Articles

By Michael Stewart @golferbad

Introduction: GM Dave Gettleman is well respected around the league and has a solid resume to back it up. However; I believe he panicked when the Giants were on the clock with their first pick (6th overall) in the 2019 draft.

Gettleman had arguably the best edge rusher still on the board in Josh Allen that 99% of the football world never thought he would make it out of the top 5 sitting there ready to be selected.

The Giants traded away Olivier Vernon who was their best pass rusher to the Cleveland Browns and desperately needed a playmaking talent like Allen to replace him. With all the stars perfectly aligned or so it seemed, Gettleman created shock waves throughout the draft by selecting quarterback Daniel Jones out of Duke with the 6h overall pick.

Many believed (myself included, as I had the Giants selecting him at #17) Jones would be available later on in the 1st round and based on the picks leading up to the Giants pick at #17; he was. This was not a pick for the best player available with Josh Allen still on the board, Gettleman can try to convince us, but any knowledgeable football fan knows better.

In my opinion, Dave Gettleman panicked with this pick and it could backfire on the Giants. This is not a knock so much on Jones as it is on Gettleman as Jones is a solid quarterback and should have a solid career in the NFL. However; here’s the problem with this pick of Daniel Jones and not selecting Josh Allen:

Daniel Jones:

  • 2019 will be a year of learning and watching behind Eli Manning.
  • Unless a serious injury to Manning, Jones contribution to the team will be 0%
  • Was not the BPA on the board at #6.

Josh Allen:

  • Replaces Vernon and gives the Giants a pass rushing threat.
  • Contributes nearly 70% on the defensive snaps.
  • Excels in pass coverage and against the run.
  • A play maker and would have given the Giants a bona fide star on defense.
  • Will have double digit sacks in 2019; which is what the Giants desperately needed.

Final Thoughts: Daniel Jones could eventually become the next Eli Manning and be the Giants quarterback for the next 15 years or could be the next Dave Brown and join him as one of the worse draft picks in New York Giants history.

In my opinion, Josh Allen is a slam dunk just as Saquon Barkley was in 2018. The same can’t be said about Daniel Jones no matter what Gettleman might say.