New York Giants: Under-the-radar draft scenarios
By Ryan Disdier
Scenario 2: La’el Collins, OL, LSU
The Giants need some help on the offensive line, and perhaps they’ll address that need in the first round, with or without Brandon Scherff.
NFL.com has compared the 6-5 beast to Maurkice Pouncey of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Collins could slide in nicely at right tackle for the Giants, which would effectively shift Justin Pugh inside, which is where he’s better suited.
Collins’ work ethic — was a team captain last year — would be embraced by the Giants offensive line, and in theory, he could eventually shift to left tackle whenever the team decides to move on from Will Beatty, although that time likely won’t come for a while.
The Giants like Collins, too. At least they like him enough to schedule a pre-draft interview, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
According to NFL.com, LSU coaches have credited Collins with 222.5 knockdown blocks. Those blocks weren’t coming against scrub players, either. Collins manhandled one of this year’s top prospects.
“My sophomore year, we went to Baton Rogue to play against LSU, and I’m not going to lie, I got my butt whopped,” Dante Fowler Jr. said to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King after being asked about facing Collins. “That was one of my worst games just because how I got tossed around.”
Collins is big, mean and physical, and the Giants could certainly use a player like him. If the Giants can get it right by drafting an LSU guy last year, why can’t they do it for a second-straight time?
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