Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Football: SEC Championship-Alabama at Florida
Cleveland, OH (77WABC)-The Giants were primed in on the wide receiver position in the 1st round of the NFL draft this year, and they selected a true playmaker in Florida wideout Kadarius Toney.
Since the signing of WR Kenny Golladay in late March, the general consensus around the league was that Big Blue was interested in adding to their WR core in the first round, and were particularly interested in the Heisman Trophy winner, Alabama’s Devonta Smith. It certainly appears that would have the Giants selection at the eleventh overall selection, but a rare inter-divisional trade prevented the pick.
The Philadelphia Eagles jumped the Giants by trading with the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys to select Smith at the tenth overall pick, right in front of the Giants at eleven.
The Giants in turn traded back for the first time in General Manager Dave Gettleman’s career with the Chicago Bears. Acquiring three draft picks, including Chicago’s first round selection in next year’s draft. Following the draft, Gettleman called the decision to trade back “too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
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With the 20th overall selection, the G-Men had several options, as high-profile linebackers and EDGE players were both available, both needs for the Giants. However, General Manager Dave Gettleman opted to go to the senior wideout who exploded this past season for the Florida Gators in Toney.
A highly athletic player, Toney projects to have solid hands and the ability to line up at multiple positions for the Giants to complement the prolific Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay.
Gettleman praised Toney after the draft, “Kadarius is a good-sized kid, he’s strong, he can run, he catches the ball well, and he’s a very tough kid and he’s got return skills. We were thrilled he was there for us at that spot.’’
Toney, in speaking to the New York media for the first time after being selected said, “Just quick, dynamic, explosive, I’m versatile, a lot of people can’t play running back.’’
Quick, dynamic, and explosive. Giants fans hope he is just that this upcoming season as Big Blue looks to turn around an offense that struggled mightily last season.
