3 FIRST-ROUND PROSPECTS WHO COULD FALL TO THE GIANTS AT NO. 47

Every year in the NFL Draft, we see a few "consensus first-round picks" fall into the second round, creating a frenzy of teams moving up to land these players at the top of round two. The Giants have been a benefactor of this trend a few times landing Landon Collins and Xavier McKinney at the top of round two.

New York desperately needs to build out this roster with talented blue-chip players, so they shouldn't think twice about pouncing on the opportunity to land them.

3. Cooper DeJean -Defensive Back - Iowa

When trying to list which position Cooper DeJean plays you could easily just title him a football player. While DeJean is listed as a cornerback, he can make an impact at corner, safety, kick and punt returner.

The biggest narrative right now hurting DeJean is that he can't cover, which is untrue if you watch him in man coverage on tape. DeJean does play best in zone coverage, so wherever he ends up he'll be a major contributor in both man and zone at any position in the secondary.

The Giants would be landing an incredible player at 47 if Cooper DeJean fell to them in the draft. The Giants could start DeJean at cornerback opposite of Deonte Banks, allowing the team to see what they have in its two young cornerbacks. If DeJean fails at cornerback, then the Giants have their long term fix at safety after losing Xavier McKinney in free agency.

2. Jer'Zhan Newton - Defensive Line - Illinois

If you look at big boards, you'll consistently see Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton ranked around the 20th best player, but mock drafts have his potential starting in the second round.

The Giants should run to the podium to select Newton should he slide to the 47th overall pick. The Giants front seven is dominant and in the conversation for one of the best in the league, but there's a clear hole at defensive tackle alongside Dexter Lawrence.

Putting another dominant rusher alongside Lawrence would give the Giants a defensive line with no holes, creating nightmares for opponents as they'll have to leave either Brian Burns, Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, or Newton in a one on one matchup.

When the Giants have won Super Bowls, it's been due to incredible pass rushes ,as opposed to high-powered offenses. Rather than trying to fix a weakness, the Giants could instead bolster a strength by creating one of the most dominant front sevens in the league.

1. Kool-Aid McKinstry - Cornerback - Alabama

At the start of the college football season, Kool-Aid McKinstry was viewed as the clear top cornerback prospect in the class and nearly a lock to be selected in the top ten of the draft. McKinstry's junior season, however, left many questions with scouts as he wasn't nearly as impressive while his teammate Terrion Arnold took significant jumps.

The slide of McKinstry may be a classic case of draft fatigue as scouts have now had three seasons to try and find an issue with McKinstry's game.

The Giants have shown interest in McKinstry, hosting him this week on a top-30 visit as the draft nears. If the Giants were able to come away with McKinstry in the second round it would be an incredible haul. McKinstry shouldn't fall out of the second round and if 2023 was his first season as a starter, he'd likely have the same buzz as the corners who will land in the first round.

The Giants have a significant need at cornerback, as Adoree Jackson is still a free agent and the Giants' young defensive back core leaves questions. Pairing Deonte Banks and Kool-Aid McKinstry together would give the Giants a dominant young cornerback pairing to build the defense around. New York's front seven is playoff-caliber and building up the secondary would allow the Giants a chance to contend on defense alone.

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This article was originally published on empirewritesback.com as 3 First-Round Prospects Who Could Fall to the Giants at No. 47.

2024-04-19T12:09:49Z dg43tfdfdgfd