Dating back to 1937, the second year of the NFL draft, New York City has hosted the annual event 57 times at 18 different venues, including the Marriott Marquis and Radio City Music Hall nine times each and the Theater at Madison Square Garden 10 consecutive years from 1995-2004.
Unfortunately for the multitude of local NFL devotees for whom the draft became a yearly pilgrimage, the location shifted last year from Radio City Music Hall to the Auditorium Theater in Chicago and will be back in the Windy City tonight when the next wave of future NFL stars begin their professional football journey.
Nevertheless, the enthusiasm and anticipation of Giants fans are still exceedingly intense as their team looks to add impact players that can help elevate them back into the playoffs for the first time since their 2011 Super Bowl win and end a four-season drought.
The Giants currently hold the 10th (first round), 40th (second round), 71st (third round), 109th (fourth round), 149th (fifth round) and 184th (sixth round) picks. Since assuming the role of the franchise’s general manager in 2007, Jerry Reese has given strong consideration to selecting the highest rated player on his draft board regardless of position.
Reese’s last three first-round selections, offensive lineman Justin Pugh, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and offensive lineman Ereck Flowers rate as good, great and potentially very good. In the case of Beckham, in only two seasons he has become one of America’s most compelling sports stars and arguably the best receiver in the league.
With the 10th pick, Reese can continue his recent trend of obtaining players who should be high impact players on the Giants for the next five to seven seasons. Notre Dame offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley, UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd or Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott would be excellent additions to the roster.