Since the NFL Scouting Combine mock draft momentum for the New York Giants at No. 5 overall has moved heavily away from safety Caleb Downs and toward linebacker Sonny Styles.
Yet, in his most recent mock draft, Matt Miller of ESPN bypassed Styles and took Downs for New York. Styles slid to No. 10 for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Why? I put that question to Miller on Tuesday during a media conference call.
“I think New York is fascinating. I do think it is probably a split between Styles and Downs. What a great position to be in, right? You’ve got to choose between a generational talent at safety and one of the freakiest linebacker prospects we’ve seen in a long time.
“I think the Tremaine Edmunds signing, though, probably pushes me more toward Downs because Edmunds and Styles are essentially the same player — long, rangy, middle of the field eraser. That’s what Edmunds is.”
Miller pointed toward Harbaugh’s history with great safeties as a deciding factor.
“So with Downs I think you see John Harbaugh’s history with safeties, whether it be with Ed Reed, Kyle Hamilton. They’ve always valued that a lot,” Miller said.
“You obviously have Jevon Holland back there. He’s an ascending, high-paid player. But having with Nubin back there you can use Downs as your third safety, you can play him some in the slot, walk him up in the box. Truly gives you a chess piece on the back end, so that’s why I went Downs over Styles. But, I think it’s going to be a very, very tough decision for them and probably a tight split in that front office over which guy they prefer.”
In Miller’s mock draft, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love went No. 4 to the Tennessee Titans. Miller believes Loive would be a “serious consideration” for New York if he is still on the board.
“I do think Jeremiyah Love has to be a serious consideration. I said that at the Combine on the Rich Eisen Show, that I’d heard that. That the Giants liked Jeremiyah Love a lot, if he’s there he would absolutely be in consideration.
“This is a team that still has, I think, some regret over letting Saquon [Barkley] leave,” Miller said. “It’s, OK, maybe we try to correct that error and give our young quarterback the great running back that he needs. That could be in play.”
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