Giants just love their Dawgs
Giants director of college scouting Chris Pettit was front and center at Georgia’s Pro Day on Wednesday in Athens, Ga.
He knelt just feet away from projected first-round edge prospect Azeez Ojulari during the three-cone drill. The Giants have a major need at pass rusher and outside linebacker, and they hold the No. 11 overall pick in April’s draft.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart said the first question he got from every team on Wednesday was about Ojulari, a 6-2, 249-pound redshirt sophomore and the SEC’s sack leader last season.
“I feel like my versatility and the way I use my hands and the way I can bend (are what separate me),” Ojulari, 20, said in a Zoom after his workout. “I got an explosive first step, and I can also drop in coverage, too. So you’re not just getting a pass rusher out of me. I can play all three downs.”
Giants secondary coach Jerome Henderson worked out the Bulldogs’ defensive backs, too, including projected second-round corners Tyson Campbell and Eric Stokes.
Henderson’s access is no small detail this spring, with a canceled NFL combine, pro day safety protocols limiting opportunities to see players up close on the field, and a major Giants need at corner behind James Bradberry.
How does Smart describe the 6-foot, 184-pound Stokes? “Speed, speed and more speed.”
Stokes was timed running between a 4.25 and 4.29 40-yard dash, per Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy. Campbell said he was timed between 4.34 and 4.39 and that he can “run with anybody” and “do it all.”
There’s even an offensive guard in 6-foot-6, 335-pound Ben Cleveland, who could be a middle-round target to rejoin his former teammate, No. 4 overall pick LT Andrew Thomas, with the Giants.
Cleveland, a fifth-year senior, ran an unofficial 4.85 40-yard dash on Wednesday and even ripped his shirt off during the drills.
“I don’t know why I took my shirt off. Why not, ya know?” Cleveland said with a smile.
“It’s just hard to find size,” Kirby said of what makes Cleveland a unique NFL prospect. “Ben meets all that criteria. It’s a passing league. And when he pass (protects), he’s a hard man to get past.”
Cleveland also was at the Senior Bowl, so the Giants got to see him practice a bit and interview him in person — again.
The Giants have made no secret recently about their affinity for Georgia’s program and prospects, drafting four Bulldogs in the past three years.
They’ve selected at least one in all three Dave Gettleman drafts and two last year, including Thomas, in Joe Judge’s first draft.
The DeAndre Baker first-round selection in 2019 was an epic disaster, of course, but Thomas, edge Lorenzo Carter and LB Tae Crowder were starters last season.
And Judge was an Alabama special-teams assistant in 2009-11 on Nick Saban’s staff when Smart was the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator. So the Giants have strong connections there, not to mention inherent respect for the talent at one of the SEC’s perennial contenders. Ojulari led the SEC with 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss, plus he tied for second in QB pressures (30) per ESPN and in turnovers created by pass rush (four). He would be the sixth Georgia linebacker selected in the first round.
Here are some expert and scouting takes on Ojulari specifically, with a few nuggets about other Bulldogs on the board:
● Emory Hunt, Football Gameplan: “No. 3 OLB. I like his acceleration and closing speed to the QB. He is a very good point of attack player. Sort of reminds me what they have in Lorenzo Carter … Ben Cleveland would be a good addition up front on the O-line. His functional strength is insane, and when you combine that with his A+ hand usage and ability to anchor, it makes him a really good prospect.”
● Dane Brugler, The Athletic: “No. 1 edge. Ojulari is very skilled at using his burst and bend to attack the outside shoulder of blockers, greasing the corner and detaching from blocks with violent hands. While he lacks elite size and length for the position, that shouldn’t limit his NFL ceiling if he continues to diversify his approach and develops his counters.”
● Tony Pauline, Pro Football Network: “Love Ojulari. Great fit for the Giants, No. 3 edge on my board. No. 11 pick is way too early to take him. But two corners to watch are Tyson Campbell and Eric Stokes. Top of round two guys.”
● Matt Miller, The Draft Scout: “No. 19 overall player, No. 3 edge, “best 3-4 linebacker” in the draft. One of the best first steps in the draft class. Mocked No. 22 overall to the Titans.”
● Pro Football Focus: “No. 25 overall prospect, No. 4 edge. Ojulari was one of the biggest risers with his play in 2020.”