New York Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman traded back in the first round for the first time in his career as a GM. Gettleman traded with the Chicago Bears and selected Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney with the 20th overall pick.
Rumors about the Giants trading back develop every year, but it never happens. However, after the Eagles traded up in front of New York to snag Devonta Smith, Gettleman picked up the phone.
In his first career, first-round trade back, Gettleman succeeded. For the 11th pick, the Giants received the 20th pick, a 5th round pick, and a first and fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft. That is a phenomenal haul for a double-digit pick, and it gives the Giants some great draft capital to continue building with.
Combine that with Toney, and the Giants had a great first round. Let’s take a look at the new rookie coming to Big Blue.
Swiss Army Knife
“The single most dynamic WR in this draft” @PFF_Mike on Giants pick Kadarius Toney #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/nXu8TqXA9K
— PFF (@PFF) April 30, 2021
Toney isn’t just a standard wide receiver coming out of Florida. The Giants didn’t pick a guy who can do one thing; they got a guy who can do 10 things.
The 6-foot, 193 pound Florida Gator possesses everything you want in a modern-NFL pass catcher. Speed. Route running ability. Good hands. Most of all, he can be used all over the field. Toney has been used primarily in the slot, but also out wide and in the backfield. He is even good at returning punts. Last year’s Florida team passed a lot, and Toney was one of Kyle Trask’s top targets.
Toney decided to return to Florida for his senior year, and it was the best thing he did for his career. He caught a combined 50 passes in his first three seasons, racking up 1,025 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.
His senior year, Toney took a huge step forward. He capped off his college career with 70 receptions for 1,145 yards and 11 touchdowns. Talk about a leap. He finished 3rd in the SEC and 7th in the nation in receptions. He also finished 3rd in the SEC in receiving yards, 5th in touchdowns, and 6th in scrimmage yards.
Thrived in SEC Competition
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My favorite thing about draft prospects coming out of the SEC is the level of competition they bring to the table. The SEC is full of good teams, but Alabama obviously stands above the rest. So when Alabama comes to town, these players give it their all against Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.
That is what Toney did. He lived up to the competition placed in front of him. In the SEC Championship against Alabama, Toney torched the defense with eight catches, 153 yards, and a touchdown.
A lot of Giants fans didn’t know much about Toney because they didn’t think they needed to. Like myself, we expected the Giants to pick at 11, so only that group of prospects were on our minds for the past several weeks. So when Roger Goodell announced Toney’s name, it was time to hit the film.
Another Athletic Playmaker for Jones
Kadarius Toney route running is FILTHY 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/PGxhvhgfWf
— NY Giants BR (PICK #11) (@NYGiantsports) April 30, 2021
Think about how Toney can fit into this Giants offense. They don’t have to worry about finding one spot for him because he can fill them all. Toney is a home run threat whenever he is on the field. Lining him up with other playmakers already on the Giants’ offense is going to be a great sight to see.
Imagine him and John Ross running a cross route over the middle? What about giving him a bubble screen and letting his elusiveness carry him to the end zone? The possibilities are endless.
When you take a step back and really look at it, the Giants have given Daniel Jones everything he needs to succeed.
If the offensive line finds a groove and gives him time, this offense is going to be a problem. There are too many pass-catchers for a defense to worry about, which will ultimately allow Saquon Barkley to unleash his true potential.
Toney was a great pick for New York at 20. And again, add in that trade package from Chicago… and the Giants seem to be getting better every single day.
There is still a lot of potential in this draft, and there is no reason to think Gettleman and Joe Judge won’t plug the right holes the rest of the way.
Let’s Go, Big Blue!