The New York Giants are hoping the 2017 NFL Draft at the end of this month can help them make improvements to take a step further into the playoffs. ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay debated who the Giants should take in the first two rounds.

There are plenty of ways the Giants can go with the 23rd overall pick. With Kiper on the board, he took Florida middle linebacker Jarrad Davis, who is his No. 2 ranked inside linebacker.

An ankle injury kept Davis out of workouts at the combine, but he had a spectacular pro day, running a 4.56 40 with a 38½-inch vertical. Kelvin Sheppard started 11 games at middle linebacker for the Giants last season, but he’s a free agent, while 2016 first-round pick B.J. Goodson only played 14 snaps. The versatile Davis, my No. 2 inside linebacker, would slot in on Day 1.

It would be the first time since 1984 that the Giants would take a linebacker in the first round. Given that trend, McShay doesn’t think the Giants will add to the middle of the defense. Instead, they will select Johnathan Hankins’ replacement in Michigan State’s Malik McDowell.

McDowell is the most talented interior pass rusher in the draft, but he didn’t play with the same passion and toughness this past season, which is a red flag. The veterans along the Giants’ defensive line can show him how to be a pro.

Even though the Giants sported one of the best defenses in the NFL last season, there are still areas within that unit that could use an upgrade. Both middle linebacker and defensive tackle are areas that the Giants will most likely address in the draft.

After addressing the defense in the first round, both McShay and Kiper were in agreement with who that Giants should take in the second round. Looking to add a complementary piece in the backfield for Paul Perkins, both analysts predicted the Giants would take Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine.

Perine is one of the toughest running backs I’ve seen in a while, and he’d be a great complementary pounder (5-11, 233) to Paul Perkins, whom the Giants took in the fifth round last year. Perine had 49 touchdown runs in three seasons for the Sooners. – Kiper I agree with everything Mel said. Perine made a habit of plowing through arm tackles at Oklahoma, and he’d take the pressure off Perkins to carry the load in New York’s backfield. – McShay

Perine would fill a void that the Giants haven’t yet addressed in the backfield. Adding a power running back for the short-yardage and goal line situations could help the offense move along while taking some of the work from Perkins.

Regardless of who the Giants take in the first two rounds of the draft, it seems that they are in a strong position to add some playmakers to both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.