NFL Draft rumors: DT Derrick Brown still in play for Giants at No. 4

Well, Giants fans, we may have just got our first legitimately controversial draft rumor in quite some time.

For weeks now the general consensus on where the New York Giants should invest their first round draft pick has revolved around offensive tackle or linebacker.

But one NFL insider is now hearing rumblings that GM Dave Gettlemen and company could take a defensive lineman. And the name that seems to surface is Auburn’s stud defensive tackle Derrick Brown.

Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline wrote that “more and more people inside the league tell me” that the Giants will go left tackle or defensive line. But keep reading, because it gets more interesting.

On PFN’s Draft Insiders Pauline said:

“I think the surprise is this: for the longest time everyone assumed the Giants were going to take Isaiah Simmons of Clemson. And really, the word the past couple of weeks is, from what I’m hearing and what has been reported elsewhere, it looks like it’s going to be left tackle or defensive line.”

“Now, there’s really only one defensive lineman that the Giants would look at ... and that’s going to be Derrick Brown.

“Considering they took Dexter Lawrence last year in the first round, they traded for and then franchised Leonard Williams, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to take Derrick Brown when you look at the depth chart. But the fact is this: it’s a Gettleman type of pick, he loaded up on the position when he was in Carolina, Derrick Brown is my number two player on my draft board, I think he’s absolutely sensational. In that vein it would make a lot of sense.

“I think the bigger issue is that everyone consistently slid Isaiah Simmons into that number 4 spot to the Giants and right now I don’t know if it’s going to happen.”

Given the crucial need for a franchise tackle, let alone left tackle, it would seem mind-boggling for the Giants to ignore Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton or Jedrick Wills Jr.

And we also know the Giants could sorely use an every-down, franchise linebacker like Clemson’s Simmons.

But to reinvest in the defensive line with Auburn’s Brown? Pauline certainly makes his case for it.

What do you think about Gettleman potentially taking Brown, Giants fans? Let us know in the comment section.