New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen ended the team’s 2022 NFL Draft, its first as a GM, by picking linebacker Darrian Beavers of Cincinnati in Round 6 as the 182nd overall pick.
The Giants selected Indiana linebacker Micah McFadden 146th overall in Round 5.
If The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who had a third/fourth round for Beavers in his draft guide, is correct, then the Giants have excellent value for money here. Brugler writes:
Beavers is a tall, physical defender with NFL-grade discipline and diagnostic skills that will endear him to coaches. Although he has diverse experience, the term “jack of all trades, master of nothing” comes to mind when considering his hybrid skills. All in all, Beavers doesn’t have the anticipation to hide his average body twitch and reach, but he moves well for his size with the instincts and tackle skills befitting box work. He projects best as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 pattern with some value outside as an edge rusher.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein says:
Throwback size inside linebacker, but also retreat athletics that don’t fit neatly into today’s brand of football. Beavers is a phone booth linebacker who is well-trained at taking blocks and sliding between tackles, but can be overpowered by athletic opponents when forced to move and play in space. He plays too stiff-legged and with a lack of desired agility, causing him to get more caught up in traffic than teams might like. He needs to lean into a Knocker role to form a team, which requires improvement in consistently attacking and blocker-dropping. Beavers has a challenging path ahead of him, but his background as a core special teamer helps.
Giants round-by-round draft picks
Round 1 (#5) — Kayvon Thibodeaux, Rand, Oregon
Round 1 (#7) – Evan Neal, OT Alabama
Round 2 (#43) — Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky
Round 3 (#67) — Joshua Ezeudu, G, North Carolina
Round 3 (#81) — Cordale Flott, CB, LSU
Round 4 (#112) – Daniel Bellinger, TE, State of San Diego
Round 4 (#114/by Falcons) — Dane Belton, S, Iowa
Lap 5 (#146/by Jets) – Micah McFadden, LB, Indiana
Round 5 (#147) — DJ Davidson, DT, Arizona State
Round 5 (#173) — Marcus McKethan, G, North Carolina
Round 6 (#182) — Darrian Beavers, LB, Cincinnati
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