NFL Draft results: New York Giants select Florida WR Kadarius Toney at No. 20

The New York Giants on Thursday night selected Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney No. 20 overall in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft.

The pick came after the Giants trade down from No. 11 in a move with the Chicago Bears. The Giants received:

Round 1 (No. 20) — Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
Round 5 (No. 164)
2022 first-round pick
2022 fourth-round pick

This is the latest big move by the Giants aimed at helping quarterback Daniel Jones and an offense that was ranked No. 31 in the NFL last season. In free agency, the Giant added star wide receiver Kenny Golladay, speedy wide receiver John Ross, veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph and backup running back Devontae Booker. They also expect to have a healthy Saquon Barkley back in the mix.

Here is what Chris wrote in his Toney prospect profile:

“Kadarius Toney projects best as an offensive weapon in an offense which blends West Coast and spread concepts.

“He has the speed and ball skills to be a legitimate threat down the field, as well as the ability to turn short gains into big plays on quick passes. Creative offensive coordinators should be able to make good use of his versatility and background as a gadget player as well. His athleticism is threatening enough that jet motion or toss plays should always be respected, which could help add misdirection to an offense. Toney can be lined up all over the offensive formation, which should help offensive coordinators come up with ways to get him the ball, as well as attack weak points in opposing defenses.”

Here is what draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic said about Toney in his draft guide:

A loose, elastic athlete, Toney routinely makes the first man miss with special start/stop twitch, frustrating would-be tacklers and creating explosive plays. Though he is an improved route-runner, he remains a work in progress with his steps and tempo, and his freelancing will backfire at times. Overall, Toney is still more of a gadget player than polished receiver (and his off-field and durability will be debated in war rooms), but he boasts the one-step burst, body balance and underrated toughness to be a big-play ignitor. He projects as a versatile NFL weapon on offense and special teams.

Why he fits with the Giants

Without Barkley and with a sub-par receiving corps, the Giants struggled to created big plays and finished 31st in the NFL in scoring last season at 17.5 points per game.

“You always want to put as many weapons on the field as possible,” co-owner John Mara said a few weeks ago. “It’s becoming more and more of a passing league.”

Toney is a speedy playmaker who profiles most likely as a slot receiver. He also has return ability. He had a breakout 2020 season with 70 catches fof 984 yards (14.1 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns. He adds a playmaker with speed and upside to an offense that can use all of that.

Giants round-by-round draft selections

Round 1 (No. 20) — Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
Round 2 (No. 42) —
Round 3 (No. 76) —
Round 4 (No. 116) —
Round 6 (No. 196) —
Round 6 (No. 201) —

How to watch the rest of the draft

• Fri, April 30 (7-11:30 p.m.): NFL Draft, Rounds 2 and 3 – ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
• Sat, May 1 (12-7 p.m.): NFL Draft, Rounds 4–7 – ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio

TV: ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network

Streaming: NFL app, ESPN app

Radio: SiriusXM, Westwood One, and ESPN Radio| Tune-In Premium

Giants online: Twitter — @Giants; Facebook — @newyorkgiants; Instagram — @nygiants

Other BBV platforms

BBV on Twitter
BBV on Facebook
BBV on Instagram
BBV Radio (available on all of your favorite podcast platforms)
BBV on YouTube