It is no secret that linebacker has been a position of liability for the NY Giants for a decade now. The last impactful linebacker to don a Giants uniform came in the form of Antonio Pierce, who retired from the league in 2009.
In addition to not having a game-changer in the middle of their defense since Pierce, the Giants have not spent a first-round pick on the position since they drafted Carl Banks in 1984, with the third overall selection. The Banks selection came just three years after the Giants used the second overall pick in the 1981 draft to select Lawrence Taylor, who combined with Banks and fellow Hall of Famer Harry Carson, gave the Giants one of the greatest linebacking corps in football history.