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There was universal (and unfair) outrage over the Giants' first-round pick. And as much as they needed a quarterback of the future, it's a fair point that Duke's Daniel Jones likely won't help the Giants this year.
That, many said, was proof that Gettleman was lying about his "win now" philosophy. That, they argued, showed the Giants really were a rebuilding team.
But it's hard to argue that based on what Gettleman did with the rest of the draft.
With the nine other picks he made in his second draft as GM of the Giants, Gettleman seemed to do exactly what he promised he would: Get some immediate help, especially for his beleaguered defense. And this is what he came up with: A massive anchor in the middle of the defensive line. A starting cornerback, and possibly a starting slot corner. A deep threat receiver. A special teams dynamo. And, if his third-round gamble on the first player ever drafted out of Old Dominion pays off, he found a dynamic situational pass rusher, too.
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That's a pretty good job of rebuilding the Giants' defense quickly and filling holes all over the lineup. He missed a few spots - most notably along the offensive line. And the jury will remain out on the quarterback, probably, until 2020. But he got enough immediate help to make the Giants' overall draft grade a B - even if Gettleman would've graded his effort a little higher.
"As far as I'm concerned," he said on Saturday, "we had a hell of a weekend."
No doubt his defensive coordinator, James Bettcher, would agree. It's a lock that the two defensive players the Giants took in the first round - Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and George cornerback Deandre Baker - will be plugged right in to the starting lineup. And Julian Love, the cornerback out of Notre Dame the Giants got in the fourth round, could compete with Sam Beal, last year's supplemental draft pick, for a semi-starting job in the slot.
That's three solid players and possible rookie starters in the first four rounds, which is fantastic. Gettleman probably took a little too big of a risk on Oshane Ximines out of Old Dominion in the third round, because he desperately needed pass rushing help and it could take a small school player like that a couple of years to really make the jump to the NFL. But when a team has 10 picks, it can afford a few risks, even if that one did come a little too high.
Video: NFL Draft: New York Giants hits & misses
So Gettleman made the Giants' defense better. His pick of Washburn cornerback Corey Ballentine in the sixth round could really help their special teams. Grabbing Auburn receiver Darius Slayton in the fifth round adds another offensive weapon and a deep threat the Giants didn't really seem to have.
Could they have used a tackle and a bigger receiver? Absolutely. And the players he added aren't exactly instant game-changers, but they are a group of solid players with high ceilings who will make the Giants a better team.
Not that anyone will care if Jones turns out to be a bust. The truth is, we're not likely to know that for a few years anyway. So try not to obsess over that pick, at least for the moment. Time will tell if Gettleman was right about him. For now, the Giants defense got a lot of much-needed help. And yes, that really could help them win now.
THE GRADES
QB Daniel Jones, Duke (first round, 6th overall) -- B-plus
It's unpopular, but the Giants had to get their Quarterback of the Future, and good for them not waiting until 17 - because he absolutely would not have still been there. Jones is an Eli Manning clone who is liked far better by NFL people than, apparently, Giants fans.
DT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson (first, 17th) - B
He's a big pick, just not a sexy one. Putting this 6-4, 342-pounder in the middle of the defensive line could have the kind of impact the addition of Damon "Snacks" Harrison did a few years ago.
CB Deandre Baker, Georgia (first, 30th) - A-minus
Trading back into the first round was aggressive, but the Giants desperately needed cornerback health. He was the first CB off the board and many considered him the best cover corner in the draft.
LB Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion (third, 95th) - C-plus
He's a sack machine, but this is an awfully big risk considering he's a small school kid and the first every drafted out of ODU. He did OK at the Senior Bowl, but can he hold his own in the NFL?
CB Julian Love, Notre Dame (fourth, 108th) - A-minus
Tremendous value this late on a smart, ball-hawking corner with 4.54 speed. At 5-11, 195, he might be more suited for the slot. Whatever, the Giants' corner corps is now deep.
LB Ryan Connelly, Wisconsin (fifth, 143rd) - C-plus
A typical, undersized (6-2, 245) Badger linebacker, who is smart and a hard-worker and plays better than it looks like he will. Good for depth and special teams.
WR Darius Slayton, Auburn (fifth, 171st) - B-minus
The Giants needed some size in their receiving corps, and the 6-1, 190-pound Slayton isn't exactly it. But he's fast - very fast, with a 4.39 40 time. He's a stretch the field guy, though if he adds some muscle there's potential for more.
CB Corey Ballentine, Washburn (sixth, 180th) - A-minus
This is a great place to take a chance on a small-school guy, but his skills and performance at the Senior Bowl show he might not be much of a risk. He's small (5-11, 196) but he's got 4.47 speed and is a special teams demon with a knack for blocking kicks.
OL George Asafo-Adjei, Kentucky (seventh, 232nd) - C
Did Gettleman really wait this long to draft an offensive linemen? That's a bet many would've lost. The 6-5, 315-pounder figured more likely to be an undrafted free agent, but a seventh-round flier on him is fine.
DT Chris Slayton, Syracuse (seventh, 245th) - B
He's got good size for the middle of the defensive line (6-4, 307), but his production didn't match his ability in college. His potential is high, though, so he's the perfect late-round sleeper and can help on special teams and with depth.
OVERALL: B
I admire Gettleman for being aggressive and getting a quarterback he loved, even though many don't. Regardless, he plugged a lot of holes with this draft. His secondary is now a lot better, his defense is deeper, and that was a priority. He's taking a big chance on a small-school pass rusher in the third round, and it's strange he only took one offensive lineman (and not until Round 7). But overall, the Giants got a lot of help.