The Giants must take Isaiah Simmons in the 2020 NFL Draft

The New York Giants shocked the football world at the 2019 NFL Draft with the selection of Daniel Jones at pick number six. With one week until the 2020 NFL Draft, they’re set to be the center of intrigue once again. Should they use the fourth overall pick to protect their franchise quarterback? Or should the Giants take Isaiah Simmons, one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft?

In many respects, the 2020 NFL Draft starts with the New York Giants. Everything we know points to the Cincinnati Bengals selecting Joe Burrow with the first overall pick. Then, the Washington Redskins would inherit the consensus best player in the draft in Chase Young. Unless the Detroit Lions trade out of the third pick with a quarterback-needy team, the Miami Dolphins or Los Angeles Chargers seem most likely, then everything would suggest that they will select Jeffrey Okudah.

Then there’s the Giants.

After three straight losing seasons, and with a new head coach in Joe Judge, Giants general manager Dave Gettleman desperately needs to get it right. With multiple needs on both sides of the ball, it would make sense to trade out of the fourth selection to garner picks.

That, however, is not Gettleman’s style. In his NFL Draft history as a general manager, he has never traded down.

Reports suggest that the Giants have zeroed in on four players that they want to use the pick on. They include two of the top four offensive tackles, Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown, and Clemson linebacker Simmons.

Offensive tackle is a big consideration

It would make a lot of sense to address the offensive tackle position with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Giants are obviously invested in Jones as the future of the franchise. What better way to kick off this draft than with a marquee player to protect him? It would also be of benefit to 2018 first-round selection, Saquon Barkley, who will look to break 1000 yards for the third consecutive season after an injury-plagued start to 2019.

The first name to consider here is Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs.

Despite playing some left tackle, he has been dominant at right tackle for the Hawkeyes. Wirfs could slide straight into the Giants’ offensive line at that position as an instant upgrade. Wirfs brings strength and athleticism. He was a state champion wrestler and a legend in the Iowa weight room. Wirfs showcased his athleticism at this year’s NFL Combine. It was a performance that vaulted him into the conversation as the best offensive tackle in the class.

Wirfs would fit the mold in terms of pass protection and run blocking to benefit both Jones and Barkley.

In his report on Monday, Pro Football Network’s Senior Draft Analyst Tony Pauline raised the possibility that the Giants may look to move Nate Solder over to right tackle, after a wretched 2019 campaign on the left side.

That switch would point to the Giants taking Georgia left tackle, Andrew Thomas.

At one point in the 2020 NFL Draft process, it appeared that Thomas had fallen out of favor. However, as we get closer to the draft, it is apparent that he is very much in the running to be the first tackle taken. Where Wirfs and Alabama’s Jedrick Wills have played predominantly played right tackle, Thomas is a natural fit at left tackle, having played all 13 games at the position in 2019.

If you’re looking to help both Jones and Barkley, then Thomas would be a fantastic addition, having led an offensive line that helped a stable of Georgia running backs shine in recent years.

After giving up 43 sacks and tallying the 10th fewest total yards in 2019, it’s clear that the Giants need to address the offensive line in the 2020 NFL Draft.

However, as Gettleman alluded to in a recent press conference, there is depth in this offensive tackle class, and the Giants could find a starting-caliber tackle at pick 36. Someone like TCU’s Lucas Niang or Boise State’s Ezra Cleveland would still be available at that position. Upgrading the interior of the offensive line may also be a consideration at that point, or even at pick 99.

The Giants must take Isaiah Simmons 

What there won’t be at pick 36 is day one starting linebacker talent. Despite adding Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell in free agency, adding a play-maker on the back-side of the front seven is a significant need. That is why it makes so much sense for the Giants to take Simmons at four.

Pauline also reported on Monday that Brown is the “clubhouse leader” for the pick, allowing Gettleman to build a defensive line in the mold of the 2013 Carolina Panthers draft he oversaw. Adding Brown to Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams would undoubtedly create a monster of a line.

After giving up the fifth-most passing yards, eighth-most passing touchdowns, and third-most total points in 2019, the Giants need more than that. They need a do it all play-maker, with the ability to impact a game in multiple ways.

That is why the Giants must take Simmons.

Although he began his college career at Clemson as a safety, and lined up at just about every defensive position you can imagine during 2019, there is no escaping that Simmons is the best linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft class. It isn’t even close. His 2019 Butkus Award attests to that, as does his stats and his game tape.

Take a second to break down his 2019 stat line.

Start with the 16.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Simmons will get after the quarterback, providing that pass rush threat that the Giants have so desperately tried to create. He explodes into the backfield as if fired out of a canon. He can also have a presence stopping the run, which is crucial when facing Ezekiel Elliott twice a year in the NFC East.

Then there’s his skill set as a coverage linebacker. Three interceptions and eight passes defended in 2019 attest to his ability to drop back and cover. He can cover ground effortlessly with elite sideline to sideline speed. Simmons has the ability and strength to force fumbles, creating turnovers.

If there were any questions about his athletic ability (there weren’t), then Simmons silenced them and proved he was an athletic freak at the 2020 NFL Combine. He posted broad and vertical jumps in the top five for the position before blowing the competition away with a 4.39 40-yard dash.

“That’s not normal, if you didn’t know, that’s not normal”
💨 4.39 for Isaiah Simmons at the #NFL Combine 🏈
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📺: @NFL pic.twitter.com/mRJQ8NcW4y

— JD Sports (@JDSports) March 1, 2020

Above all, the NFL covets versatility, and there is no player in the draft more versatile than Simmons. There is nothing that he can not do for your defense.

There is no denying that the Giants need to get better on both sides of the ball. Another losing season, even with a first-year head coach, won’t be acceptable for the fans of the Big Blue. Protecting Jones with one of the top offensive tackle prospects seems like the best way to achieve success.

However, if you think back to the Super Bowl-winning Giants teams, what was their hallmark?

Defense.

Defense wins championships.

That’s why the Giants take Simmons with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.