Ask a former NFL player: Who will end up being the biggest reaches in this year’s draft?

Welcome to the Friday mailbag! I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe, and not going stir crazy in your house. Every day at home is just one day closer to the football. That’s the way I look at things. Stay positive.

At the very least, we know the draft two weeks away. That’s the topic of this week’s questions, so let’s get to the mailbag.

Do you have a question you’d like Geoff to answer next time? Hit him up on on Twitter or Instagram.

Last year, the Giants taking Daniel Jones at No. 6 and Raiders taking Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 were the biggest surprises and considered the biggest reaches. Who do you think may surprise everyone this year in going much earlier than expected?— @Matt_Weinberg

This is the best part of the draft, in my opinion. The draft is so wild and even when we think we know what’s happening, we don’t. Each team values players differently and they grade them as such. A few players jump to mind as possible reaches, but only in certain situations.

I think quarterback Jordan Love from Utah State going ahead of Justin Herbert would surprise me. Herbert is more polished, but the wish with Love is that he’s the next Patrick Mahomes. I think that’s a terrible way to draft players, though. Still, if Love is taken “high” but after Herbert, I’m not sure it’s that big of a stretch.

I’ve seen a little bit of discussion that quarterback Jacob Eason from Washington could sneak into the first round. This would be a mistake. I watched every snap of Washington this season and Eason doesn’t have it. He played poorly whenever he was pressured and failed to secure wins for Washington in the second half of many games. While he’s got the physical tools, I don’t think he’s got it between the ears to succeed.

There are a few offensive tackles who could be taken higher than they should, because of the early run on the top four tackles. USC’s Austin Jackson and Georgia’s Isaiah Wilson come to mind. They are both athletic freaks, but the production isn’t there in college to warrant a first-round pick. First-round picks should be able to play right away, and I don’t think they are ready.

Lastly, anytime a running back is taken in the first round, it’s a reach. But it could happen this year. D’Andre Swift is projected to be the first running back drafted, and he could end up going higher than expected.

Should the Giants take Isaiah Simmons or an OT at No. 4? — @The_Jory14

Offensive tackle, 100 percent. Offensive tackle is one of the most vital positions in the league. It’s hard to win without two of them, and we’ve seen the importance of right tackles pick up over the last decade as elite level pass rushers have moved over to the left defensive end spot.

This is the best draft season for offensive tackles in years, and at No. 4, the Giants will get their pick of them. They could draft Jedrick Wills out of Alabama and put him at right tackle for years. With a young quarterback like Jones, having an offensive line that’s set for years is a huge plus for development.

Besides the value of an offensive tackle, I think there’s some concern about Simmons in the NFL. I’ve heard from scouts and other people I trust who watch film that Simmons is a major boom-or-bust prospect. It has nothing to do with his immense talent and his playmaking ability, but rather he might be positionless in the NFL if not handled correctly.

As he showed at Clemson, Simmons can play linebacker, pass rusher, safety, and wherever else you want him. And that’s the issue. If you draft him and just try to figure out what he does when he gets on the field, you’ve now lost the value of that draft pick. If you’re drafting a player that high, you must know exactly where he fits in your defense and put him there.

In my opinion, he’s a linebacker. He’s not a safety. But he’s versatile enough to run with running backs and tight ends at linebacker. But again, you best have a position-specific role for him when he’s drafted. Floating all over the defense isn’t going to work.

Outside of the big 4, who’s your favorite tackle prospect in this class? — @JoRo_NFL

The top four offensive tackle prospects are Wills, Mekhi Becton, Andrew Thomas, and Tristan Wirfs. If you ask 10 people in which order they’d ranked these guys, you’d get 10 different answers. However, it’s no debate these are the top guys.

After those four, two players come to mind who are next in line. One is Houston’s Josh Jones, who’s raw but if you watch his film last season, you can see vast improvement in his game. I also like Ezra Cleveland from Boise State. He can move well and has a good punch. And while he played through a turf toe last season, he must get stronger in the NFL.