2017 NFL mock draft: Ryan Ramczyk headed to New York Giants

Following three seasons of sub-.500 play, the New York Giants bounced back last season and made the playoffs at 11-5. Sure, they were easily and quickly bounced from the playoffs, but once again you can view the Giants as one of the better teams in the NFL. With 36-year-old quarterback Eli Manning, it might be now or never for the Giants.

With the window cracked open in New York, Chris Pflum of Big Blue View checks in with his pick for the Giants to help prolong the team’s success.

Pflum: I was really hoping to get an playmaker with this pick, but my top options of Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, David Njoku, O.J. Howard, and Haason Reddick were all off the board. So instead we go with the boring and predictable pick of Ryan Ramczyk. The Giants’ offensive line woes have been well documented, as have their problems in the run game. All of these offensive tackles have issues, but Ramczyk has a chance of being the best of the bunch. He is a good pass protector and tenacious run blocker who has the frame, strength, technique, and movement skills to bookend with Ereck Flowers for a long time.

This might be something of a boring pick, but with the free agency addition of D.J. Fluker, the Giants have five (or more) young and talented linemen to build a cohesive line. They would also (finally) be able to run to both sides, not just to the left.

My other options were linebacker Zach Cunningham, safety Jabrill Peppers, and offensive lineman Forest Lamp. Peppers is a favorite of mine, but the Giants’ stacked secondary makes that difficult to justify, and while they need linebacking help, the defense needs the offense to carry its weight more. Lamp was a tough choice, but while he is the cleaner prospect, I believe his future is inside at guard. If Fluker works out, he might be left miscast outside where Ramczyk has a higher upside.

Analysis: It seems like every draft that the Giants need to address their offensive line while Eli Manning is still around. If they don’t do it this draft, Manning might not be around much longer. Although taking a lineman in the first round isn’t a sexy pick for New York, it’s a necessary one. To get their pick of any lineman is somewhat surprising, but that’s how our mock draft is playing out. Although the idea to bring in Ramczyk to play on the right is fine, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he overtook Flowers on the left side before long.

At 3 p.m. ET we’ll be back with our final pick of the day in the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft coming from Silver and Black Pride and the Oakland Raiders.