Giants' Biggest Team Needs Already Topping 2022 NFL Draft Board
The New York Giants are trending in the direction of having a third top-10 NFL draft pick in the last four years.
The Giants are 1-5, and they have one of the most banged-up rosters in the league. All of the offensive skill positions have been affected by injury woes at some point.
New York is not doing itself any favors defensively, either, as it allowed 82 points in the last two weeks to the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams.
There are not many signs that things will get better for the Giants this season, which is why some focus should be shifted to potential improvements for the 2022 season.
The Giants are currently slated to pick fifth, per Tankathon.com, but they are one Detroit Lions win away from being in the mix for the No. 1 overall selection if they continue to struggle.
Running Back
Saquon Barkley has played in seven games over the last two seasons.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft was on the field for 29 games in his first two NFL campaigns.
New York's offensive approach is severely impacted by Barkley's absence because there is a steep drop off in talent between him and Devontae Booker.
When healthy, Barkley is one of the best running backs in the league, but the Giants have not been able to keep him on the field.
New York may be scared away by taking a running back in the top 10 again, but it should at least do a deep dive into the running back class to find more talented backups for Barkley.
Texas A&M's Isaiah Spiller and Iowa State's Breece Hall are among the running backs the Giants could target starting in the second round.
There are not many premier running backs in the 2022 draft class, but if the Giants find a quality player in Friday's rounds, it could go a long way in improving the offense.
Offensive Line
Keeping Daniel Jones upright has been a problem for the Giants for three years.
Jones suffered 45 sacks a year ago. He has already been taken down on 12 occasions in the first six games of the 2021 campaign.
Those totals are unacceptable for a team looking to build something on offense. Jones does not have time to build chemistry with his wide receivers in game situations because he is too busy avoiding pressure.
New York tried to address that issue in 2020, as it selected Andrew Thomas out of Georgia with the No. 4 overall pick. Thomas is currently on the injured reserve.
If the Giants continue to lose, they would be in a great position to select another SEC offensive lineman: Evan Neal out of Alabama.
Neal is widely regarded as one of the best prospects in the 2021 draft class. He could provide an immediate upgrade to the New York offensive line.
There are a handful of other first-round talents in the offensive line class, but Neal would be a massive get for the Giants if they are forced to pick inside the top 10 once again.
Safety
The Giants addressed some of their secondary issues in free agency.
New York added James Bradberry, Adoree Jackson and Logan Ryan on multi-year deals.
If general manager Dave Gettleman is still in charge this offseason, the only additions he should make to the defensive backfield should be through the draft.
Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is one of the best defensive prospects in the 2022 draft class, and he could add another layer of skill to the defensive backfield.
New York has Jabrill Peppers locked into the other starting position in the secondary, but his contract runs out at the end of the season. The Giants will probably have to use the money freed up from Peppers' departure to address other positions.
If the Giants remain in the top 10 of the 2022 draft order, Hamilton should be one of their top targets.
Hamilton is a ball hawk, and he is able to cover all parts of the field from his deep starting position.
If the Giants shore up their secondary even more, they will be better equipped to deal with the Dallas Cowboys and other elite passing attacks in the NFC.