Heading into the Giants bye week seemed like a good time to look ahead for the 2021 draft. Here are the top prospects in the 2021 NFL draft for the Giants in Round 1. They are listed in alphabetical order by position.
CB Patrick Surtain
As of November 11th, Surtain is the second highest graded defensive back in coverage by Pro Football Focus and their number 1 ranked corner. Surtain has the ideal build for a corner. He shows the skills of a wide receiver in tracking the ball over his shoulder and cornerback skills of suffocating throwing windows.
CB Caleb Farley
Caleb Farley was recruited as a wide receiver and only switched to defensive back after a redshirt freshman season.Even after missing three games in 2019, Farley still had 4 interceptions and 12 passes defended. He was one of only seven players to have those numbers in 2019. Farley will often look like the receiver running the route,
CB Shaun Wade
Shaun Wade was a shutdown slot corner in 2019. He allowed only seven first downs on 241 coverage snaps while making eight plays on the ball in the slot last year. He decided to come back in 2020 to play as an outside corner to show he could be an all-round corner. In his first game of the season Wade gave up two catches on three targets for a total of ten yards.
LB Micah Parsons
Parsons is all over the field and has played every role in an off-ball defense showcasing the range, pass coverage ability and pressure upside to do all well.Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus said in the offseason – “He isn’t just any top-10 pick — he’s the closest thing to a linebacker prototype since Luke Kuechly came out of Boston College back in 2012.” PFF credits Parsons with just 11 missed tackles in 198 attempts.
OLB Gregory Rousseau
In 2019 Gregory Rousseau met team market share numbers indicative of a potential All-Pro to Pro Bowl players since the 1989 NFL draft class. He had 34 solo tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. Rousseau is an outstanding athlete with good length. He is relatively new to the position after playing receiver and safety in high school.
OT Penei Sewell
Penei Sewell is labelled as a “generational talent”. Said to be the best tackle prospect since 4 time consecutive Pro-Bowler Jake Long. Sewell has allowed only one sack the last two years. Pro Football Focus had him graded as the third best player following the 2019 season.
TE Kyle Pitts
Pitts became just the third FBS tight end since 1996 to post 150-plus receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns in a game. Urban Meyer said he may be the best non-quarterback player in the country. He is currently third in the nation in receiving touchdowns. He is 6-6, 240 lbs and has blazing speed.
WR Jaylen Waddle
In 2019 Jaylen Waddle had a perfect passer rating when targeted. He was the only wide receiver in college football with 12+ yards after the catch per reception in 2019. In 2018 Jaylen Waddle was PFF’s top graded true freshman following the regular season.Waddle is fast and explosive with the ball and has a wide catch radius. Waddle leads the NCAA in yards per reception for 17+ receptions.
WR Ja’Marr Chase
In 2019 Ja’Marr Chase led the NCAA in long receiving plays for 10+, 20+, 30+ and 50+ yards. Chase led in receiving touchdowns and was fourth in average yards per reception. Ja’Marr smoothly catches the football in stride. He is exceptional at tracking, adjusting and positioning himself to win at the catch point.
WR DeVonta Smith
DeVonta Smith currently leads the NCAA in 10+ yards receiving plays and is fifth in receiving yards. Smith is currently at fourth in receptions with 56. When he was at 45 receptions Pro Football Focus reported that he had not dropped a single pass.Smith recently had a game with 11 receptions for 203 yards and four touchdowns.
WR Rondale Moore
In 2018 Rondale Moore became only the third true freshman to be named a consensus All-American. He joined Herschel Walker and Adrian Peterson in that honor.In 2018 he had 1258 receiving yards for a 31% team market share. That percentage is indicative of long-term starting players.Moore is quick and explosive. He runs like a running back once he gets the ball.
WR Rashod Bateman
Last season Rashod Bateman had 1,219 receiving yards which was good for a high 37% team market share. Ninety-five percent of 5-Time Pro Bowl players reached this level of market share production since 1969. He had the highest yards per route when lined up at outside WR last season (3.6). Bateman’s 20+ yards per reception was third best for over 35 receptions. Bateman excels in contested catches and yards after the catch.
Enjoy the bye. Go Browns!
