NY Giants mock draft: Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle or Va Tech’s Caleb Farley at No. 11?

Slated to pick No. 11 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, general manager Dave Gettleman just might have the opportunity to fill a glaring need on the roster in the first-round, if the board plays out similarly to the latest NY Giants mock draft projections.

This will be a pivotal — potentially make or break — offseason for Gettleman. The NY Giants’ embattled general manager  must set out to upgrade the talent at wide receiver, offensive tackle, linebacker, edge rusher, and cornerback with relatively limited cap space and for the first time in his tenure a selection that falls outside the draft’s top-ten picks.

There’s a chance that two of the highest-ranked prospects at their positions, which also happen to be positions of need for the Giants; Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley and Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, could be available when New York goes on the clock.

In Pro Football Focus’ latest 2021 NFL Mock Draft projection, Gettleman and the NY Giants add a potentially game-altering weapon to quarterback Daniel Jones’ arsenal, selecting No. 11 overall:

"Daniel Jones probably impressed the Giants brass just enough to keep his job another year, so they must protect him any way they can. They took a tackle last season, so NFL logic dictates that they can’t take another offensive lineman. This means Jaylen Waddle is coming to the Big Apple.Stylistically, Waddle is my favorite receiver in the draft — the speed is shocking. It shouldn’t be legal to average 11.2 yards after the catch per reception, as Waddle did over the past two years at Alabama."

Waddle would arrive in East Rutherford and vault to the top of what has become an inconsistent wide receiver depth chart.

While Waddle lacks the ideal frame, standing just 5-foot-10 and 182 pounds, the Houston native more than makes up for with the kind of speed that makes him a consistent threat to get behind a defense.

As a junior in 2020, Waddle caught 28 passes for 591 yards and four touchdowns, while averaging 21.1 yards per reception.

If the Giants’ offense is going to replicate the success that the Buffalo Bills have seen around third-year quarterback Josh Allen, drafting Waddle give Jones the most dangerous collection of skill players possible. Adding Waddle wouldn’t just give the Giants an opportunity to fairly evaluate Jones in his third season, but would help drag the offense from the duldrums of ranking No. 31 in scoring this season.

Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.