Giants plummet in 2024’s five-year NFL Draft team analysis rankings

Originally posted on Empire Sports Media
By Matthew Legros | Last updated 4/22/24

The New York Giants had a poor 2023 NFL season which was a macrocosm of their drafting over the last five years in addition to poor offensive line output and injuries. They found themselves low on the New York Post’s annual rankings based on the impact of each team’s draft selections over a five-year period. The criteria evaluates everything from individual player accolades to team success.

Giants’ 2019 NFL Draft class ranks No. 19 in New York Post’s five-year review

The Giants, who ranked No. 24 after the 2022 campaign, came in at No. 19 on the list this time around. Brian Costello of the New York Post knocked the Giants for coming away with uncertainty at the quarterback position and on their defense after five chances at landing prospects that could remedy their issues from 2019-2023, saying:

“Looking at what the Giants did in the first round of the 2019 draft is a perfect illustration of how hard drafting is. They took Daniel Jones, [Dexter] Lawrence and [Deandre] Baker that year in the first round. Lawrence has proven he is a keeper. Jones has been up and down and elicits many different opinions. Baker has not played a snap since 2021 in the NFL. All taken in one round of the draft,” Costello noted.

Dexter Lawrence has been the highlight of the Giants’ last five NFL Drafts

Lawrence left no room for doubt that he was worthy of Second-Team All-Pro honors for the second year in a row after spearheading the Giants defense in 2023. He produced 4.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hits while earning a 92.9 player grade from Pro Football Focus last season.

Giants now looking for Daniel Jones’s replacement after he regressed in 2023

Outside of his reliability, the Giants haven’t found as much with franchise QB Daniel Jones. They are looking for his replacement in the 2024 NFL Draft after he not only put up a 2-6 TD-INT ratio despite a 67.5% completion percentage in 2023, but also had his 1-5 season cut short after tearing his ACL in Week 9. He led the Giants to a 9-7 season and a playoff berth in 2022 before regressing and losing the confidence of his front office and coaching staff last season.

As for Baker, his rookie season was his first and last with the team and he tapered off from his eight defended passes that year once he left for the Kansas City Chiefs before falling out of the league in 2021.

The Giants have fluctuated since 2019. They’ve had two four-win and six-win seasons apiece with their 9-7 outing in 2022 as their best in that five-year window. Seeing that they only have one playoff appearance to show for in that span, they will have a chance to right the ship with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

This article first appeared on Empire Sports Media and was syndicated with permission.

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