2021 NFL Draft report card: How did the Giants fare?

What a three-day span it was for the New York Giants, who broke some long-standing trends and were extremely creative in their approach.

They were dealt a bad hand in Round 1 when the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles conspired against them (tongue-in-cheek), but they didn’t panic and made the entire situation work in their favor. They also did a great job maneuvering in Round 2.

They continued to move around for the remainder of the draft, compiling future assets and attacking draft positions in order to land the players they coveted.

Giants Wire breaks down Big Blue’s entire 2021 NFL draft and offers up some grades:

Round 1, pick No. 20: WR Kadarius Toney

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The Giants traded down after the Eagles leap-frogged them to take Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who had been Big Blue's No. 1 remaining target at the time. We'll get to the actual trade portion of this later. The Giants always seemed destined to take a wide receiver over the first two rounds, but precious few envisioned it would be Kadarius Toney. The good news? Toney is a human joystick and Swiss Army Knife who can basically do it all offensively, while also providing explosive talent on special teams. As a pure wide receiver, there's still development that needs to take place and if you're grading him on that alone, it would be slightly above average. As the whole package, however? Great pick given the circumstances. Grade: A-

Round 2, pick No. 50: EDGE Azeez Ojulari

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Azeez Ojulari could have been taken at No. 20 overall and not a single person would have batted an eye. Some viewed him as the best all-around edge rusher in the draft, but as we stated leading up to Thursday, the value simply wasn't there in the early stages of Round 1. The fact that Ojulari fell as far as he did -- likely due to some medical concerns -- was surprising. But everyone else's loss was the Giants' gain. Provided Ojulari can stay healthy, which the Giants think he can, he's a potential Day 1 starter and impact player for Patrick Graham. And considering this pick came in Round 2 after another trade down, it's hard not to love everything about it. Best pick in the entire draft for Dave Gettleman & Co. Grade: A+

Round 3, pick No. 71: CB Aaron Robinson

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Many assumed that the Giants would finally go offensive line in Round 3 and by all accounts, they tried. Things didn't work out that way and instead, they got a potential steal in Aaron Robinson. Even after the addition of Adoree' Jackson in free agency, the Giants lacked quality depth at the cornerback position. And whether Robinson comes in and plays outside or inside is irrelevant -- he's another talented playmaker who will see plenty of action as a rookie and factor in quite heavily to the defense's overall success (or failure). Some may be critical of the pick simply based on position vs. assumed need, but we here at Giants Wire always believed a cornerback was one of those needs. No point deduction for that in our minds. Grade: A

Round 4, pick No. 116: DE Elerson Smith

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In terms of pure pass rush skill, Elerson Smith was arguably one of the best in the draft. Still, he's a developmental talent who was selected based on potential, which was something Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge said they would not do. It's hard to overlook how much potential Smith has, however. Smith was in the top percentile in most measurements and metrics. His athletic skill is off the charts and considering he's a giant of a human being, that's even more impressive. The Giants needed edge help and now they've got it, but how Smith fits in is a bit unclear. He's likely to take situational pass rush reps as a rookie and perhaps even as a sophomore. His true value won't be seen for years and that may be a tough pill for some to swallow considering this is a make-or-break season for so many in East Rutherford. The grade will reflect that, but it has a strong chance to improve over time. Grade: B-

Round 6, pick No. 196: RB Gary Brightwell

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The Giants were thin at running back entering the offseason and it was always a near guarantee they'd nab one in the NFL draft. Gary Brightwell is an ideal compliment to the speedy, elusive all-around talent that Saquon Barkley and Devontae Booker possess. He's a strong, powerful runner who doesn't fear contact, and he'll be able to eat up some tough yards and spell the two guys ahead of him on the depth chart. But where Brightwell will really excel is on special teams. He has that special teams mindset, plays on multiple units and provides a lot of value. In fact, that's where the Giants are likely to see most of his impact. As a running back with a history of limited production and some fumbling issues, his grade would not have been very high. But coupled with his special teams prowess, that grade goes up. You have to factor everything in. Grade: B-

Round 6, pick No. 201: CB Rodarius Williams

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Rodarius Williams has a wealth of experience. He was a four-year starter at Oklahoma State (48 consecutive starts) and that will shorten his learning curve at the NFL level. But in order to really make an impact and crack that 53-man roster, he's going to need to play special teams. Although Williams admits he's willing to do whatever it takes, he's never been much of a special teams guy. That will have to change with the Giants if he wants to suit up in Week 1. Grade: C

Overall

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The Giants' draft haul speaks for itself. No, they didn't select an offensive lineman, but they addressed multiple areas of need and improved in all aspects of the game. What really sets this draft apart for the Giants is "Trader Dave" and all his maneuvering. Not only did he flip a pick from the Chicago Bears to move up and grab Aaron Robinson, he secured several extremely valuable 2022 NFL draft picks, including a first-rounder. In total, the Giants have 10 picks next year -- three more than they entered the week with. What more needs to be said? Combined with their six new players, it was a job well done all-around. Grade: A

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