The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Locals look to make headlines at top of draft
2. NEW YORK GIANTS (3-13)
LAST SEASON: After making playoffs for first time since winning Super Bowl in February 2012, Giants imploded in coach Ben McAdoo’s second season. Opened with five straight losses in injurymarred season that saw receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall lost for season in Week 5. Not only did team lose, McAdoo lost locker room and then his job after benching Eli Manning in early December. General manager Jerry Reese also was ousted for failing to shore up bad offensive line and giving OK on Manning decision. TE Evan Engram, last year’s first-round choice, was major positive in bad year.
THEY NEED: QB, RB, G, DE, WR, ILB.
THEY DON’T NEED: DT, S, LS.
POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: QB Sam Darnold, Southern California; RB Saquon Barkley, Penn State; DE Bradley Chubb, North Carolina State; G Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame; QB Josh Rosen, UCLA.
OUTLOOK: Giants haven’t had pick this high since taking Philip Rivers with No. 4 overall choice in 2004 and then packaging him and draft picks to San Diego for Manning. 37-yearold Manning is still No. 1 guy and question is how much longer can he play? Two years, three? Also is there future two-time Super Bowl MVP in this group of incoming QBs. New coach and quarterback whisperer Pat Shurmur can revive the offense, especially if Beckham returns healthy and happy — contract could be an issue — and Manning does not get hurt. New GM Dave Gettleman filled some needs in offseason, signing T Nate Solder, LB Kareem Martin, RB Jonathan Stewart and trading with Rams for OLB Alec Ogletree. O-line has to be upgraded, especially guards. Giants can’t afford any misses with six picks, all in first five rounds. Would help if recent first-rounders T Ereck Flowers (2015) and CB Eli Apple (’16) started playing better.
3. NEW YORK JETS (5-11)
LAST SEASON: Rebuilding Jets were one of NFL’s early season surprises while winning three of first five games despite some preseason prognosticators saying New York would struggle to win more than one. Todd Bowles’ bunch didn’t get many more victories and finished 5-11 for second straight season, but Jets were competitive in almost all games. Players praised positive culture change stressed by Bowles, as well as leadership of quarterback Josh McCown. Both Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan received twoyear contract extensions. McCown had career year at 38, setting personal bests with 2,926 yards passing, 19 TD passes and five TD runs before missing final three games with broken left hand. Wide receiver Robby Anderson had breakout season with 63 catches, 941 yards and seven TD receptions, and rookie safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye made good first impressions as immediate starters. Jets struggled to generate consistent pass rush with Muhammad Wilkerson (3 1/2) and Leonard Williams (2) combining for 5 1 / 2sacks.
THEY NEED: QB, OLB/ pass rusher, D-line depth, TE.
THEY DON’T NEED: S, CB, LS.
POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: QB Josh Rosen, UCLA; QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma; QB Sam Darnold, USC; QB Josh Allen, Wyoming.
OUTLOOK: It’s all about finding right quarterback after being aggressive and trading up from No. 6 to No. 3 in deal with Indianapolis in March that also cost New York two secondrounders this year and one next year. Jets put themselves in position to get one of top three QBs, but pressure’s on Maccagnan & Co. to get pick right. New York re-signed McCown and added Teddy Bridgewater in free agency, so firstrounder won’t be pressured to start right away in new coordinator Jeremy Bates’ offense — but could give veterans run for starting job in training camp. Maccagnan was busy in free agency, adding CB Trumaine Johnson, WR Terrelle Pryor, RB Isaiah Crowell, LB Avery Williamson, and C Spencer Long. New York still has plenty of needs, including pass rusher and depth on defensive line. For Jets fans looking for optimism, team has had No. 3 pick in NFL draft one other time: in 1981, took RB Freeman McNeil, who is franchise’s second-leading rusher.
23. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (15-4)
LAST SEASON: New England stumbled early, losing twice in first four games. Patriots recovered and won 11 of final 12 behind MVP season of quarterback Tom Brady. He dazzled at age 40, throwing for 4,577 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He did so despite reported friction between himself, coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft following midseason trade of backup Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco. But defensive inconsistency was Patriots’ biggest issue throughout season and it caught up with them in Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia. It included mysterious benching of cornerback Malcolm Butler, who wound up leaving at start of free agency.
THEY NEED: OL, LB, CB, DE, QB
THEY DON’T NEED: TE, RB, WR
POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: T Kolton Miller, UCLA; T Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame; LB Rashaan Evans, Alabama; DE-LB Harold Landry, Boston College; CB Mike Hughes, UCF.
OUTLOOK: Roster will look different following free agency departures of Butler (Titans), LT Nate Solder (Giants), WR Danny Amendola (Dolphins), RB Dion Lewis (Titans) and trade of WR Brandin Cooks (Rams). They’ve addressed some holes already: New England traded for WR-KR Cordarrelle Patterson, CB Jason McCourty and DT Danny Shelton, while signing veteran DE Adrian Clayborn and RB Jeremy Hill. TE Rob Gronkowski has subtly hinted at retiring sooner rather than later, which could throw wrinkle into Patriots’ long-term approach. But they have plenty to work with thanks to five selections in first 95 picks, including two in first round (23rd and 31st overall).