Giants draft pick Eli Manning holds up his new jersey as...

Giants draft pick Eli Manning holds up his new jersey as he poses with coach Tom Coughlin, left, and general manager Ernie Accorsi on April 24, 2004, in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: AP/Bill Kostroun

The Giants, picking fourth in the 2020 NFL Draft, are expected to have their pick of the draft’s best offensive linemen as well as several top defensive prospects. That has led to increased chatter about the Giants trading down to gain more assets. 

Here are some notable times the Giants traded down — and up — on draft day:

2001

Giants received: Pick No. 22 (Will Allen)

Colts received: Picks No. 30 (Reggie Wayne), No. 91 (Cory Bird) and No. 193 (Jason Doering)

Allen, whose 4.29-second 40 at the Combine helped him stand out in a deep cornerback class, had eight interceptions and 69 passes defensed in five seasons with the Giants. He went on to record seven more interceptions in five seasons with the Dolphins. In 2017, he was sentenced to six years in jail for running a $35 million Ponzi scheme. (The Giants didn’t need a receiver this year, but the one who went at their original pick, Reggie Wayne, blossomed into a potential Hall of Famer.)

2002

Giants received: Pick No. 14 (Jeremy Shockey)

Titans received: Picks No. 15 (Albert Haynesworth) and No. 110 (Mike Echols)

GM Ernie Accorsi moved up one pick in a preventative move – the Giants badly needed a tight end, and Accorsi didn’t want another team leapfrogging them for the controversial Shockey, the draft’s top tight end out of Miami. Shockey played six seasons for the Giants, catching 371 passes for 4,228 yards and 21 touchdowns before he eventually wore out his welcome and was traded to the Saints in 2008.

2004

Giants received: Eli Manning

Chargers received: Philip Rivers, pick No. 65 (Nate Kaeding), 2005 picks No. 12 (Shawne Merriman) and No. 144 (traded to Buccaneers)

Everyone knows how this one went down: Manning threatened to sit out the season if the Chargers drafted him, so Accorsi and the Giants swung a megadeal to get their franchise quarterback. Sixteen years, 57,023 passing yards, 366 touchdowns and two Super Bowl MVPs later, Manning retired as a likely Hall of Famer. Rivers found success as well despite never reaching the Super Bowl, throwing for 59,217 yards and 397 touchdowns before leaving the Chargers for the Colts this past offseason.

2006

Giants received: Pick No. 32 (Mathias Kiwanuka), No. 96 (Gerris Wilkinson) and No. 129 (Guy Whimper)

Steelers received: Pick No. 25 (Santonio Holmes)

The Giants already had a bunch of defensive ends in Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and second-year pro Justin Tuck, but Accorsi, in his last draft, knew the value of a relentless pass rush. So after trading down with the Steelers (who moved up to take eventual Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes), Accorsi took Kiwanuka, who spent his entire nine-year career with the Giants as a defensive end/linebacker hybrid and had 38 ½ sacks and 69 tackles for loss.

2019

Giants received: Pick No. 30 (Deandre Baker)

Seahawks received: Picks No. 37 (traded to Panthers), No. 132 (Ugo Amadi) and No. 142 (Ben Burr-Kiven)

The Giants made two picks earlier in the first round, taking Daniel Jones at No. 6 and Dexter Lawrence at No. 17. But they still needed a cornerback, so instead of waiting for a cornerback to fall to them on Day 2, GM Dave Gettleman moved up for Baker, who started 15 games as a rookie but did not have an interception. Baker is expected to serve as the Giants No. 2 corner this season behind James Bradberry.

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