With the second overall selection of the 2018 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected who ‘they wanted‘ in running back Saquon Barkley. They made a clear path and stuck with it, overhauling their offense with their next selection of Will Hernandez, highlighting their plan to build around their three-down back in Barkley.
Barkley also adds a valuable weapon in the passing game as a threat out of the backfield on the receiving end of Eli Manning passes. Barkley had the class' highest receiving grade among backs last season. Hernandez enters on the heels of two ridiculous seasons including the highest grade we at Pro Football Focus has ever given to a guard for his work in 2016.
New York added value on the backend of their draft with talented edge rusher Lorenzo Carter and interior defenders B.J. Hill and RJ McIntosh from the ACC. Arguably, though, their second-biggest selection of the draft came by way of Kyle Lauletta as the former Richmond quarterback enters the Giants' QB room as the heir-apparent to Manning's throne.
For more on Lauletta, grab the PFF QB Annual with our new advanced accuracy data that depicts just how truly accurate quarterbacks are on a throw-by-throw basis. For instance, Lauletta had the second-best rate of perfectly placed passes while also throwing the second-lowest percentage of uncatchable passes in the draft class last year.
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