Analyst Cites Giants as NFL Draft Warning for Patriots

An analyst has cited the New York Giants as a cautionary tale for the New England Patriots heading into the NFL Draft.

Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) runs past Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Kobe King (41) during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 31, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New England Patriots can go in a variety of different directions with the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and that's thanks to the fact that they now have their quarterback in Drake Maye.

Of course, what the Patriots decide to do with their first-round selection will depend on who is available at that spot, but during a recent mailbag with Brian Hines of Pats Pulpit, a fan wondered if New England could take Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.

However, Hines is not a fan of the idea of nabbing Jeanty and cited the New York Giants as a cautionary tale.

"Speaking of Jeanty, I get the appeal of adding one of the top offensive talents in the draft to a team that desperately needs offense. But, adding the running back before the rest of the offense — specifically the offensive line — is not my favorite path to building a team," Hines wrote. "Just ask Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants."

The counterargument is that the Giants probably should have drafted a quarterback in 2018, as Eli Manning was clearly on his last legs and they didn't have an answer behind him. The Pats, meanwhile, already have their franchise signal-caller.

The idea of the Patriots selecting Jeanty really isn't that outlandish, especially if Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are already off the board by the time New England is on the clock. Jeanty is one of the most prolific rushers in NCAA history, finishing 27 yards shy of breaking Barry Sanders' single-season rushing record this past season.

However, the Pats definitely need a tackle and a wide receiver more than anything else, so it would absolutely be more sensible for them to select either Will Campbell or perhaps Tetairoa McMillan at No. 4, particularly if Hunter is gone by that point.

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