Post by GordonG on May 1, 2018 20:16:57 GMT -5
Giants draft two of Joel Klatt's 'biggest sleepers' in the Draft
The New York Giants cleaned up in the 2018 NFL Draft and found two of the best values, also known as "sleeper picks", according to well-respected FOX Sports draft analyst Joel Klatt.
In a video breaking down his 10 biggest sleepers in the draft, Klatt named two players who the Giants ended up drafting to his list. The Giants landed Klatt's eight-biggest sleeper pick and his biggest sleeper pick overall (No. 1). Klatt's video debuted just prior to the draft, so at times he makes predictions on where these sleepers will be selected, but for today let's focus on his evaluations of what makes these players such incredible values now that they've been selected by the Giants. Klatt named Giants third-round pick B.J. Hill the eighth-biggest sleeper pick in the entire class. The Giants grabbed the N.C. State defensive tackle with the No. 69 overall pick in the third round of the draft.
"Here's a guy that's getting no love because everyone is talking about the other player on this defensive line," Klatt said. "Bradley Chubb is getting all the love, but when you turn on the film to evaluate Chubb, Hill just sticks out. His quickness, his ability to rush from the interior -- this guy is a really good football player -- maybe even a top-45 pick overall -- maybe even higher, maybe even a top-30 pick overall. Remember, from the defensive tackle position, if you can press the pocket back into the pocket of a quarterback that's so valuable and so important."
The Giants haven't yet decided where they will use Hill during his rookie season in new defensive coordinator James Bettcher's attacking 1-gap scheme. Bettcher will lead the defense to adopt more of a 3-4 base look, but the defensive linemen will be tasked with pressing the gaps in an attempt to create interior disruption and pressure. Hill would look excellent in a role as the defensive nose tackle spelling Damon Harrison on obvious passing downs. However, he could also spell Dalvin Tomlinson as the 3-technique defensive end on obvious passing downs and this might be his best fit. Don't be surprised if you also see Hill as the 5-technique defensive end on the left side of the alignment on obvious run downs.
Klatt's biggest sleeper pick -- No. 1 overall -- is Will Hernandez -- the Giants' second-round pick at No. 34 overall.
"The reason I have him No. 1 is the fact that everybody is talking about Quenton Nelson from Notre Dame," Klatt said. "I'm not taking anything away from Nelson, but I'm just saying Hernandez is likely to be selected in the top-20 picks and it wouldn't shock me if he's in the Pro Bowl early in his career. This guy is a great player. He went to UTEP, was lightly recruited, but then all of the sudden gets a Senior Bowl invite and he goes there and dominates. Think of Aaron Donald's great Senior Bowl week and what that has propelled him to. Will Hernandez did a similar thing down in Mobile. He went, dominated almost every drill and he was phenomenal. Strong, stalky, doesn't allow the bull rush to push him back, dominant in run blocking, lateral against a quick pass rush -- all of the those things are true about Will Hernandez which is why he is my No. 1 sleeper in this draft."
The mauling offensive guard earned Pro Football Focus' highest grade ever (since the introduction of College Football Focus) for an offensive guard during the 2016 season. As Klatt points out, Hernandez is not just a mauler in the run game. Hernandez absolutely stonewalls defenders trying to bull rush him in pass protection. According to PFF, he allowed just four total pressures (quarterback hurries, hits, and sacks combined) in his past two seasons at UTEP. The majority of NFL draft evaluators had Hernandez as a sure-fire first-round pick (Top-32 overall). Pro Football Focus even listed Hernandez as the No. 17 overall player on their final big board. The Giants said they nearly traded back into the first round to ensure they landed Hernandez.