May 05, 2015
Now that we've had a chance to digest what the Eagles did in the 2015 NFL Draft, let's take a peek at the other teams in the NFC East and see what new presents they got. Earlier, we looked at the Redskins. Now we'll move onto the Giants.
| Player | Position | School | Round | Overall |
| Ereck Flowers | OT | Miami | 1 | 9 |
| Landon Collins | S | Alabama | 2 | 33 |
| Owamagbe Odighizuwa | DE | UCLA | 3 | 74 |
| Mykkele Thompson | S | Texas | 5 | 144 |
| Geremy Davis | WR | UConn | 6 | 186 |
| Bobby Hart | OG | Florida State | 7 | 226 |
• The Giants' first-round pick, Ereck Flowers, is a massive human being at 6'6, 329. He is excellent in the run game, but has some pretty shaky moments as a pass blocker. I can understand why the Giants like him. Offensively, they have not been able to run the ball effectively, averaging 3.57 yards per carry in 2014. That was third worst in the NFL, but that is especially bad for a team that wants to run the ball, as they had the 10th most rushing attempts in the NFL last season. Personally, I don't like the value here. If you're going to draft an offensive lineman in the top ten picks, you'd prefer they be more well-rounded than Flowers is. And if they aren't the "whole package," if you had to choose between a great pass protector and a dominant run blocker, I think you'll almost always prefer the guy who can keep your QB upright.
I do like the Giants' commitment to building their OL. In 2013 they used their first-round pick on Justin Pugh, and last year they spent a second round pick on C Weston Richberg. Pugh has T-Rex arms, so it makes sense to move him inside to guard to make room for Flowers at RT.
• Landon Collins was a player that Eagles fans debated over quite a bit. Many projected him to be the Eagles' pick at 20, but if he were on the board where the Eagles were originally slated to pick in the second round at 52nd overall, I don't think they would have had interest. Collins' strengths didn't match up with what the Eagles value in their safeties. They value guys who can cover receivers man-to-man, and Collins is at his best when you let him be an in-the-box thumper. Obviously, the Giants are comfortable with what Collins is, and when Eagles receivers go over the middle, they will have to deal with this:
The Giants did a clean sweep of their safeties this offseason. Antrel Rolle left for the Bears in free agency, Stevie Brown signed with the Texans, and Quintin Demps remains jobless. Getting a player on the back on end was a huge need for the Giants, and Collins should be an immediate starter. However, they obtained him at a high cost. To move up seven spots from 40 to the Titans' spot at the first pick in the second round at 33, the Giants had to give up their fourth- and seventh-round picks.
With the fourth round pick the Titans acquired from the Giants, they selected Alabama fullback Jalston Fowler. According to Heath Evans of NFL Network, the Titans are guaranteed a Super Bowl in 2015 because they were the only team to draft a fullback. That could haunt the Giants for years.
• Owamagbe Odighizuwa was great value at 74th overall. He was a heavily recruited player out of high school, as Rivals.com had him as the No. 8 overall high school recruit in the nation in 2009. However, Odighizuwa's production never lived up to the hype. In his five years at UCLA (he missed the 2013 season with a hip injury), he only had 12.5 sacks. But his athletic measurables are outstanding, via mockdraftable.com:
There were injury concerns with Odighizuwa, which is likely why he fell to the third round. But if he's healthy, he could be a steal for a team that has not been able to rush the passer effectively in recent years.
• I liked the addition of Bobby Hart in the seventh round. He'll move inside to guard in the pros, and the Giants could develop him into a good backup at a position where they don't have much.
Overall, the Giants addressed needs with their first three picks, although the trade for Collins left them with only six picks this year. Of the three "other" NFC East teams, I'd be least fired up about the Giants' draft, although I think all three teams got players who should be immediate contributors.
Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @JimmyKempski
