The New York Giants have the 11th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. At that pick, there will be more than a few good players available. The case for them to use this pick to improve the offensive line is strong. The Giants have shown that they want to improve this roster, spending almost $171 million this offseason. Positions such as wide receiver and cornerback have been improved, but little has been done to the offensive line.
The lack of addition to the line, plus the release of Kevin Zeitler, has only made things worse. A weaker offensive line will only make things harder on Daniel Jones, who must be protected. This is where the Giants first-round draft pick comes into play.
Should the Giants Draft an Offensive Lineman at No. 11?
Reasons to Draft OL
Protecting Daniel Jones should be the next priority for this team, and doing so here would make sense. While Penei Sewell will be gone by pick 11, either Rashawn Slater or Alijah Vera-Tucker could be there to take. Both prospects would be an improvement to the offensive line and would slide next to Andrew Thomas, last year’s fourth overall pick. While the Giants have spent money at position players, it won’t mean much if you can’t get the ball to them.
It is also still unknown just how good Jones can be. He hasn’t had much success yet, and that can be attributed to the poor blocking by his line. Giving him a legitimate offensive line will allow for a fair assessment of the third year quarterback. This is why the Giants should go offensive line in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Reasons Against Drafting OL
The depth at offensive line in this year’s draft is undeniable. While players like Sewell or Slater could be real game changers on the line, they may not be available at No. 11. Instead of reaching on the next lineman, taking a position player could make more sense.
Second round is where the Giants may address the offensive line. Samuel Cosmi, Landon Dickerson and Alex Leatherwood are all borderline first-round picks. They can all be productive offensive linemen at the NFL level, and at least one will be available at No. 42. Almost anyone taken here would be a day one starter and would help improve this offensive front.
