Lorenzo Carter

New York Giants: How The Defense Could Go From Worst To First In The 2019 NFL Draft

by
The New York Giants could go after Ed Oliver in the 2019 NFL draft.

In 2018, the New York Giants‘ defense was one of the worst in the NFL. They allowed 25.8 points per game which ranked 23rd in the league. They were poor against both the run and the pass. Against the run, the Giants ranked 20th with 118.6 yards per game. And against the pass, the Giants ranked 23rd with 252.8 yards per game.

The Giants’ only two Pro Bowlers on defense from 2018 are no longer with the team. Landon Collins left for Washington in free agency and Olivier Vernon was traded to Cleveland. This left the Giants’ defense filled with holes and lacking any star talent.

Despite this, the Giants still have the opportunity to vastly improve on defense in 2019 through the NFL Draft.

Defensive Options In The Draft

The Giants hold two 1st round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. This opens up plenty of defensive options for the Giants. Luckily for the Giants, the 2019 draft class is absolutely loaded with defensive talent.

With the 6th pick, the Giants have a good chance of drafting an elite defensive prospect. With the 17th pick, the prospect might not be “elite,” but he will be good enough to start and make an immediate impact for Big Blue.

On Monday, the Giants met with two defensive prospects who both have the chance to be drafted by the Giants in the 1st round. The two defensive prospects the Giants met with are Ed Oliver and Clelin Ferrell. Oliver is an option for the Giants with the 6th pick and Ferrell is an option for the Giants with the 17th pick.

Ed Oliver:

Ed Oliver is an interior defensive lineman who has extreme athleticism and the ability to defend the run, as well as rush the passer. Oliver has drawn some comparisons to the NFL’s best player, Aaron Donald. This is because both Donald and Oliver possess rare athleticism for their size and position. Oliver is only 6 feet 2 inches and 287 pounds. This is undersized for his position, but it allows him to be an extraordinary athlete.

At his Pro Day, Oliver ran a speedy 4.71s 40-yard dash. This is certainly comparable to Donald’s 4.68s. Oliver showed off elite quickness, running a quicker short shuttle than Donald with a time of 4.22s. That time is quicker than Saquon Barkley’s!

In his collegiate career at Houston, Ed Oliver was a little bit up and down. Many analysts attribute this to Oliver being used incorrectly in Houston’s new defensive scheme in 2018. Prior to 2018, Oliver was looked at as a lock for the top 3 picks in the draft. His 2017 season was impressive, as he recorded 73 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. Ed Oliver would instantly make the Giants’ defense better for years to come.

Clelin Ferrell:

Clelin Ferrell is an edge defender out of Clemson’s loaded defense. Ferrell played a big part in Clemson’s 2018 National Championship season. In 2018, Clelin had 55 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks. Outstanding production by the junior edge defender.

The Giants have a need at edge since they traded away Olivier Vernon. Ferrell has the ability to rush the passer off tackle, something the Giants need desperately. Ferrell is a strong, bull-rusher who can knock tackles off balance and get in the backfield. Check out Clelin Ferrell powering through top offensive tackle Jonah Williams:

If the Giants could combine Ferrell’s pass-rushing ability off the edge with Oliver’s all-around dominance on the inside, they could create a scary defensive duo for years to come. Adding this pair in a mix that already features Lorenzo Carter, Dalvin Tomlinson, and B.J. Hill gives the Giants potential to have one of the best, young defensive fronts in the NFL.

New York Giants: Olivier Vernon’s Replacement Could Already Be On The Roster

by
New York Giants, Lorenzo Carter

On Friday, the New York Giants made a big-time trade. The Giants traded edge defender Olivier Vernon to the Browns in exchange for guard Kevin Zeitler. The trade was a win-win for both teams.

The Giants made a major upgrade on their offensive line in this trade. However, the trade also left another giant hole in Big Blue’s defense. Many fans and analysts have been predicting who they think the Giants will sign or draft in order to replace Olivier Vernon.

The Giants will likely sign someone, but there is a talented, young player already on the Giants that most people seem to be forgetting about. In the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Giants selected Lorenzo Carter.

Why Lorenzo Carter Might Breakout In 2019

Lorenzo Carter was a mid-round steal for the Giants in last year’s draft. He was tremendously talented, but he was also a raw prospect that needed time to develop. With his rookie season under his belt, Carter is primed to breakout in his sophomore season.

In his rookie season, Lorenzo showed a lot of potential. His play was limited because the Giants had Vernon, but in 2019, Carter should see more playing time. Carter only started in 2 games in 2018, but he played in 15.

Through those 15 games, Carter totaled 43 tackles and 7 tackles for loss. Carter was also good rushing the passer with 4 sacks and 10 quarterback hits. Considering his minimal playing time, Lorenzo Carter was highly efficient.

According to Pro Football Focus, Lorenzo Carter finished with an overall grade of 65.8. This grade ranked Carter as the 58th edge defender in the NFL, which is not bad for a rookie. On top of that, Carter’s grade was top 5 at his position amongst all rookies in 2018. Carter has the potential to surpass first and second round players with an expanded role in 2019.

Check out some Lorenzo Carter highlights below:

Athletic is an understatement when discussing Lorenzo Carter. He is a super-freak. At last year’s NFL Combine, Carter ran a speedy 4.50 forty-yard dash. That was the second fastest time out of all edge defenders in last year’s draft class.

Fans should not forget about Lorenzo Carter when discussing the Giants’ options on defense. Carter was one of the most hyped mid-round rookies heading into the 2018 season. He deserves even more hype in 2019.

After showing promise in 2018, Carter will have more opportunities in 2019. If he is able to capitalize on these opportunities, Carter will secure the starting edge job for the Giants. Carter, with a bit more consistency, could progress into an elite speed rusher.

New York Giants: Lorenzo Carter Reveals Role For This Season

by

There’s some big expectations on Lorenzo Carter, for a third round draft pick. The former Georgia Bulldog was selected with the intention of boosting the pass rush, both this year and going forward. Judging by his athleticism, it seems like he’s a good fit for that role.

But how are the Giants planning on using Carter in his rookie season? Carter himself told the official Giants website some things about that.

“I’m playing straight outside linebacker, strong side. My job is simple: set the edge, affect the passer and lastly I have to drop (into pass coverage). That’s an afterthought. In the front of my head is pass rushing and being aggressive going forward. I love it,” he said, confirming that the team intends to use him to attack the passer.

That aggressive playing style is something that the Giants need after the departure of Jason Pierre-Paul, who contributed 8.5 sacks last season before switching to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Pierre-Paul played as a defensive end rather than an outside linebacker, but replacing his production is one of the reasons the Giants spent a third round pick on Carter.

Carter also spoke about his experiences in the first practices of training camp. “You can tell when your eyes are in the right place and your movements are doing the right things. I just try to keep doing what I’m doing. Try to keep getting that feeling… You definitely know when it’s going wrong, that’s when you just turn around and put the jets on, try to keep running.”

He hasn’t been a perfect player at this point, but that’s expected, as Carter said himself.  The important thing, however, is that the rookie pass rusher is learning and improving. “Everybody’s going to make mistakes, especially as a rookie, but you just have to make mistakes and you don’t lose, you just learn lessons.”