Q&A: The Jets, the Giants and the NFL Draft

With the NFL draft approaching in late April, Newsday’s Tom Rock, Calvin Watkins and Nick Klopsis look at where the Giants and Jets stand.

Where do you have the Giants and Jets going in the first round?

KLOPSIS: As of right now, I have a feeling they both go quarterback early, but for different reasons.

First, the Giants. Eli Manning certainly didn’t play well last year, but he wasn’t the main reason why the offense struggled. There were injuries, a rushing attack ranked 26th in yards per game and an offensive line that couldn’t consistently provide protection. It’s not often that the Giants finds themselves drafting No. 2 overall, which makes it the prime position to plan for life after Eli. A lot of it depends on how the new regime of head coach Pat Shurmur and GM Dave Gettleman view last year’s third-rounder, Davis Webb, but if they think one of the top quarterbacks is their guy for the next 15 years post-Eli, they should take him and not look back. If they’re not sold on any of them, or they think Webb is the answer and they can squeeze some more time out of Manning, I could see them going after Saquon Barkley out of Penn State — provided they’re able to fix the O-line. Barkley would bring that home-run aspect the Giants’ rushing game has lacked since Ahmad Bradshaw. And it may not be a “sexy” pick, but Quenton Nelson of Notre Dame is the best lineman in this class, and he could be an immediate starter at guard if Justin Pugh goes elsewhere.

The Jets’ need for a passer is more immediate, and with Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg so far failing to show they are the answer, I’d expect them to take a look at whichever passers are left when they’re on the clock at No. 6. Do they try to trade up to ensure they get their guy? Well, they do have an extra second-round pick from the Sheldon Richardson deal. But whether they do or not, I could see them going with Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen – whichever one best fits new offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates’ style. Of course, if they end up signing Kirk Cousins in free agency, that would change everything. Maybe then, they try for a pass-rusher such as N.C. State’s Bradley Chubb (if he falls that far), bolster their offensive line with Nelson, or get some secondary help in Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Should the Jets just get their quarterback in free agency?

The problem the Giants have faced in the last few years is a lack of young core players from the middle rounds who are solid contributors. There were too many gambles, too many busts. I think Gettleman will be able to develop that core. His first pick this year will of course be newsworthy. It’s the Giants. It’s No. 2 overall. It may be one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. But I think the trust will come from the picks he makes throughout that weekend, not just in the first round. That’s where he’ll start to shape the future of the Giants. And that’s what he was brought back to do.

How can the Giants upgrade at left tackle in the draft?

KLOPSIS: Ereck Flowers hasn’t really improved since coming into the league in 2015 – he was rated the 54th-best tackle by Pro Football Focus last season, and he may end up being a better fit on the right side where he can use his power to open up holes in the running game. The problem is, there aren’t many tackles worth taking in the first round in this class. I think the three best are Texas’ Connor Williams, Oklahoma’s Orlando Brown (the son of former NFLer “Zeus” Brown) and Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey, and they’re more mid-first round guys at this point. So maybe they use their second-rounder (34th overall) to find some “hog mollies,” as Gettleman calls them. Western Michigan’s Chukwuma Okorafor could be available at the top of the second round. There also are a few interior linemen worth considering there, too – Ohio State’s Billy Price, UTEP’s Will Hernandez and Auburn’s Braden Smith could be guys to watch.

Is this the last draft for Jets GM Mike Maccagnan?

WATKINS: He signed a two-year contract extension with Todd Bowles, so in theory they’re aligned at the hip. Maccagnan is smart and has a scout’s mentality about the draft. Yet, the Jets can’t miss on the quarterback position this year, be it in the draft or in free agency. Maccagnan has three picks, a No. 6 and two second-rounders, that must become impact players in 2018. If he can’t find that in this draft, then the second guessing will come.