USAT: Giants Wire audio clip

USAT: Giants Wire

Mar 21, 2022

- - - The New York Giants have spent the first wave of free agency heavily focused on the offensive side of the ball. They’ve added several offensive linemen, wide receivers and even a tight end. - The question is, has that approach opened up options in the 2022 NFL draft? Does it mean they will go heavy on defense over the first few rounds? - Nate Davis of USA TODAY certainly thinks so. In his latest mock draft, he has the Giants outright ignoring their offensive line in favor of beefing up their secondary. - Up first at No. 5 overall is Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton. - 5. New York Giants – S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame: He’s 6-4 and 220 pounds with sub-4.6 speed and can shore up deficiencies at the second and/or third levels. Hamilton can provide coverage, a box presence, blitzing ability and an intimidation factor. And with veteran Logan Ryan’s release opening a job on the back end, sure seems like pairing Hamilton with improving Xavier McKinney would give Big Blue a heckuva safety tandem. - After releasing veteran safety Logan Ryan, the selection of Hamilton makes much more sense than it had previously. The Giants now have a need at the position and Hamilton has as much upside as anyone else in the draft. - Two picks later, the Giants forego adding a talented edge rusher in favor of another body in the secondary. This time, Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. - 7. Giants (from Chicago Bears) – CB Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner, Cincinnati: Totally feasible that New York could take a pair of defensive backs in a three-pick span, this one obtained in last year’s draft day deal involving QB Justin Fields. Gardner would be a safe plug-and-play selection, the consensus All-American allowing only 20 receptions in 2021, picking off three passes and – evidence of his all-around game – posting 40 tackles and three sacks. And talk about shutdown – he never allowed a TD pass while with the Bearcats. His 6-3, 190-pound build is another selling point to a league that likes big corners. Adding Gardner might also trigger a deal of veteran CB James Bradberry and bring more needed draft ammo back to the Giants. - The selection of Gardner only makes sense if the Giants are able to trade James Bradberry or are confident a post-draft trade will be agreed upon. They do not intend to release the veteran, so taking Gardner before Bradberry is dealt would be a risky move. - Still, Gardner has a high ceiling and a potentially bright future. He would come in and start on Day 1 (if Bradberry is traded), giving the Giants a top-end corner for the foreseeable future.

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