Best draft picks in New York Giants history
Stacker compiled a list of the best draft picks in New York Giants history using career Weighted Approximate Value (wAV), a metric developed by Pro-Football-Reference.com to estimate career impact. The ranking also lists individual accolades such as Pro Bowl selections, First-Team All-Pro honors, and total years as a starter. Players were assigned to their originally drafted teams, excluding any draft-day trades. Data is as of April 2026.
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#10. Fred Dryer (1969, Round 1, Pick 13)
– Position: DE
– Career wAV: 80
– Pro Bowls: 1
– First-Team All-Pro: 0
– Games Played: 176
– Seasons as Starter: 11
#9. Jessie Armstead (1993, Round 8, Pick 207)
– Position: LB
– Career wAV: 81
– Pro Bowls: 5
– First-Team All-Pro: 1
– Games Played: 176
– Seasons as Starter: 8
#8. Phil Simms (1979, Round 1, Pick 7)
– Position: QB
– Career wAV: 91
– Pro Bowls: 2
– First-Team All-Pro: 0
– Games Played: 164
– Seasons as Starter: 11
#7. Harry Carson (1976, Round 4, Pick 105)
– Position: LB
– Career wAV: 95
– Pro Bowls: 9
– First-Team All-Pro: 0
– Games Played: 173
– Seasons as Starter: 13
#6. Buck Buchanan (1963, Round 19, Pick 265)
– Position: DT
– Career wAV: 96
– Pro Bowls: 8
– First-Team All-Pro: 4
– Games Played: 182
– Seasons as Starter: 13
#5. Don Maynard (1957, Round 9, Pick 109)
– Position: E
– Career wAV: 101
– Pro Bowls: 4
– First-Team All-Pro: 1
– Games Played: 186
– Seasons as Starter: 13
#4. Tiki Barber (1997, Round 2, Pick 36)
– Position: RB
– Career wAV: 103
– Pro Bowls: 3
– First-Team All-Pro: 1
– Games Played: 154
– Seasons as Starter: 7
#3. Michael Strahan (1993, Round 2, Pick 40)
– Position: DE
– Career wAV: 122
– Pro Bowls: 7
– First-Team All-Pro: 4
– Games Played: 216
– Seasons as Starter: 14
#2. Lawrence Taylor (1981, Round 1, Pick 2)
– Position: LB
– Career wAV: 146
– Pro Bowls: 10
– First-Team All-Pro: 8
– Games Played: 184
– Seasons as Starter: 13
#1. Philip Rivers (2004, Round 1, Pick 4)
– Position: QB
– Career wAV: 150
– Pro Bowls: 8
– First-Team All-Pro: 0
– Games Played: 247
– Seasons as Starter: 15
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