Zeke is really dying to play in the NFC East huh? In February he publicly said he wanted to be taken by the Cowboys, now he thinks he can put the Giants over the top to win a Super Bowl. Whether you think he’s right or wrong, you can’t knock the kid’s confidence.
It’s an intriguing idea and not a new one. I’ve seen a couple mock drafts and some talking heads project the Giants taking him with the #10 pick, and it’s not hard to see how it’d be a great fit. Eli’s backfield options right now are limited to Andre Williams, who has a nice career ahead of him in the CFL or back at Boston College as a RB coach in about a year, Shane Vereen who was great as a receiving back but doesn’t seem to have the legs to be an every-down type guy, and Rashad Jennings who played great the last 3 weeks of the season but otherwise was very easy to forget existed. Elliott Ezekiel being able to shoulder most of the running load, Jennings being a short yardage type of player, and Vereen being a third-down guy for screens out of the backfield or a check-down option on third downs is a tempting idea. Kind of like a reincarnation of the Earth/Wind/Fire running back combo from the 2007/2008 teams. Most importantly, it’d give the Giants a weapon that opposing coaches would have to actually gameplan for, which outside of our lord and savior Odell, the Giants basically didn’t have last year.
There are obvious downsides though. The bust potential for backs is higher than maybe any other position, and for every Todd Gurley there’s a Trent Richardson. Even if you think Ezekiel is destined to be an NFL stud (I do), drafting a first round running back is a dice roll, and one that less and less teams have been willing to take in recent years. Also, while the mantra of this offseason has been defense, defense, defense, and more defense, and Jerry Reese finally pried open his wallet for a $200M spending spree on that side of the ball, there are still obvious weaknesses. Depth is an issue. The LB corps is lackluster at best. Right now the second starting safety is expected to be decided at camp between Bennett Jackson, Nat Berhe, and Mykkle Thompson which is fucking insane to anyone who watched the Giants blow roughly 756 games the past two years in the last two minutes against quarterbacks who can throw it deep. Besides, it can also be argued that the O-Line is a bigger need on offense than running back, and a pro-ready guy like Ronnie Stanley from Notre Dame can provide immediate help.
All in all, I’d say it isn’t worth it. The track record for running backs is too inconsistent, and there are too many obvious gaps elsewhere to go for the splashy pick. I hate the thought of another season of asking Eli to turn water into wine with limited offensive talent in the skill positions outside of his one superstar and a Victor Cruz we have NO IDEA what to expect from, but it is what it is.
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