National Football League

Giants draft preview: 3 players Big Blue could take at No. 9

Published Apr. 1, 2015 9:45 a.m. ET

Ross Jones

The New York Giants hold the No. 9 overall pick in the NFL Draft. In our continuing series, FOXSports.com takes a look at their roster post-free agency and delivers a plan of attack for the last day in April.

Four years ago, the New York Giants were atop the football world, hoisting their second Lombardi Trophy in five years.

Since then, the Big Blue have gone 22-26. Last January, head coach Tom Coughlin, who led them to both of those recent titles, was on the hot seat. Coughlin survived, however.

The hunger pangs for a deeply-rooted fan base have grown more intense than ever.

Injuries plagued the G-Men last season. Fan-favorite Victor Cruz tore his patellar tendon, the secondary was marred with attrition and free-agent acquisition Rashad Jennings battled bumps and bruises all season. The running game, struggling to find its rhythm due to subpar offensive line play, finished 29th in the league. Oddly enough, there's a growing optimism for 2015.

Certainly last season's high point was rookie sensation Odell Beckham's arrival as a full-blown superstar. The former LSU product hauled in 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games. And he did all that playing on a right hamstring that never fully healed. Some wonder how the duo of Beckham and Cruz, assuming the latter returns to full strength, will look in offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's system.

Quarterback Eli Manning enjoyed one of the best seasons of his 11-year career, posting a career-high completion percentage (63.1) while throwing the most attempts (601) in a season. Furthermore, Manning cut his interception total in half from the 2013, throwing 14.

Defensively, the team can stand to get better. They added some talent via free agency. Starting opposite Jason Pierre-Paul, who was franchised, will likely be defensive end George Selvie. General manager Jerry Reese also signed defensive lineman Kenrick Ellis, linebacker JT Thomas and special teams weapon Dwayne Harris.

Some holes remain on the roster. Longtime safety Antrel Rolle departed for the Chicago Bears. Safeties Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps remain unsigned. The only two safeties on the roster are 2013 fifth-round pick Cooper Taylor and 2014 fifth-round pick Nat Berhe. Expect the Giants to address this issue somewhere in the draft.

Positions of need: FS, OL, LB

Three options to consider

Landon Collins, SS: Adding Collins to the secondary significantly serves a need. After missing out on free agency's top safety Devin McCourty, the Giants must look to address this area of the defense. While Collins isn't considered an elite player, he's very experienced having played 41 games for Nick Saban.

Andrus Peat, OT: The Giants have invested two high-round picks on offensive linemen (Justin Pugh, '13 and Weston Richburg, '14) the past two seasons, but adding Peat could significantly improve the unit. This 6-foot-7, 313-pound behemoth has been well-coached and is one of the most pro-ready linemen in the draft. By adding Peat at right tackle, Pugh's versatility allows him to move into guard.

Danny Shelton, DT: Shelton's rare combination of size and athleticism will be coveted by a team selecting in the first half of the first round. Shelton's 6-foot-2, 339-pound frame allows him to take on two offensive linemen to free up a playmaking linebacker. If Shelton were to be coupled with 2013 second-round pick Johnathan Hankins, the Giants would have a dynamic interior defensive line, which would perfectly suit Steve Spagnuolo's aggressive, get-after-the-passer system.

FAN MOCK DRAFT: Who should the Giants take? Tell us here.