We're nearing the finish line with the 2020 NFL Draft entering its final day. The Giants and Jets have already made marked improvements, bolstering their O lines with first-round selections of Andrew Thomas and Mekhi Becton respectively. There's still plenty of work to be done, however, with four rounds and over 100 picks remaining in this year's draft. Follow along while I keep a running tab with analysis of each of the Giants' and Jets' Day-3 picks.
Round 4, Pick 110: Darnay Holmes, CB, New York Giants
The Giants have made improving their secondary a point of emphasis, securing blue-chip safety Xavier McKinney with the 36th pick and now using a fourth-rounder on UCLA standout Darnay Holmes. The 21-year-old Calabasas native was a three-year starter for the Bruins, compiling 120 tackles and eight interceptions over his collegiate tenure. An All-Pac 12 honorable mention with 4.48 wheels, Holmes joins a New York secondary that yielded the league's sixth-most passing yards in 2019.
Round 4, Pick 120: Lamical Perine, RB, New York Jets
After addressing their receiver need with Baylor's Denzel Mims in Round 2, the Jets added to their backfield depth Saturday by plucking Lamical Perine in the fourth round. The Florida product has strong NFL bloodlines with two cousins—Dolphins running back Samaje Perine and Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack—in the league. Perine went out on top, garnering MVP honors in the Gators' Orange Bowl triumph over Virginia this past season. He's not a burner (4.62 forty) but Perine brings power and size (5'11"/216) to the equation. The 22-year-old will begin his career fighting Trenton Cannon and Kenneth Dixon for backup reps behind entrenched starter Le'Veon Bell.
Round 4, Pick 125: James Morgan, QB, New York Jets
With only David Fales and Mike White as depth behind starter Sam Darnold, New York decided to go the quarterback route on Day 3, taking a mid-round flyer on Florida International's James Morgan. A Green Bay native who grew up idolizing Brett Favre, the Bowling Green transfer offers decent size at 6'4"/229 and has an absolute gun, but his accuracy and touch are both lacking. He also brings a statuesque pocket presence, rarely making plays with his feet. Morgan arrives in East Rutherford with plenty of question marks, but you can't fault the Jets for adding another arm, particularly after seeing their offense disintegrate when Darnold was shelved with mono last season.
Round 4, Pick 129: Cameron Clark, OT, New York Jets
Not content with drafting one tackle, the Jets added to their O line haul by spending a fourth-round pick on Cameron Clark, a first-team All-Conference USA selection in 2019. Clark has the experience (he appeared in 49 games for UNC Charlotte) and length (6'4") necessary to be an NFL force, though some scouts feel he's better suited to play guard at the next level. Going from the relative low-stakes of C-USA to the pros is going to be an adjustment, though Clark proved he can handle the spotlight by playing one of his better games against powerhouse Clemson last year.
Round 5, Pick 150: Shane Lemieux, OG, New York Giants
The G-Men are well-stocked at guard with veteran Kevin Zeitler and 2018 second-rounder Will Hernandez manning the interior, but Lemieux gives them another option to turn to should injuries arise. Lemieux, an All-Pac 12 selection during his time at Oregon, is a fierce run-blocker who plays with a mean streak, but he's not as polished in pass-protection. The 22-year-old Yakima native still has some kinks to work out, but he's a good find this late in the draft.
Round 5, Pick 158: Bryce Hall, CB, New York Jets
Lightly recruited out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania—Virginia was one of just two schools to offer him a scholarship—Bryce Hall overachieved in Charlottesville, emerging as one of the premier corners in college football during his breakout junior year, which garnered him recognition as a second-team All-American. Hall opted to return for his senior season, a choice that proved costly after he missed much of the year with an ankle injury, causing his draft stock to plummet. The former wide receiver fills a need for the Jets, who were looking for a DB to replace free-agent bust Trumaine Johnson.
Round 6, Pick 183: Cam Brown, LB, New York Giants
We're in the sixth round, so teams are just throwing darts at this point. Though far from a sure thing, the 233-pound Brown does offer some intriguing qualities with good length and a nose for the football, a trait he showed by registering 72 tackles (including 5.5 for loss), two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles this past season. The former Penn State Nittany Lion only has average speed and needs to fill out his 6'5" frame, but he's a worthy flyer for the Giants, particularly after their release of free-agent underachiever Alec Ogletree earlier this offseason.
Round 6, Pick 191: Braden Mann, P, New York Jets
No punter went in the first 190 picks, allowing New York to nab the best one available in unanimous All-American and 2018 Ray Guy Award recipient Braden Mann of Texas A&M. It's an unusual pick, but New York needed a punter after letting Lachlan Edwards, who led the NFL in punting average last year, walk in free agency. No team in the NFL punted more than the Jets last season (87), so Mann's debut campaign in East Rutherford could be a busy one.
Round 7, Pick 218: Carter Coughlin, Edge, New York Giants
Make that two linebackers in a row for the Giants, who still have three picks remaining in this round. A former four-star recruit who passed on a chance to play for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, Coughlin enjoyed a storied career at Minnesota (his parents' alma mater), earning all-conference recognition on two occasions. The Gopher State native was a one-man wrecking crew as a junior in 2018, blowing up for 48 tackles (15 for loss), 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. He's undersized for a pass-rusher at 6'3"/236 and coming off a relative down year (he regressed to just 4.5 sacks last season), but the Giants are still getting a quality edge prospect in Coughlin, who many projected as a fifth or sixth-rounder.
Round 7, Pick 238: T.J. Brunson, LB, New York Giants
The linebacker run continues for the Giants, who have made their defense a priority on Day 3 by corralling four defenders including three consecutive linebackers in Rounds 6-7. Brunson, a two-time team captain for the Gamecocks, enjoyed a productive career in the nation's showcase conference, collecting 283 tackles, six sacks, an interception and a forced fumble over his four-year stay in South Carolina. A rough-and-tumble field presence who plays like his life depends on it, Brunson's intensity and leadership are pluses, though his upside is capped by weak coverage skills and limited athleticism. He's not a lock to make it out of training camp with the Giants, but at this late juncture in the draft, you can't blame Dave Gettleman for throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks.
Round 7, Pick 247: Chris Williamson, CB, New York Giants
No linebacker this time, but the Giants stuck with their defensive theme, enlisting the services of cornerback prospect Chris Williamson, the second Minnesota alum New York has drafted this round. Williamson couldn't get on the field at Florida but thrived after transferring to Minnesota, breaking out for 57 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception his senior year. His measurables are ideal (6'0"/205) and he saw some success as a college nickelback, but Williamson's subpar speed and concerningly low interception totals don't bode well for his NFL chances. Whether you're a fan of this pick or not, Gettleman has touched on some important needs this draft, going all in on the secondary and offensive line with four DBs and three linemen.
Round 7, Pick 255: Tae Crowder, LB, New York Giants
Meet this year's Mr. Irrelevant, Tae Crowder (not to be confused with Miami Heat forward Jae Crowder), who New York nabbed with the 255th and final pick of the 2020 Draft. Crowder should be ready for whatever the pros throw at him after playing under head coach Kirby Smart, one of the great defensive minds in college football, but the ex-Bulldog's pursuit of a meaningful NFL career is still going to be an uphill battle. One of four linebackers selected by the Giants on Day 3, Crowder notched 122 tackles (10 for loss) and two interceptions during his time at Georgia.
