Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mike Evans (13) catches a pass and runs for a 75-yard gain against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half at Kyle Field. Texas A&M won 51-41. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
I’ve always been of the belief that the New York Giants need to draft an offensive lineman with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and that lineman has always been Michigan’s Taylor Lewan, who is an excellent talent. If the Giants are turned off by his character issues, then Zack Martin would also make plenty of sense, as he’s also a solid OL prospect and has the ability to play at both guard and tackle. The Giants biggest needs are in the interior of the offensive line, which was just putrid last season and helped contribute to Eli Manning’s nightmarish campaign, as well as ineffective holes in the ground game. Upgrading the OL should be the Giants biggest priority this offseason, but I could also see them using the 12th pick on a cornerback like Darqueze Dennard (or whoever they have rated atop their board, which is Jason Verrett for me).
But there’s also a chance that the Giants select a wide receiver with the 12th overall pick in the draft. Personally, I’m not a fan of the Giants selecting a wideout in the first round, because this year’s draft is deep at the position and the Giants already have talented wideouts even with Hakeem Nicks as good as gone in free agency.
According to draft insider Tony Pauline, there “is a real possibility” that the Giants will take Texas A&M Aggies star wide receiver Mike Evans with the 12th pick in the draft. Evans was a huge winner at the Combine, as he ran a forty time under 4.5, which is an exceptional number for a receiver of his size and physicality. That time quells plenty of concerns about his ability to gain separation, but there are still those who doubt his quickness and ability to gain separation on shorter routes. Evans is my third-ranked wideout in the class behind Sammy Watkins and Odell Beckham Jr., but Watkins will be off the board and OBJ isn’t as good of a fit as Evans is. They already have Victor Cruz, so they need to find a big, “X” receiver like Evans on the outside to replace Nicks. Drafting Evans would be a solid option for the Giants, so it wouldn’t be a big surprise for them to draft him.