Penn State (Pick 36)
Round 3: Matt Hennessy, OL Temple (Pick 55)
Round 3: Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR Michigan (Pick 99)
Round 4: Alex Highsmith, EDGE Charlotte (Pick 110)
Round 6: Antoine Brooks Jr, S Maryland (Pick 183)
Round 7: Jared Pinkney, TE Vanderbilt (Pick 218)
Round 7: Levonta Taylor, CB FSU (Pick 238)
Round 7: Kyahva Tezino, LB San Diego St (Pick 247)
Round 7: Tremayne Anchurum, OT Clemson (Pick 255)
*Draft trades: Giants trade R1 Pick 4 to the Chargers for R1 Pick 6, R3 Pick 71
Giants trade R3 Pick 71 and R5 Pick 150 to Baltimore for R2 Pick 55*
During the Gettleman regime, leaks have served as a smoke signal to some of the Giants moves they've been interested in, with recent rumors signaling the teams interest of moving back in the draft the possibility of the team moving back and picking up additional draft capital while continuing to build the base on the offensive line makes almost too much sense. Jedrick Willis is one of the most talented and physically imposing hogmollies in this years draft and would provide the line with much needed stability and upside for a franchise tackle to keep Daniel Jones alive.
Donovan Peoples-Jones is one of the most electric receivers in this class with the football in his hands. With a 6"3 frame at 225 pounds, DPJ has an extremely alluring physical profile that puts him inside a class of wide outs from this class that could leave us wondering in a few years how he wasn't drafted higher. DPJ recorded a 44.5 broad jump which the third highest for any WR in combine history. A potential triple threat with the size to be a threat inside the red zone, the 4.48 speed to be a deep threat, and the quickness to be a run after catch threat. If he can refine his route running ability inside the right scheme he could grow to be a dangerous weapon.
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