New York football fans have to feel genuinely satisfied with their teams’ first-round draft selections on Thursday. Both players addressed needs — the Jets more than the Giants, in my opinion. But after all, isn’t that what this time of year is for?
Here is my quick analysis on the Giants and Jets’ newest players:
New York Jets: Quinton Coples, DE (North Carolina)
Pick: 16th Overall
The Jets were in dire need of a defensive pass rusher after their fifth-ranked defense finished 17th in sacks last season. While there was talk that the Jets would target an offensive player, specifically at running back or wide receiver, head coach Rex Ryan knew better. That’s why when Coples visited with him last week, Ryan told the 21-year-old he’d be their selection if he was there when their pick came up.
The two-year starter from North Carolina is the second defensive lineman the Jets have taken in the last two drafts. In 2011, the team grabbed Temple’s Muhammad Wilkerson. South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram, a higher ranked player than Coples, was still on the board when the Jets picked, but Ryan’s vote won out.
Coples brings speed and size (6-foot-6, 284 pounds) to the Jets defensive corps. Ryan believes the Jets’ last success with multiple defensive pass rushers came in 2010 with Shaun Ellis and Trevor Pryce. Coples will now team up with Wilkerson to form the younger, and potentially more devastating, tandem. Success in this area of the field will help alleviate some of the pressure in the backfield. Opposing quarterbacks will be forced to throw quicker — sometimes more inefficiently — and the run may come into play more often. The Jets can handle that.
New York Giants: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
Pick: 32nd Overall
The consensus was the Giants were going to target a tight end with the final pick in the first round. Their primaries at that spot, Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum, are both injured and it’s questionable when they’ll be able to return. With top ranked tight end Coby Fleener (Stanford) still on the board, the Giants couldn’t resist grabbing one of the most exciting runners instead.
There was no doubt that Trent Richardson (Alabama) was the top back in this year’s draft class. But after him, a cluster of players made up the second tier. Wilson was among that group. Where Wilson exceeds Richardson is his speed. He has an extremely fast first step and defensive backs will have a hard time catching up in the open field.
Wilson hopes to vitalize a running backs crew that finished last in the league in rushing in 2011-12. The Giants were also light at that position heading into this season with Brandon Jacobs leaving via free agency and backup Andre Brown out four weeks after violating the N.F.L.’s performance-enhancing drug policy. That left only Ahmad Bradshaw and D.J. Ware; however, with Bradshaw not viewed as a primary back and having a history of injury problems, the Giants knew they needed insurance at this position.
The one concern with Wilson is his style is very similar to Bradshaw. They’re both 5-foot-10 and around 210 pounds. They aren’t going to knock anyone over the way that some backs will, such as Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson or Jacobs in his heyday. But Bradshaw isn’t a given to remain after this season. He nearly fled prior to last year and Wilson could help the Giants say goodbye in 2013.
PDF