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The phrase has an edge to it and often sounds foreboding, or a warning: “Once and for all.’’ For Dave Gettleman, it is a vow. That is what the Giants’ general manager said after the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft, promising to “fix the offensive line, once and for all.’’ This was after …
The phrase has an edge to it and often sounds foreboding, or a warning: “Once and for all.’’
For Dave Gettleman, it is a vow.
That is what the Giants’ general manager said after the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft, promising to “fix the offensive line, once and for all.’’ This was after taking offensive tackle Andrew Thomas in the first round and another tackle, Matt Peart, in the third round.
On Day 3, Gettleman on Saturday took guard Shane Lemieux of Oregon in the fifth round, making it three offensive linemen in the first five picks. Sense a pattern here?
“We feel really good about it,’’ Gettleman said of the offensive line after he made the last of the 10 Giants picks. “We’re very pleased with this. We’re fired up about these guys.’’
What the Giants did not do is take a center. There were medical concerns with Wisconsin’s Tyler Biadasz, who won the Rimington Trophy as the top center in the nation. The Cowboys traded up in the fifth round to the No. 146-overall pick and took Biadasz, perhaps believing the Giants were interested. Four picks later, the Giants took Lemieux. Washington’s Nick Harris, another center, went to the Browns at No. 160, meaning the Giants passed on him five times.
Though he played every snap at Oregon at left guard, Lemieux had been taking snaps at center during his draft preparation, so perhaps a position change is forthcoming. Gettleman said Lemieux will “cross-train’’ at center and guard.
For now, the Giants have Thomas and Nate Solder at the tackle spots and Will Hernandez and Kevin Zeitler at guard. Spencer Pulley, 27, has started 26 games at center in the NFL but is probably a fallback option. Jon Halapio, who tore his Achilles tendon in the regular-season finale, could be re-signed when he is healed. Nick Gates, undrafted in 2018 and expected to compete at tackle, will also get a look at center.
Peart trained at EXOS in Pensacola, Fla., where he met Thomas, a certain first-round pick from Georgia.
“With the small time we had, I definitely consider him to be a brother and now he’s definitely a brother for life now,’’ Peart said Saturday morning on a Zoom call, breaking into a loud and hearty laugh.
“He can’t get rid of me now.’’
Thomas came to the Giants with the No. 4-overall pick and, unless something very strange happens, will be a Day 1 starter. Peart, taken by the Giants with the 99th-overall pick, figures to spend his rookie year getting stronger and learning the ropes in the NFL.
Perhaps, as soon as 2021, Thomas and Peart will be anchors on the offensive line, young bookend tackles protecting Daniel Jones for years to come.
Not all journeys to the NFL follow the same path. Peart’s story began in Kingston, Jamaica, before his family moved to The Bronx when he was four years old. He quickly gravitated to basketball because, well, The Bronx.
“In Jamaica it’s called the concrete jungle,’’ Peart said, chuckling. “It was easier to pick up a ball and shoot some hoops because there weren’t really that many fields open.’’
Peart said, “I kinda fell in love with the Knicks’’ and also picked the Giants as his favorite football team.
His all-time favorite Giants player?
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“Eli Manning, for sure,’’ Peart said. “Tough as nails. I respect his game and respect everything he does for the game.’’
There was no football for Peart until he received a scholarship to attend and board at The Governor’s Academy in Byfield, Mass., part of the Oliver Scholars Program that provides opportunities to top students in the tri-state area. His first college offer came from the University at Albany. He committed to UConn a week before national signing day and ended up starting at left tackle his first two years and at right tackle his junior and senior years.
Peart no longer lives in The Bronx — his family a year ago moved upstate to Fishkill. He said his mother “started going crazy’’ when the Giants called and friends and family connected on Zoom were doing the same, through their computer screens.
“It was just a great time seeing everyone near and dear to my heart happy and joyous for the moment,’’ Peart said. “Growing up I always wanted to be a Giant. I’m happy to put on the blue. It still feels so surreal to me.’’
