First some stats on how dismal the NFC East is and then thoughts on drafting to support your quarterback.
- The three worst teams in Turnover percentage of offensive drives are all NFC East Teams – 30. Giants, 31. Cowboys. 32. Eagles.
- The two worst teams in quarterback rating are NFC East teams – 31. Giants, 32. Eagles.
- Washington is the worst team in rushing yards per attempt.
- Washington is the worst team in offensive 3rd down conversions.
- Washington is the worst team in offensive drive scoring percentage.
Washington had the 2nd pick in the 2020 draft and chose edge rusher Chase Young. I wrote about that in my previous blog at the time the following.
In 2019 the Redskins had the ninth lowest blitz percentage on dropbacks and the third highest pressure percentage. They also had the third most hurries and third highest hurry percent, as well as the tenth most sacks. In the draft they added 1st round edge rusher Chase Young. Young had the highest sacks per game (1.38). BPA over needs. This may be a top five defensive line.
The Redskins positions of need going into the draft were Left Tackle, Wide Receiver and Tight End. They picked up two receivers in Antonio Gibson (3rd round) and Antonio Gandy-Golden (4th round). They got an OT in Saahdiq Charles (Round 4). They picked up TE Thaddeus Moss as a UDFA. The Redskins did not have a second round pick.
They went all in on perhaps the best player in the draft but this team should struggle offensively due to the positions of need. The Redskins drafted long term and did not draft to win in the near term. Otherwise they would have traded down or gone with a wide receiver or left tackle. Chase Young is a great selection but a luxury on a team already loaded with defensive line talent. The Giants have beat the Redskins 3 of their last 4 games. Look for that to continue.
They did not draft to help out their struggling rookie quarterback, Dwayne Haskins, who was a 2019 first round pick. Now Haskins is the 3rd string quarterback with rumors of him being a trade candidate.
The Giants did not go that route in 2020. There were prospects touted as being generational talents available such as CB Jeff Okudah and LB Isaiah Simmons. Instead the Giants built around their quarterback using their first and third round picks on offensive tackles.
The line is not finished yet. After three weeks of this season Pro Football Focus ranked the Giants offensive line 31st in the league. They allowed the second most pressures with 46 over three games. They also were in a three way tie for worst in average rushing yards before contact with 0.7 yards.
The wide receiver position is another area that could use help to support Daniel Jones. In the first five games of every season since 1992 a list of the top 1000 players with at least 10 target in yards per target yields 31 Giants. That happens to be the number of players per team based on an equal distribution. The fact that there are five player seasons in the last 4 years on the list is also an equal distribution of Giant players. Four of those five seasons are from players still on the team. Those players are Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard. Each has two seasons. Darius Slayton was 61st among the 1,000 players for the start of his 2019 season. The other seasons were Slayton’s 2020 season at 712, Shepard’s 2017 season at 735 and Shepard’s 2018 season at 984. The concerning point is that three of the four recent seasons are at 712 or higher. Across all teams 107 of the 1,000 were for the last three seasons and in the low 500. That is slightly over 10%. The Giants had only one player in the last three seasons under the 500 midpoint.
There are 24 current players in the top 100 of the 1,000 players. Of those eight were first round draft picks or one in three. There have been 11 wide receivers picked in the top 10 overall draft picks since 2011. Together they account for 30 seasons in the top 1,000. some standouts of those top receiver picks are Julio Jones with 8 of his 10 season starts in the top 1,000. Another is A.J. Green with 7 of his 10 career starts. Amari Cooper has 4 of his 6 career starts on the list. There have been some busts such as Justin Blackmon who struggled with off-field issues and Kevin White who struggled with injuries. Neither of those two receivers made the top 1,000 list. The other player chosen in the top ten with their 1,000 list appearances are Sammy Watkins (3 appearances/7 seasons), Corey Davis (2 appearances/ 4 seasons), Mike Williams (2 appearances/ 4 seasons), Mike Evans (2 appearances/ 7 seasons), Tavon Austin (1 appearance/ 8 seasons) and John Ross (1 appearance/4 seasons).
Some elite prospects the Giants could pick in the 2021 to continue to support Daniel Jones are
Round 1
Penei Sewell (OT) – a “generational’ talent on the offensive line. As a sophomore in 2019 he was an unanimous All-American. Sewell has allowed one sack in over 1,376 snaps the last two seasons. He finished his sophomore campaign as the top-graded offensive lineman in PFF history (since 2014). Sewell was the first sophomore offensive lineman to win the Outland Trophy which is awarded to the best college football interior lineman in the United States as adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America.
Ja’Marr Chase (WR) – As a sophomore in 2019 Chase won the Fred Biletnikoff Award given to the outstanding receiver in college football. He was also a Unanimous All-American. His 21 yards per reception was fourth in the NCAA. He was number one in receiving yards and touchdowns. Chase had the most receiving plays of 10+, 20+ and 30+ yards in 2019. The last first round receiver the Giants picked was another LSU product – O’dell Beckham. One NFL executive had this to say about Chase – “He’s better already than Odell [Beckham] was coming out, Dynamic. A game-changer.”
Round 2
Rashod Bateman (WR) – Bateman had an impressive 37% team market share receiving yards in 2019. He was number eight in receiving yards per reception with 20.3 yards. Bateman was a 2019 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist .Bate man is a first round talent but likely in the back end. If he slips to the top of round two this would be a great pick.
Samuel Cosmi (OT) – Cosmi has earned above 82 grade at both left and right tackle over the prior two seasons from Pro Football Focus. In 2019 he lowered his pressure rate allowed from 4.6% to 2.5%, which placed him in the 90th percentile among all FBS offensive tackles. He is athletic with room to fill out his frame.
Wyatt Davis (IOL) – Davis didn’t allow a single sack or hit all last season. This from the draftnetwork.com – This dude is a destroyer of worlds. Physically imposing blocker who thrives in both short spaces and in space — he’s an absolute bully up front and physically asserts himself against 3T, 1T and LBs alike.
Thru five games this season the Giants rank 31st in offensive yards per play, last in passing touchdowns, 31st in quarterback rating, 30th in yards per pass attempt and 31st in points scored. On defense they rank better. They are 19th in points against, 11th in defensive yards per play allowed, 16th in percentage of opponent drives resulting in a turnover, 19th in opponent net yards per pass attempt and 15th in pressure percentage. The offense needs more help looking forward to 2021.
Learn from the Washington Football Team – don’t neglect your team needs in the draft. Sure Best Player Available is a good mantra. However with elite/good players available in 2021 at offensive line and wide receiver they should be a focus on days one and two. This draft has strong offensive star players.
