The 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday is sure to be the most unique one we’ll ever see. For one, we are going to see the first draft as basically a teleconference, getting away from what was supposed to be a glamorous weekend in Las Vegas. Also, we might actually see the New York Giants do something productive for once.
After years of falling flat on his face, Giants GM Dave Gettleman needs a huge draft that will go a long way in saving his job. In reality, he has been part of the regime that has brought in players like Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones in each of the last two seasons. However, there hasn’t been a whole lot of winning coming out of the Meadowlands in quite some time.
The Giants have the fourth overall pick in the draft, and the possibility of trading down for extra picks is certainly there on the table.
“It’s something I will very seriously entertain,” said Gettleman on Friday in a conference call with reporters.”
In a big year for Gettleman, things surely could have been in a better scenario. After all, the Giants only have two of the first 95 picks in this year’s draft. A move back would be nice, but Gettleman is going to be waiting around on pins and needles – or, so he says.
“We’re sitting there with the fourth pick of the draft. It’s going to happen pretty soon,” Gettleman said. “I’m going to make calls and anybody that wants to move up, I’m going to say, ‘Listen, we don’t have much time. We can’t fool around. I’d like to get the parameters of a deal in place before we get on the clock,’ That would be the best thing.”
Most Giants fans are looking to get LB Isaiah Simmons from Clemson, a player who has proven to be versatile enough that he should work in many different systems. However, this team has seemingly always had a big need on the offensive line. Moving back would allow Big Blue to give themselves some more options while even getting some extra picks.
“There are tackles throughout the draft,” said Gettleman. “There is a lot of talent there.”
On the other hand, anything is possible.
“We’re still a week out,” Gettleman said. “Really and truly, we’re still a week out,” Gettleman said. “So, we’ll see what happens.”
Setting Odds
As we near closer to Thursday’s draft, FanDuel Sportsbook has placed odds on which position and player it believes the Giants will be taking with their first pick. Things have certainly changed quite a bit from earlier this week, and even before that.
FanDuel has placed massive -300 odds on Big Blue to select an offensive lineman before any other position, with linebacker coming in at with very distant +270 odds. As for the player to be selected, FanDuel believes it will be Jedrick Willis Jr. of Alabama, giving him +110 odds.
Simmons, the LB from Clemson, comes in second with odds at +270, and Tristan Wirfs, an offensive lineman from Iowa, is third at +300, according to the best NFL betting sites in the industry.
As we mentioned at the top, this year’s draft is going to have an interesting scenario attached to it – not just for the Giants, but for all teams. Every team will be conducting its draft operations from the comfort of their own homes individually – person by person, not team by team.
“Everything is going to be done and treated the same way we’ve done our last two drafts together,” said Giants director of college scouting Chris Pettit. “Really, nothing is different. We’re just not in the same room.”
