New York acquired Ross Cockrell for a 2018 seventh-round pick…
New York acquired Ross Cockrell for a 2018 seventh-round pick and immediately received starting-caliber cornerback play. Cockrell appeared in all 16 games, started nine, intercepted three passes, and broke up 11 in 2017. Pittsburgh later packaged the No. 220 pick with No. 79 to move up to No. 76, where it drafted Mason Rudolph. The pick had real trade-up utility, but Rudolph's entire career cannot be credited solely to that seventh-rounder, leaving the Giants with the clearer direct return.
New York Giants Received
- player Ross Cockrell
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick 2018 7th round pick (220th overall subsequently traded, Alex McGough )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On September 2, 2017, the Giants sent Pittsburgh a 2018 seventh-round pick for cornerback Ross Cockrell. That selection became No. 220 overall. The trade's proper hindsight comparison is Cockrell's New York production against what Pittsburgh did with the draft asset, not against Alex McGough simply because Seattle eventually used No. 220 to select him.
Pittsburgh Steelers Return
Pittsburgh held the seventh-rounder until the 2018 draft, then combined No. 220 with third-round pick No. 79 in a deal with Seattle for No. 76. The Steelers used No. 76 on quarterback Mason Rudolph. The seventh-round pick therefore had verified trade-up utility, but it was only one piece of the package. Rudolph's full career value cannot be assigned to the Cockrell trade as though No. 220 alone purchased him. A C+ recognizes useful downstream leverage without overstating causation.
New York Giants Return
New York received immediate defensive production. Cockrell played all 16 games in 2017, started nine, recorded three interceptions and 11 passes defensed, and supplied experienced cornerback snaps during a difficult Giants season. He was not a long-term Giant, but the club received a season of meaningful play from a player acquired for a late pick. That supports a B-.
Value in Hindsight
Both teams realized something tangible. The Giants obtained direct on-field value, while Pittsburgh converted the pick into part of a move up the draft board. The later selection of Alex McGough belongs to Seattle, and the later career of Mason Rudolph must be treated as the product of a two-pick package rather than the seventh-rounder by itself.
Final Verdict
New York Giants Win, modestly. New York receives B- for a full season and nine starts from Cockrell. Pittsburgh receives C+ because No. 220 helped facilitate the move to No. 76. The Giants' return is more direct and independently measurable.