The New York Giants went into the 2017 NFL Draft with very few needs, and even though they normally don’t draft out of need, they came away with players that could satisfy those open holes on their roster.
After grabbing a playmaking TE (Evan Engram), a defensive tackle (Dalvin Tomlinson) and their QB of the future (Davis Webb) in the first three rounds, Giants GM Jerry Reese went to work on some other needs on his shopping list.
“We tried to improve every part of the team. I don’t know what part is the most improved position,” Reese told reporters on Saturday. “As we move forward, we have plenty of things we would like to do before we get to preseason. Obviously, after preseason there will be cuts. We will be tinkering with the roster all the way until we play Dallas.”
In the fourth round, he selected Clemson RB Wayne Gallman, a highly-productive, gutsy runner that flew under the radar behind Dabo Sweeney’s other offensive stars.
“Wayne’s a versatile back and is very productive. Three years of production there,” Reese said of Gallman. “High level of competition. I think he ended up with 36 touchdowns. We think he can create a lot of competition in that running back group. Very versatile, played on special teams as well. Actually, I think he was a linebacker in high school, so that helps him as a special teamer when those guys play different positions in high school. We thought he was a nice addition to our running back group.”
In round five, following the mantra of his predecessor, Ernie Accorsi, that you can’t have too many pass rushers, Reese chose DE Avery Moss of Youngstown State, another under the radar selection who, despite a cloudy past, has a huge upside according to several scouts. Some have compared him to former Giant DE Robert Ayers.
“Avery is really a true defensive end,” Reese said. “You don’t see a lot of those guys these days but he’s a true defensive end that can play the run, rush the passer. Big guy, has a lot of upside. We think he is just now scratching the surface of where we think he can be. We really like his skill set and really think he can come in and help us in that d-line group and at that defensive end position.”
In Round Six, they found an offensive tackle they liked in Pitt’s Adam Bisnowaty and traded up with Tennessee to take him. Bisnowaty is 6’6″, 304 and was an All-ACC selection in 2016. His draft stock took a hit due to some injury issues but the Giants saw him a value pick late in the draft.
“We thought that there wasn’t a lot left on the board in respect to offensive line,” said Reese wen asked why he traded up for Bisnowaty. “He could’ve easily been there but we had a little huddle and said let’s go get this guy if we can. We gave up our seventh round pick to get him.We’ll start him out at tackle. That’s the coaches. They can do whatever they want to do with him. I think he’s a tackle.”
Without a seventh round pick, Reese could not address his lone, final need, which is- you guessed it – linebacker. The Giants ended the draft with 13 open roster spots which they plan to fill with undrafted free agents. As of Saturday night, they had some of those slots filled as per my colleague Ralph Vacchiano over at SNY: S Jadar Johnson, Clemson, LB Calvin Munson, San Diego State, DT Jarron Jones, Notre Dame, OL Jessamen Dunker, Tennessee State, FB Shane Smith, San Jose State, DT Josh Banks, Wake Forest, TE Colin Thompson, Temple, OL Chad Wheeler, USC and WR Keeon Johnson, Virginia.