Giants General Manager Joe Schoen Issues Frank Post-draft Reminder

The Giants general manager feels good about the newest additions to the team. However, he also had a word of advice to those who might be putting the cart before the horse.

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen and his staff worked countless hours to assemble the best draft board possible for the team this year.

And while Schoen, who proved he wasn't afraid to move around the board to get the players he wanted, emerged optimistic about the result, he still had a message for those who have been tossing bouquets in his direction for what, on paper, at the very least, appears to be one of the team's best draft classes since the 2007 group in which all but one member of that class contributed to a Super Bowl-winning season.

"You don't win games in April," Schoen said. "The social media rankings and everything like that, you know, it's about what we do this fall and how we go out there and compete when it matters and how we continue to build this off-season and get bigger, faster, stronger, through our strength program and then how we prepare and execute in August, I think there's a process. 

"Do I like some of the guys we drafted? Yeah. But still, every year is different, and the team has to gel, and we have to build chemistry. We have to stay healthy. There's a lot that goes into it."

Schoen is no doubt speaking from experience. Around this time last year, he was being lauded for his first draft as the Giants general manager, a draft that produced one of the top edge rushers (Kayvon Thibodeaux), offensive tackles (Evan Neal), and receivers (Wan'Dale Robinson) in the class.

However, injuries affected all but one of the team's 2022 draft class, the lucky one being linebacker Micah McFadden. And McFadden, for what it was worth, could not hold onto a starting job on the defense when given the opportunity.

While injuries are beyond anyone's control, Schoen's point is well taken. A team can make what seems to be all the right moves on paper, but if it doesn't come together, don't he field, then what good is it?

"This is one piece of the off-season puzzle," Schoen said. "I think you tie in free agency, and you tie in the draft. We are always looking to upgrade and add depth and competition. Where we are now, I feel good, but again, we still have to get these guys on the field."

That's where the coaching comes in as the rookies, no matter how highly touted they might have been at their respective positions, all need a degree of polish. 

"All these draft picks are young. They have come from various spots. There's a human element, too, as these guys develop," Schoen said.

"We are not going to put a lot of pressure on them to be plug-and-play. We'll let them develop and learn and continue to let them grow in our culture. But yeah, right now, I feel good about where we are, and as a staff, we have continuity amongst the staff this off-season, which along with the roster building, I think was very important."

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