Top 5 Sleeper Picks in the 2020 Draft Who Could Be Giants Fits
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has a reputation for finding talented above-average players in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft. Some of his past late draft gems from his days with the Carolina Panthers include offensive lineman Trai Turner Round 3, No. 92, 2014), linebacker A.J. Klein (Round 5, No. 148, 2013), and offensive tackle Darryl Williams (Round 4, No. 102, 2015).
Gettleman resumed that trend most recently in 2019 when the Giants selected four projected starters between picks No. 95 and 171 (Rounds 3-5) including edge Oshane Ximines (Round 3), defensive back Julian Love (Round 4), and inside linebacker Ryan Connelly and receiver Darius Slayton (Round 5).
While all the focus seems to be on which of the big-name prospects the Giants could select in the first round, let's look at some prospective late Day 2-Day 3 "sleepers" who could be ideal fits for the Giants.
CB Lamar Jackson, Nebraska
Nebraska cornerback Lamar Jackson, who had a formal interview with the Giants at the combine, is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound prospect with the speed and athleticism to develop into a legitimate starting defensive back in the league early on.
His size, length, and physicality draw some comparisons to All-Pro cornerback Aquib Talib, and he can lock down top receivers and is an excellent tackler, as well. Jackson specializes in press coverage, but according to The Draft Network, scouts worry he may not be able to move inside to the slot due to struggles underneath against smaller and speedier receivers.
Despite these concerns, Jackson’s overall talent and ball skills provide optimism that he is versatile enough to learn the free safety position or develop at slot corner, which are two significant areas of need in the Giants secondary.
Early projections show Jackson as expected to go between Rounds 3 and 4. Like Julian Love was a year ago, Jackson would be a steal for the Giants if they can get him in the fourth round.
WR Omar Bayless, Arkansas State
Receiver Omar Bayless is a lesser-known prospect from the Sun Belt Conference, who is the definition of underrated in what's widely regarded as a deep wide receiver class.
Bayless led his team in receiving last season with an astounding 93 receptions for 1,653 yards and 17 touchdowns. He earned third-team All-American and The Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year award.
Bayless currently projects as a backup/special teamer after a subpar combine, which saw him run a 4.62 40-yard dash and 7.35 3 cone drill. Despite these anticlimactic numbers, he is a solid route runner with great hands and was a contested-catch machine in college.
His team often utilized him in the red zone on back shoulder fades and jump balls due to his talent for coming down with these 50-50 throws.
The 6-foot-1, 212-pounds Bayless could be a complement to a Giants receiving corps featuring Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, and Golden Tate and would offer tremendous value in Rounds 5 or 6.
Edge Derek Tuszka, North Dakota State
Another talented player, who has been flying under the radar is North Dakota State edge rusher Derek Tuszka.
The 6-foot-4, 251-pound defensive end had an impressive combine, running a 4.79 40-yard dash, recording 6.87 cone drill, and putting up 24 bench-press reps. These results have seen him fly up draft boards in what's widely regarded by many draft analysts as a rather thin edge rusher class.
Tuszka was the Defensive Player of the Year in the Missouri Valley Conference last season after racking up 13.5 sacks (fourth-most in school history), 48 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, and 5 pass breakups.
He also finished fifth in the voting for The Buck Buchanan Award as the best defensive player in college football.
Tuszka played at weakside defensive end with his hand in the ground in college, but the feeling among draft analysts is that his speed and athleticism make him a candidate to be a 3-4 outside linebacker coming off the edge standing up.
Tuszka proved in 2019 that he is not just the best defensive player in his conference, but one of the best in all of college football and for this reason, he will be a day 3 steal if he makes it that far.
CB Kindle Vildor, Georgia Southern
The second defensive back on this list is cornerback Kindle Vildor, a three-year starter at Georgia Southern.
Vildor’s best year came in 2018 as a junior where he earned first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors by recording 4 interceptions, 12 passes defensed, and 42 tackles.
Vildor came back last season as senior being named first-team All-conference for the second straight year after producing 2 interceptions, 6 pass breakups, and 27 tackles as he dealt with an ankle injury causing him to miss two games.
He also had an interception in January’s Senior Bowl, which attests to his ability as a ball hawk with great closing speed.
Vildor, 5-foot-11, 191 pounds, ran a 4.4 40-yard dash and put up 22 bench reps. He is an experienced and physical corner who can play on the inside or out in any team’s secondary.
Even though the Giants signed James Bradberry in free agency, there's no such thing as having too many solid performers at cornerback. Vildor is another potential late-round sleeper who will be an initial depth piece with the potential to develop into an eventual starter.
Edge Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
Michigan State edge rusher Kenny Willekes, 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, is being overlooked by draft analysts despite a solid combine performance running a 4.87 in the 40-yard dash, and putting up 32 reps on the bench.
Although NFL.com has him projected as an end-of-the-roster/practice squad player, his college numbers suggest otherwise, as he racked up 23.5 sacks, 49 tackles for a loss, and 228 tackles as a three-year starter for the Spartans.
Willekes also improved on a year-to-year basis, seeing his sack numbers rise each season, while also consistently making plays in the backfield.
He mostly played defensive end at the collegiate level but is projected to be a 3-4 outside linebacker in the pros.
Willekes has freakish athleticism as he has shown off in his body control workouts. Between his size, speed, unique athleticism, and reputation for disrupting the pocket, Willekes is one of the most underrated prospects with a lot of potential to be a steal in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft.
The Giants could certainly use more pass rushers, and to come away with a player of Willekes' caliber on Day 3 could pay dividends for an edge group consisting of Kyler Fackrell, Lorenzo Carter, and Oshane Ximines.
