Giants

JUST NOW:WR1-upside might be available to the Giants in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Published

9 months ago

March 18, 2024

There is a strong possibility the New York Giants will elect to take a receiver high in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Players like Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze certainly stand out as potential targets for the Giants with a 6th overall pick.

However, if they elect to secure a quarterback, they could look to the second round to find a ride receiver with substantial upside.

This is one of the deeper receiver classes the draft has ever seen, and the Giants might be able to grab an exciting prospect with the 47th pick. One option includes South Carolina pass-catcher Xavier Legette.

Despite being 23 years old, Legette has great size, at 6’1″ and 227 pounds. He came in a bit under his expected height at the Senior Bowl, but he still makes difficult plays look easy and has top-flight speed with his size.

Last season, Legette accumulated 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns in an offense that had one of the worst offensive lines in college football.

The Giants Need a Receiver With Great Hands

In addition, Legette only posted a 2.7% drop rate, dropping two passes over 97 targets. He not only has tremendous hands but plenty of versatility with his alignment. Last season, he spent 34% of his snaps in the slot and 64.6% out wide, suggesting the Giants can move him around their offense and capitalize on his skill set.

Speed is one of his most underrated aspects. He recorded a 1.78 “flying 20 times,” which is the second half of the 40-yard dash. Anything under 1.8 seconds is considered elite, and Legette ranked in that threshold, meaning his top speed is one of the best in the draft class and would be in the NFL.

Many compare Legette to DK Metcalf, and some would even suggest he mirrors AJ Brown in terms of his physicality. His play strength and speed are all top-notch, which is precisely what the Giants need, given their lack of receiving talent. He does lack a bit of refinement with his release package and route running, but he has plenty of time to learn the ropes and improve in those areas.

While he may not have the explosive qualities that Nabers (who’s two years younger) does or the playmaking qualities that Odunze contains, Legette has a strong balance of tools to work with. The Giants may be able to extract maximum value out of him if they decide to pass on a receiver in the first round.

MORE NEWS

Giants’ meeting with Russell Wilson included no guarantee he’d start in 2024

Prior to Russell Wilson signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants brought him in to discuss the idea of competing for the starting quarterback job.

At the moment, Daniel Jones remains the expected starter in 2024, despite the fact he’s coming off an ACL tear, and another season-ending injury would guarantee his 2025 salary.

In other words, instead of taking the out in his contract and paying $22 million in dead money, the Giants would have to pay every dollar of his $41.6 million salary hit in 2025, further extending the nightmare that has been unfolding over the last five years.

Jones has had his ups and downs, but the Giants need to consider resetting that window with a rookie passer, which would allow them substantial freedom in free agency next year.

After all, general manager Joe Schoen acquired Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers and immediately gave him a five-year deal, paying him $30 million per season. The Giants simply can’t afford to pay Jones’s salary and add more pieces down the line unless they take the out in his contract.

The Giants Wouldn’t Even Give Russell Wilson the Starting Job

However, according to The Athletic, the Giants didn’t promise Russell Wilson that he would start in 2024, despite the fact that he’s a much better player than Jones at this point.

Wilson is 35 years old. He threw for 3,075 yards last season, including 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Keep in mind that Jones has never thrown more than 24 touchdowns in a year, capping out back in his rookie season in 2019. Since then, he tossed a high of 17 in 2022, but last year, his health and numbers both trended in the wrong direction.

The Giants’ dependence on Jones returning from a neck injury and ACL tear to lead them to a playoff appearance is not only optimistic, it is bewildering.

The team is much better off handing the keys over to a young quarterback who they can develop in real time and start turning the page to a new chapter.

Of course, that assumes a quarterback is available the Giants are willing to take a shot on, which at this point seems to be unlikely. The first two selections are expected to be Caleb Williams and either Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, leaving the New England Patriots with the number three overall pick and plenty of options to consider.

The Giants could trade future draft capital to move up a few spots or stay at number six and hope that J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan drops, which many would consider a reach.

The future is certainly murky for Big Blue, but sticking with Jones is a substantial risk, and the Giants need to operate under the assumption that they may end up with a huge bill if Jones gets re-injured in 2024.