Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
A Look at the Giants' History at Each of Their Current 10 Draft Slots
It’s been a long four months since the end of the 2019 NFL season, and after a long offseason filled with free-agent acquisitions and meticulous scouting, the Giants will make the near-final additions to their roster through the 2020 NFL Draft.
Unlike most years, the Giants are in an enviable position with ten draft picks — including three selections within the first 100 picks — in their possession, giving them ample opportunity to draft franchise-changing players to lead the team into the future.
Below is a complete list of New York’s current draft picks, with round and pick number noted in parenthesis.
New York Giants 2020 Draft Picks
- 4th Overall (Round 1, Pick No. 4)
- 36th Overall (Round 2, Pick No. 4)
- 99th Overall (Round 3, Pick No. 35)
- 110th Overall (Round 4, Pick No. 4)
- 150th Overall (Round 5, Pick No. 4)
- 183rd Overall (Round 6, Pick No. 4)
- 218th Overall (Round 7, Pick No. 4)
- 238th Overall (Round 7, Pick No. 24)
- 247th Overall (Round 7, Pick No. 33)
- 255th Overall (Round 7, Pick No. 41)
As one of the few active teams that participated in the first NFL Draft conducted in 1936, there have been several instances throughout the franchise’s storied history in which the Giants have possessed the picks mentioned above.
While getting every draft pick right is a nearly impossible task, it’s still worth noting that the Giants have had mixed results.
Historically speaking, a fair share of the players the Giants have previously chosen with the picks listed above didn’t amount to much in the NFL.
However, there have been several instances in which the franchise has found quality players who went on to have good careers in a Giants uniform and, in some cases, were integral to some of the Super Bowl-winning teams New York has assembled.
With that in mind, let’s take a look back at New York’s pick history as we approach the 2020 NFL Draft.
No. 4 Overall
The Giants currently own the fourth overall pick for the fourth time since the NFL Draft began in 1936. However, despite being in an excellent position to select a blue-chip prospect, the franchise has had mixed success with the players selected at this juncture.
Of the three players the franchise has selected at fourth overall, only Ed Widseth (1937) played more than a single season with the franchise.
Widseth earned First-Team All-Pro honors in his second season. Unfortunately, he would retire from professional football following the 1940 season.
The other two players that the Giants drafted fourth overall were halfback Paul Page, who lasted just one season with the team, and quarterback Philip Rivers, the centerpiece of New York’s franchise-changing trade with the then-San Diego Chargers for quarterback Eli Manning.
No. 36 Overall
The 2020 NFL Draft marks the ninth time in franchise history that New York is scheduled to be on the clock with the No. 36 overall pick. Unlike no. 4 overall, the team has fared much better when drafting 36th.
The Giants saw limited success with the 36th overall pick early on, as Gene Rose (1936), Len Eshmont (1941), Val Culwell (1943), Bill Erickson (1948), and Jim Leo (1960) each lasted one season with the team.
However, the Giants’ luck began to change for the better when the 1979 NFL Draft rolled around. That year, they drafted wide receiver Earnest Gray, who spent six seasons in the Big Apple and became just the third player in franchise history to record a 1,000-yard campaign.
In 1988, the Giants drafted offensive lineman Jumbo Elliott at No. 36 overall out of Michigan. Elliott spent eight seasons with the Giants and was a key player during the team’s 1990 Super Bowl-winning season.
The Giants' picks got even better at No. 36 overall, the best being running back Tiki Barber (1997).
A career Giant, the Virginia product would become one of the most decorated players in franchise history. He finished his career with three Pro Bowl nods, one first-team All-Pro selection, and 10,449 yards rushing — a franchise record that still stands to this very day.
No. 99 Overall
Mid-round picks can be tricky to get right, but historically speaking, the Giants have done an excellent job getting the most out of the 99th overall pick.
In the two previous instances the Giants used the 99th overall pick, the team selected two quality players in defensive back Willie Williams (1965) and defensive tackle Keith Hamilton (1992).
Spending eight of his nine professional seasons in New York, Williams earned one Pro Bowl selection (1969). He finished his Giants career with 35 interceptions, tying him for fourth-most in franchise history.
