Pro Football Focus gives Giants DeForest Buckner instead
The 2016 NFL Draft — more specifically, the Eli Apple draft — ended up as one of the more regrettable points in a long, dark period for the New York Giants since they won the 2011 Super Bowl.
Well, there may be no crying over spilt milk, and no real do-overs in the draft, but we can try to hypothetically change history. Pro Football Focus has done so for the Giants with a 2016 NFL redraft that would have led to a much better result for the Giants.
PFF has a short, simple explanation:
Apple was a miss by the Giants, lasting only three years in New York before getting traded to the Saints. In this redraft, New York opts for Buckner, who has made three Pro Bowls and been one of the five most valuable defensive tackles in the NFL since he was drafted, according to PFF WAR.
Valentine’s View
Apple was, of course, more than a miss by the Giants. He was just 20 years old and his immaturity seemed to be an issue from the start of his time with the Giants. In his second season, teammate Landon Collins called him a “cancer” and Apple was suspended at season’s end following an argument with a coach.
Five games into the 2018 season, the Giants traded Apple to the New Orleans Saints.
You will likely recall that 2016 was the year the Giants were said to have edge defender Leonard Floyd or offensive tackle Jack Conklin atop their wish list with the 10th overall pick.
It seemed as though GM Jerry Reese got caught flat-footed as the Giants watched the Chicago Bears trade up to No. 8 to select Floyd, then the Tennessee Titans move up to No. 9 to select Conklin.
Conklin has been named an All-Pro right tackle twice in a nine-year career with the Titans and Cleveland Browns. Floyd has started 137 of 138 regular-season games and 66.5 sacks for the Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.
Buckner, in nine NFL seasons, has made three Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro, and has 67.5 career sacks.
In the PFF redraft, Conklin went No. 20 to the New York Jets. Neither Apple nor Floyd were selected in Round 1.
Giants’ fans can only wish things had turned out this way.