Post by Sunshine on Aug 26, 2019 15:38:49 GMT -5
Andrew Luck went through a few seasons where he was constantly hit (his OL couldn't pass block)--and has now retired from the game. The lesson: If you invest a high first round pick in a QB, as the Giants have in selecting D.Jones, you better protect that QB. That is, you better spend the next few drafts making sure you have a really good OL. Sure, it only takes one hit to end a career, but for Luck it was the accumulation of many hits over time that did him in.
While the Giants OL should be better this year, the offensive tackles are older players. Solder is 31; Remmers is 30. Just a week ago, I would have said that the Giants must spend next year's first round pick on an edge rusher. Andrew Luck's retirement has changed my thinking on this. I now believe that the Giants must invest next year's first round pick on a left tackle. Remmers only signed a one year contract, and the Giants could play the rookie at RT for the first few years of his NFL career before moving him over to left tackle.
Fortunately, Will Hernandez is young (23). Halapino is 28. Kevin Zeitler is 29. With Remmers signed to a one year contract and with Solder being the oldest player on the Giants OL, the Giants definitely have a greater need for a young offensive tackle that can play RT immediately but eventually switch to LT in the long term.
Who will be the top offensive tackle prospects in next year's draft? Walter Football has only two offensive tackles going in the first round in 2020. Obviously, that can change, but their names are:
Andrew Thomas OT Georgia
Walker Little OT Stanford
In the second round, Walter Football has the following OT going 37th, 44th, 47th, 51st, 55th, and 60th respectively:
Trey Smith OT Tennessee
Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Marcus Norman, OT, South Florida
Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
Trey Adams, OT, Washington
I don't see the Giants drafting an offensive guard next year, but Walter Football has Tommy Kraemer, G, Notre Dame, going at pick 39, the first guard off the board.
If Halapino gets hurt again or doesn't play up to expectations, the Giants could be in the market for a center. Walter Football has Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin, going at pick 38, the first center off the board.
I'm assuming the Giants are going to finish with a top 10 pick next year and so they should have the opportunity to take one of the better OT prospects in the draft.