NY Giants Rumors: Victor Cruz Injury Makes DeVante Parker, Breshad Perriman Draft Targets Over Brandon Scherff?

The NY Giants are hoping that Victor Cruz returns healthy from knee surgery in 2015, but GM Jerry Reese may not rely on that heading into the draft, as players like Kevin White, DeVante Parker, Phillip Dorsett, Breshad Perriman, Jaelen Strong, Amari Cooper and Justin Hardy could be potential options and this comes as reports have Brandon Scherff as a first round target.

The Giants have a first round pick in the top 10 this year for the first time in a number of years and that means they will get a talented prospect no matter who they take. Last year the team hit gold with Odell Beckham as their first round pick and now the team could get an impact player like that again. As many Giants fans have come to learn over the years, Jerry Reese often uses the mantra of picking the "best player" on the board over going for needs early on.

Beckham fit into that last year, but he also fit a major need for the team and now Reese could end up in the same position. The team picks at ninth overall and while a trade is possible, the team is likely sticking with the pick. According to Big Blue View at SB Nation, Brandon Scherff has come up in numerous mock drafts, the Giants need some depth and help on the offensive line. The team has also been mentioned in connection with Parker, Strong, Landon Collins and Amari Cooper, although Cooper will likely not be on the board when they pick.

All of this is framed through the Cruz injury, which happened in the middle of last season and allowed Beckham to emerge as a top threat. Cruz led the Giants in receiving the previous two years and signed a big extension in the offseason, but he ended up tearing his patellar tendon against the Eagles. According to Pro Football Talk, Cruz said that his recovery is going well and while he is on track to start the season healthy, he added that "there is a long way to go" before he is cleared.

With all that in mind, Reese will have to balance needs and what the draft board dictates in the first round and that could lead him to a receiver. The Giants like what Beckham did last season and they also have Rueben Randle as a young option, but they will need depth if Cruz is not at 100 percent next year. The WR class for this year is top heavy and deep, which allows for the Giants to choose how they want to attack things.

While Cooper and possibly White will be off the board when they pick, the team should have a shot at Parker and they also could look at Strong as an option. Perriman and Dorsett each put up strong 40-times and they may not be available in the second round when the Giants pick. Eli Manning is coming off of a bounce back season and he needs as much offensive help as he can get at receiver. The Giants have a number of options with their pick and they likely will go with a WR at some point in the draft.