The 2021 NFL Draft will be arriving shortly. It will begin on Thursday, April 29, and end on Saturday, May 1st The New York Giants have the 11th overall pick in the first round. After a close look at the season, it’s clear that they need extra help on offense. It wouldn’t hurt to grab some defensive players, but offense should be their go-to.
The two definite positions that Big Blue is in need of are an edge rusher and a wide receiver. The question remains, who will get picked first?
There are two wide receivers that will be a great fit in the big apple: Devonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle.
As far as an edge rush, Gregory Rousseau is a top prospect at that position who can very well land in New York.
A tight end is another position the team lacks consistency with. Kyle Pitts might just be the guy they’re looking for.
Let’s closely analyze all of these players…
Devonta Smith
Smith is a 6’ 1”, 175-pound wide receiver from the University of Alabama. He was a Heisman winner at the conclusion of his college career. Throughout college, he had 3,965 receiving yards, 235 receptions, and 46 touchdowns. Does that put the situation into perspective? He would be a great addition to the Giants offense. If he was putting those type of numbers up in college, he’s going to be a scary sight for defenses in the NFL. His height gives him the ability to catch the ball over defenders. Although Smith suffered an injury and didn’t play his last game in college, that wouldn’t be much of a reason not to draft him. If he is still around at the 11th pick, experts and mock drafts still have him falling to the Giants.
Jaylen Waddle
Waddle was a teammate to Smith in college as they both played for the University of Alabama. He is just an inch shorter than his teammate at 5’ 10” and 182 pounds. Waddle had 106 receptions, 1,999 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns. The contributing factor in why his numbers are slightly less than Smith’s could be because he is only a junior, and Smith has an extra year under his belt. Either way, Waddle has shown the type of player he is. He also owns three of the top-five longest scoring receptions in Alabama history. Have you been convinced yet? If his former teammate is taken at No. 11, the Giants will most likely think about drafting him if they want to improve their offense.
Gregory Rousseau
Rousseau is a 6’ 7”, 265-pound defensive lineman from the University of Miami. He decided to opt-out of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns. However, he was still able to raise some very impressive numbers. Through his limited college career, he had 35 solo tackles, 24 assist tackles, and 15.5 sacks. Only Chase Young, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, recorded more sacks than Rosseau with 16.5. He won all-conference honors as a redshirt freshman in 2019, including ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. He would be a big help to their already dominant defense, but not as much help as the receivers would be to their 31st ranked offense.
Kyle Pitts
Pitts is a 6’ 6”, 240-pound tight end from the University of Florida. Throughout his college career, he scooped up 1,492 receiving yards, 18 touchdowns, and 100 receptions. He would fit well in the Giants offense and would make a good replacement for Evan Engram. If Pitts gets drafted, it’s very likely Engram will be out the door. The giants couldn’t rely on Engram to make plays when they needed him the most. Since his debut in 2017, Engram has dropped 21 passes. That is the most by any tight end in the league. Pitts is also taller than Engram by 3 inches, and those 3 inches could make all the difference. If Smith and Waddle are already taken, and this man is still available, it looks like he’ll be a very probably fit.
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