Hamilton, meanwhile, spent all 12 years of his professional career with the G-Men, retiring 63 career sacks, the fourth-most in franchise history.
No. 110 Overall
Unlike the previous two picks, the Giants have had minimal success with the 110th overall pick.
Three of the six players that Big Blue has previously selected with at 110th overall—Bruno Schroeder (1939), Jim Hammond (1952), and Dave Herman (1963)—didn’t play a single down for the team, while tackle Ed McGee (1940) played just one season in the Big Apple.
Ryan Nassib (2013) was drafted at this juncture to be Eli Manning’s previous heir-apparent, landing in this spot after the Giants traded up at that juncture.
However, Nassib failed to live up to expectations, attempting just ten passes in a Giants uniform before being cut following the 2015 season.
While the franchise’s track record at this juncture is pretty questionable, New York did find a diamond in the rough when it selected running back Brandon Jacobs in 2005.
An unheralded prospect out of Southern Illinois, the 6-4, 264-pound Jacobs developed into one of the franchise’s most punishing running backs. He, and was an integral part of New York’s 2007 and 2011 Super Bowl-winning squads.
The franchise favorite would ultimately call it quits after the 2013 season, but not without making a firm imprint in the team record books. In eight years with the Giants, Jacobs racked up 5,087 yards rushing (fourth all-time) and a franchise-record 60 rushing touchdowns.
No. 150 Overall
Late-round picks are always tough to knock out of the park, but the Giants have seen a small amount of success at this juncture, to put it in generous terms.
Of the four players New York previously selected with the 150th overall pick, two—Ted Panish (1939) and Ned Swan (1940)—didn’t play a snap for the team, while guard Scott Davis (1993) started just four games in only two seasons with the Giants.
The Giants did strike gold, however, when they selected center Ray Wietecha in 1950. A 12th round selection at the time, Wietecha anchored New York’s offensive line for all 10 of his professional seasons (1953 to 1962), finishing his career with four Pro Bowl selections (1957, 1958, 1960, and 1962) and one First-Team All-Pro selection in 1958.
No. 183 Overall
New York has had the 183rd overall pick on just two occasions, selecting linebackers with each of the picks. From the look of things, they struck out on both picks.
Olen Underwood (1965) spent just one season with the Giants before joining the AFL’s Houston Oilers the following year, while John Tate (1975) played in only two games in his lone season in the Big Apple.
No. 218 Overall
The Giants have drafted a player at 218th overall on four previous occasions, and of those four picks, three did absolutely nothing in a Giants uniform.
Barry Voorhees (1990) and Frank Smith (1951) never saw the field, while quarterback Sam Vacanti (1945) spent three seasons (1947 to 1949) split between the Chicago Rockets and Baltimore Colts after the Giants selected him.
The lone successful pick the Giants made at this juncture in the draft, however, was safety Myron Guyton.
An unheralded prospect out of Eastern Kentucky, Guyton was drafted by New York in the eighth round of the 1989 NFL draft and immediately became an integral part of the Giants’ secondary for the next five years, helping the franchise to a Super Bowl championship during the 1990 season.
Nos. 238th Overall, 247th Overall and 255th Overall
It’s rare for any team to find a home-run pick at this point in the draft, and, as you may have expected, New York hasn’t been lucky enough to find that one great player that all the other teams completely glossed over.
The Giants have used the 238th overall selection on four previous occasions, and, unfortunately, all four draft picks were complete duds.
Despite their respective upsides, Joe Clements (1958), Jerry Shetler (1959), Anthony Prior (1992), and Stoney Woodson (2009) never played a down for the Giants.
New York hasn’t had much success with the 255th overall selection either, but the organization has surprisingly fared better at this point than it has at No. 238 overall.
Two of the four players selected at No. 255—guard Butch Kalens (1946) and wideout Mike Jones (1977)—didn’t play a down in the NFL, while wide receiver Kevin Walter (2003), who would go on to have successful NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans, was released after training camp.
The lone “successful” pick the Giants made at 255th overall was guard David Jordan (1984), who played two seasons with the team.
As for the 247th overall selection, the Giants have yet to select a player at this juncture. Unless the team decides to package this pick in a day trade, the 2020 NFL Draft will mark the first time in franchise history that the Giants will draft a player with the 247th overall pick.
