Dave Gettleman finally did it. And, even if it’s the exception that proves the rule in the end, Gettleman, for the first time in nine drafts as an NFL GM, traded down in the first round, sending the No. 11 pick to Chicago for the No. 20, a fifth-rounder this year, and the Bears’ first and fourth-rounders in 2022.
“It was too good an opportunity, and added too much value.
We felt very comfortable where our board was, and with who would be available in that slot,” Gettleman said after the first round. “We added a fifth this year and a one and a four for next year, so some more ammunition for us. We’re very pleased we were able to make the trade.”
Who was there was Florida WR Kadarius Toney, who was a bit of a gadget player in his final year in Gainesville and can line up for the Giants in a lot of different scenarios.
“One of the off-season goals was to add weapons on offense,” Gettleman said. “Kadarius is a good-sized kid. He’s strong. He can run. He catches the ball well and he’s a very tough kid and he’s got return skills. He’s got really good hands and great run-after-catch skills. So we were thrilled that he was there for us at that spot. He was the next guy up for us."
The Giants’ board was rumored to be heavy on cornerbacks and wide receivers, but when DeVonta Smith went at No. 10 to the Eagles, the top five players at those two positions were off the board. So, Gettleman traded back, and feels like he got a steal as much as the Bears did in jumping up to get Justin Fields with that 11th pick.
"It was very important to get the first-round pick next year," Gettleman said. "As I told you guys at my pre-draft presser, there's a lot of unknowns here with this (draft class), and a lot of kids went back and took advantage of the NCAA giving them an additional year of eligibility. That obviously played into our thinking."
“He’s a playmaker; he’s instinctive, he’s tough, makes a lot of plays with the ball in his hands,” added scouting director Chris Pettit. “He’s a tough guy with very good athletic ability and speed.”
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Toney, who compares himself to Davante Adams or Alvin Kamara in that he is “quick, dynamic, explosive, and real elusive,” is happy to be with Big Blue, who did a lot of research on him in the months leading up to the Draft, including an extensive meeting at the Senior Bowl.
“Ever since I was little, this was my dream. I’ve been striving for it ever since,” Toney said. “We had a long meeting (at the Senior Bowl) where they were trying to figure me out, but the coaches, I kind of took them as they came. They were very serious. By them taking a chance on me, it just showed me who was in my corner the whole time.”
Toney also said he’s just going to try to be “the best version of me that I can,” and head coach Joe Judge, who adds Toney to his stable of weapons that has also welcomed Kenny Golladay and John Ross III this offseason, is all about it.
“For us it was a good move,” Judge said. “We’re pleased the way it turned out. We got a good player that’s going to be able to come in and compete with our team and we have more assets to use in the future.”
Even if, as Judge reminded, nothing is guaranteed for Toney.
"Every pick in this draft is a projection. There's not a single player who is NFL ready, let's not make that mistake. Everybody here needs development, and part of the evaluation is identifying how high the ceiling is," Judge said. "We're very excited about adding him to our team. There's a lot of things he can do, a lot of versatility. But like every rookie coming in here, they've got to earn what they get, and we're going to work them in multiple positions to find their true strengths. We can't assume that just what we saw on college tape is the best fit for."
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