New York Giants 2018 NFL Draft Targets: Lamar Jackson
The New York Giants may consider drafting Eli Manning’s heir apparent in the 2018 NFL Draft, and Lamar Jackson should be considered.
The New York Giants are in rebuild mode in 2018. They need to focus on the offensive side of the ball, and even though it starts up front, they need a guy who can replace Eli Manning. They probably shouldn’t use their No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback. Rather, Big Blue should take an offensive lineman. Lamar Jackson could be available at No. 34. And if he is, they should take him.
Winner of the 2016 Heisman Trophy as a redshirt sophomore at Louisville, Jackson has been referred as a “taller right-handed version of Michael Vick” by Walter Football. Let’s delve into that.
There are a lot of apt comparisons there. First of all, the speed. Jackson lit up the college score board with his speed. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry and had 50 career touchdowns, not too shabby for a quarterback.
His deep passes also seem effortless. He had 10 touchdowns on passes 20 yards or more in the air in 2017 and a passer rating of 110.9, according to Pro Football Focus Elite.
That brings to the first issue, though, his throwing motion. It’s so effortless that his motion is off, and that needs to be corrected. The second issue is that he looks to run too quickly. Throwing on the move, which he will have to do in the NFL, is shaky, and finally, his turnover rate is too high.
All of those negatives can be worked out in a year on the sideline. He gets to sit behind Manning until he’s ready, like Manning did behind Kurt Warner.
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Eli Manning will be an expensive tutor, but that’s what his role will be in 2018. Let’s face it, with his contract, both the money and the no trade clause, he’s hard to move. At least the Giants don’t have to rush things with Jackson, though. Jackson is a god quarterback. He just need a year to make some adjustments. He’ll be fine, and the Giants will have their franchise guy.