Fix the defense.
That was the marching orders general manager Dave Gettleman put to the franchise heading into this NFL draft. The move to scratch the itch and find the starting quarterback for the future came quickly — and with much angst among the fan base — but after that, there was a tunnel-vision decisiveness as to how the Giants stocked their rookie class.
Two picks Thursday night in the first round. One pick Friday night in the third round. Four more picks off the board Saturday in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. Seven of the 10 picks devoted to one side of the ball.
“It’s pretty obvious by the way the season played out it was pretty bright that we needed to make some significant changes in some areas,’’ coach Pat Shurmur said.
“When we were getting ready to pick there were some offensive players that ended up being in the conversation on the same line and we just made some decisions that directed us towards the defense. We knew we were gonna make some significant changes to the defense.’’
The project started with signing outside linebacker Markus Golden and safety Antoine Bethea in free agency and trading for safety Jabrill Peppers. Next, defense-building was a high priority this weekend.
Quarterback Daniel Jones was taken with the No. 6-overall pick, too high in the minds of many fans and pundits, with the Giants also owning the No. 17 pick. Gettleman said he “knows for a fact’’ two teams would have taken Jones before the Giants were on the board again at 17.
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Gettleman then turned his attention to solving some of the problems on his bad 2018 defense. The first round added defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from Clemson and cornerback Deandre Baker from Georgia, and the third round brought in edge rusher Oshane Ximines, who set a school record with 33 sacks at Old Dominion.
In the fourth round it was cornerback Julian Love from Notre Dame. With the first of their two picks in the fifth round, the Giants took Ryan Connelly, an inside linebacker from Wisconsin, and in the sixth round it was another cornerback, Corey Ballentine from Washburn. In the seventh round, with their final pick, it was defensive lineman Chris Slayton.
When Shurmur called Ballentine to give him the good news, he said, “We’re revamping the defense. We’re bringing guys in here to help us be great.’’
The only offensive players to come in this draft were Jones, receiver Darius Slayton and offensive tackle George Asafo-Adjei.
“I feel much better,’’ Gettleman said. “I think we had a real quality draft. As far as I’m concerned we had a hell of a weekend.’’
Love checks a box as a nickel corner. He had five career interceptions and started 34 games in his three years for the Fighting Irish.
“I think I’m a pretty physical player. I don’t shy away from contact at all,’’ Love said.
With Baker, Love and Ballantine, the Giants are loading up on rookie cornerbacks and have stashed on the roster Sam Beal, a 2018 supplemental draft pick who spent his entire rookie year on injured reserve following shoulder surgery. The only proven veteran corner on the team is Janoris Jenkins, who has two years remaining on his contract and is set to make $10.1 million in salary this season but is not going anywhere.
“Janoris has a bunch of puppies he’s going to train,’’ Gettleman said.
Connelly was a starting high school quarterback in Eden Prairie, Minn., and was not recruited by any Division I teams as a college football prospect. He walked on at Wisconsin, gained 30 pounds and eventually became a three-year starting linebacker. On Saturday, he was selected by the Giants.
“It’s pretty surreal, coming from a high school quarterback and walking onto Wisconsin and now getting to play for the New York football Giants,’’ Connelly said.
The only offensive lineman came in the seventh round, but help could be on the way in the form of Mike Remmers, a 30-year-old with 64 NFL starts. The Giants took a look at Remmers a while back and will check him out again after he finishes rehabbing from minor back surgery. He could be the answer at right tackle. Shurmur knows him well from his days as the offensive coordinator with the Vikings.
“It makes sense,’’ Gettleman said.
So did prioritizing defense the during a three-day draft haul.
“We feel,’’ Gettleman said, “like we addressed everything pretty much we wanted to.’’