There’s more pressure than ever on Giants general manager Dave Gettleman to make this year’s draft correct, according to a former NFL player and staff executive who recently interviewed the team for the work he did. get Gettleman.
Louis Riddick said the Giants should get a player with the No. 11 pick in the NFL draft that would instantly accelerate Daniel Jones ’development and add significantly to the 2021 season’s total wins.
“I think the clock has accelerated in this regime and in particular in Dave, so I think he knows he needs a guy to come in and make an impact,” said Riddick, ESPN’s Monday Night Football analyst. ”he said on the podcast“ Giants Huddle. ”“ I think you’ll see that kind of affectation in his decision-making here, whereas at the beginning of his tenure I would have looked at him a little more organically and said, ‘I’ll just grab the best player “. “
Riddick heard what John Mara had to say two weeks ago, when the Giants co-owner admitted he was “tired of losing” and stated that he is also tired of “doing a post-season press conference trying to explain what went wrong and why I think we are moving forward. “
Mara signed a free agency expense that cost nearly $ 100 million in guaranteed money for three players: Leonard Williams, Kenny Golladay and Adoree ‘Jackson. Then comes the draft. The Giants only have six selections and have to face their first-round selection. Mara hopes a franchise that holds a 15-33 record in all three Gettleman seasons can fight for something other than a big selection in the 2022 NFL draft.
“It’s intriguing to the Giants,” Riddick said. “I can’t stress it enough, you have to consider the human element of that, if you’re a general manager in Dave’s position and you haven’t had the kind of success you want to have and you’ve pushed all the eggs in the basket of Daniel Jones.
“Look, this is a performance business, everyone gets it, and so Dave knows the selection at 11 has to produce and he has to earn a return on investment now.”
Riddick met with the Giants property in December 2017 to be interviewed for the general manager job. He doesn’t believe much in the defensive talent of this year’s draft; not sure whether any player on defense is worthy of a selection from the top ten or the top 12. Thus, Riddick expects the Giants to select an offensive player at No. 11.
With offensive lineman Penei Sewell definitely out of the table, Riddick could imagine a scenario in which the Giants would choose from three players with No. 11 pick: all-Alabama receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle and the offensive lineman northwest Rashawn Slater. Riddick sees Slater as the best offensive line player in the draft, mainly because of his position flexibility: he can play attacking or protecting.
“I know they’ve invested a lot, both in terms of free agent money in the offensive line position during Dave’s tenure and in the draft, but the fact is that it hasn’t been good enough yet, and in particular it hasn’t been good enough left, ”Riddick said. “I know Andrew [Thomas] it needs more time and will reach the second year and has to make a big leap, in terms of its development.
“But before Daniel Jones can do anything, he has to protect himself in his pocket. If he always runs for his life and then doesn’t take care of football, doesn’t turn the ball and doesn’t win games, then that technical body will not be there to see if it can be good enough or not in the future, because they will be gone “.
As for the receivers, Riddick prefers Smith to Waddle, but this is more a hair-raising match than vehement conviction. Waddle is the most explosive player, the closest to Tyreek Hill in this draft, Riddick said, but he also has a history of injuries (he fractured his right ankle last season). Smith has been the most productive receiver.
“Is an offensive attack more important than a wide game receiver?” Riddick said. “It simply came to our notice then. That’s the kind of mental gymnastics that is done as a teammate and that’s what Dave will possibly face in two weeks. ”