Pro Football Focus' final draft Big Board
We are officially less than 10 days away from the start of the 2021 NFL Draft.
With pro days complete and the draft just around the corner, teams' draft boards are likely beginning to get finalized.
Pro Football Focus has offered a wide variety of draft content over the last few months. Now, the analytics site has released its final Top 300 Big Board ahead of next week's festivities.
Here are the top 11 prospects on PFF's big board, along with commentary from PFF's Michael Renner:
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson - "The best quarterback prospect we have ever scouted. There may not be one singular thing Lawrence hangs his hat on, but he's got the fewest weaknesses of any quarterback we have ever graded."
2. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU - "Call him a one-year wonder if you want, but he earned an impressive 78.8 passing grade as a true freshman before injuries derailed his sophomore campaign. This past season, his 95.5 passing grade was the highest in the country. His off-platform arm talent and special throws make him an elite quarterback prospect."
3. Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State - "You name it, Fields has it. Even with the "bad" on tape this year, Fields still earned his second consecutive passing grade over 92.0. Add in his 4.43 speed, and it's easy to see how his ability can open up a playbook."
4. Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon - "Sewell earned the highest single-season grade we have ever given to a college offensive tackle … as a true sophomore. We haven't seen him play a snap since his age-19 season, and he's still talked about as a top-five pick. That tells you everything you need to know about his dominance."
5. Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida - "As rare as Sewell is for an offensive tackle prospect, Pitts might be even rarer for the tight end position. You just don't see 245-pounders move the way he can. Pitts earned a 96.2 PFF grade last year, shattering the single-season grade record for a college tight end."
6. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU - "If Chase had his 2019 season in 2020 instead, there wouldn't even be a debate for WR1. His 24 deep catches that year were 10 more than any other player in this class. Chase is a rocked-up physical freak, and he even has room to grow as a route-runner."
7. DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama - "As if you needed any more stats to "wow" you after watching Smith's Heisman campaign, here's one that relates to what may be his biggest perceived weakness: He ranked in the top five in yards per route run against press coverage in both 2019 and 2020. Put that on a weighing scale."
8. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama - "No player in this draft class produced more when given the opportunity. Over his career, Waddle generated more yards per route run than any player in this class. Sadly, we didn't get to see his pro-day numbers because of his ankle injury, but there is no doubt in my mind that they would have been all-timers, given the way he moves on the field."
9. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State - "Parsons is the best run defender, blitzer and tackler at the position in the draft class. He's quite easily the best blitzing off-ball linebacker we've seen in our seven years of doing this, so it's no surprise that he ranks first in this draft class in PFF pass-rushing grade over his career. We have only ever seen him as a true freshman and sophomore, too. Parsons is a truly special prospect."
10. Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State - "Lance has physical tools for days, and he's already been exceptional at taking care of the football. As a redshirt freshman, Lance produced a 1.7% turnover-worthy play rate. For context, Trevor Lawrence's turnover-worthy play rate was 3.6% last season."
11. Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern - "Slater was already extraordinarily good back in 2019 as a junior before he opted out in 2020. No projection is necessary. He allowed only five pressures and earned a 90.0 overall grade across 355 pass-blocking snaps."
View photos of every player projected to the Giants in mock drafts just days ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Giants sign international RB Sandro Platzgummer
The Giants have signed running back Sandro Platzgummer, who spent last season with the team as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway Program.
The Giants were one of four teams chosen to carry an additional overseas player on their practice squad in 2020 as part of the program. Platzgummer, 6-0 and 198 pounds, played five seasons for Austria's Swarco Raiders Tirol and won two European championships with Austria's U-19 national team.
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View photos of the New York Giants' active 53-man roster as it currently stands.