Four 2018 draft picks will start or fill prominent roles for the Giants as they move full-speed ahead into this season.
Force-feeding first-year players onto the field is usually a sign of desperation, and some of that is taking place here. The first two picks, running back Saquon Barkley and guard Will Hernandez, were deemed worthy of starting upon arrival and nothing they showed indicates otherwise.
Counting on a rookie, or two, is the norm around the NFL. The Giants will count on four or them, giving this draft class a make-or-break feel to Pat Shurmur’s first season as Giants coach.
If Barkley is not a superstar and if Hernandez does not approach Pro Bowl-level performance in short order, the Giants will be in dire trouble.
It is a pair of third-round draft picks that are the most intriguing, as far as what their potential holds and how they can immediately impact the defense. Linebacker Lorenzo Carter was taken out of Georgia with the 66th-overall pick and defensive tackle B.J. Hill was taken with the 69th pick, out of N.C. State.
This is the draft neighborhood that has not been kind to the Giants in recent years (Jayron Hosley, Damontre Moore, Jay Bromley, Owa Odighizuwa, Darian Thompson) in terms of restocking the defense with quality depth and starting material. This is the draft neighborhood the Giants must inhabit and thrive in this season.
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