New York Giants: 7 final draft scenarios

Oct 25, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Trae Waynes (15) stands on the field between plays during the 2nd half of a game at Spartan Stadium. MSU won 35-11. Mandatory Credit:

-USA TODAY Sports

The ‘curveball’ scenario: Trae Waynes, cornerback, Michigan State

I talked about Trae Waynes in a recent article, and I think drafting him could work out in the long run for the Giants, despite being a pick that could initially shock some people.

The Giants simply need more depth — you can never have too many cornerbacks — at the cornerback position. What better way to add depth than by drafting arguably the best cornerback in this year’s class?

Waynes is hands-down the best cover corner in the draft, and this kid just has ‘it.’ Watching him on film, there isn’t a whole lot to dislike. He has tremendous ball skills and he doesn’t get beat down field. He possesses elite speed for a cornerback, and he has a very rare, Antrel Rolle-like swagger that he plays with.

He’s got prototypical size with 4.31 speed. He can make big plays whenever he’s around the ball. If Waynes were drafted by the Giants, he would have a good amount of time to get used to how things work in the NFL. He wouldn’t start over Prince Amukamara or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but he would certainly see playing time early on.

The last cornerback picks selected in the first round by the Giants — Aaron Ross in 2007 and Amukamara in 2011 — pale in comparison to Waynes in terms of how good they were coming out of college.

Adding a good, bump-and-run corner would allow Spagnuolo to get even more creative with his blitz packages. I think Waynes would be a great fit on the defense, and he would give so much life to the unit. The one thing Waynes would have to work on is adjusting to the pro level and making sure he isn’t as aggressive with his hands. Otherwise, he’ll become a target for illegal contact penalties early and often.

Waynes certainly seems ready for the NFL.

Next: Feast Mode