As next Thursday’s NFL Draft inches closer, it appears as if the picture is beginning to become clearer in which direction the New York Giants will go with the No. 4 pick.
If they hold onto the pick, it is very likely that the Giants will have the opportunity to choose the offensive tackle of their liking.
The choices are Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr., Georgia’s Andrew Thomas and Louisville’s Mekhi Becton.
Per Jordan Raanan of ESPN, there is buzz building within league circles that the Giants will select Wills.
Part of this rationale, according to Raanan, is not only is Wills a fit who can be placed on the right side of the line immediately and be moved to left in the future, but he is part of a Joe Judge-Nick Saban connection at Alabama.
Before Judge was an assistant with Bill Belichick and the Patriots, he was a special teams assistant for Saban from 2009-11 at Alabama. The Giants also have former Alabama running backs coach Burton Burns on Judge’s staff, who watched Wills block for his rushers and can vouch for him.
That should be especially reassuring for the Giants because it gives them some inside knowledge of Wills in a time when teams are limited in meeting and further evaluating players since the NFL Combine due to the coronavirus.
On the contrary, Raanan added that there has not been much buzz connecting Thomas to the Giants, leaving Wills, Wirfs and Becton as the more likely candidates.
With teams looking to move up for quarterbacks, there is always the possibility the Giants trade down, which could add a wrench into the speculation of which direction they go.
Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons is another possibility for the Giants, as well as Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown.
However, general manager Dave Gettleman had suggested earlier this week that the offensive line depth in this year’s draft played a role in their free agency decisions — which mostly focused on the defense — adding more fuel to the fire that the Giants are likely opting for help on the offensive line, at the very least.