Dave Gettleman defended the strength of the Giants’ offensive line on Saturday after failing to draft a single O-lineman with his six picks this weekend.
“It’s really apparent that we have a little more confidence in our offensive line players than you guys do,” Gettleman said to the assembled media on Zoom. “I’m just gonna say we’re happy with the group that we have.”
The GM’s retort contradicted his Friday comment that “we were looking at offensive linemen” in the second and third rounds and that the Giants “had our eye on two guys specifically … and they got taken before they got to us.”
It also contradicted his actions minutes later: the Giants signed UCLA/Baylor tackle Jake Burton and Florida center Brett Heggie as undrafted free agents to bolster their depth. That number could increase by the end of the weekend.
It’s just completely inaccurate to suggest the Giants’ offensive line is stable. Their own actions tell the story.
When Rob Sale was hired in February, he became the Giants’ third offensive line coach in a span of four months following the November firing of Marc Colombo and the murky postseason departure of Dave DeGuglilelmo.
The line is such a concern that Joe Judge now has four assistants assigned in some way to the front: Sale, senior offensive assistant Freddie Kitchens, assistant O-line coach Ben Wilkerson and consultant Pat Flaherty, the re-hired longtime former Giants O-line coach.
That’s practically one coach for each starting offensive lineman.
Their projected starting five from left to right is Andrew Thomas, Shane Lemieux, Nick Gates, free agent signing Zach Fulton and Matt Peart. Tackle Nate Solder is back from his 2020 opt out, and Will Hernandez and free agent signing Jonotthan Harrison are part of their interior depth. Hernandez was basically benched for the entire second half of the 2020 season. His status on the depth chart is unclear.
Gettleman and the Giants may have more confidence in their younger players developing than the average media member, but it is inaccurate to say the Giants weren’t looking for interior line help in this weekend’s draft. They simply saw teams take their guys ahead of them — just like what happened to them with the Alabama receivers in the first round.
“You’re always trying to get better and you’re not gonna just take a player to take a player,” Gettleman continued. “You’re gonna take him because you think he’s gonna improve the value of your team. Right now our offensive line is what it is. They are who they are. And we’re gonna move forward.”
All that’s riding on it is Daniel Jones’ make or break third season.
The Giants added a second pass rusher in this draft by taking Northern Iowa’s Elerson Smith in the fourth round at No. 116 overall.
The 6-foot-6, 252-pounder with intriguing upside wasn’t able to play in 2020 because the FCS cancelled its fall season due to COVID-19. But Smith, 22, was a first-team All-American in 2019 with 14 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, 14 hurries, five forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and 64 tackles.
“What kinda sold us on him was they played Iowa State and he must have played 85, 90 snaps,” Gettleman said. “He’s just a real tough kid. He’s athletic, he’s long, he’s got some pass rush potential. And he’s really instinctive.”
Scouts say Elerson’s first step is what makes him most dangerous. That’s his self-scout, as well.
“I think my get-off is what starts all my pass rush moves,” he said. “I love driving offensive linemen off the jump, get their feet moving and really get them scared of my length and my get-off.”
The Giants then used their two sixth-round picks on Arizona running back Gary Brightwell, a 5-10, 218-pound special teams ace, and Oklahoma State corner Rodarius Williams, a four-year starter with 31 career pass breakups.
GIANTS 2021 NFL DRAFT
Round 1, Pick 20: WR Kadarius Toney, Florida
Round 2, Pick 50: OLB Azeez Ojulari, Georgia
Round 3, Pick 71: CB Aaron Robinson, UCF
Round 4, Pick 116: OLB Elerson Smith, Northern Iowa
Round 6, Pick 196: RB Gary Brightwell, Arizona
Round 6, Pick 201: CB Rodarius Williams, Oklahoma State