The New York Giants’ overdue rebuild under new general manager Joe Schoen will likely be built around the 2022 NFL Draft
Joe Schoen arrives in East Rutherford as the New York Giants’ new general manager with a track record of building dominance along both lines of scrimmage during his time with the Buffalo Bills, and an uphill battle to replicate that success in East Rutherford.
Fortunately for Schoen and the Giants, New York owns a pair of top-10 picks and nine total selections in the 2022 NFL Draft, which could prove the foundation of a new era of success.
Because the New York Giants begin this offseason upwards of $10 million over the salary cap, hitting on as many picks as possible during the draft will be critical in turning the fortunes of a franchise that has suffered through double-digit losing seasons each of the past five years.
Here’s our latest New York Giants’ seven-round mock draft projection, which could set a Super Bowl foundation while following Joe Schoen’s playbook:
Thibodeaux is viewed by many as the premier prospect in this year’s class, and potentially the No. 1 overall pick.
However, the Oregon star slips to the New York Giants with the No. 5 overall pick in this projection, and Schoen sprints the team’s card with Thibodeaux’s name on it to commissioner Roger Goodell.
Thibodeaux has the skill-set and potential to be the New York Giants’ answer to a longstanding lack of pressure off the edge.
This past season, Thibodeaux produced seven sacks, two forced fumbles, and a career-high 49 total tackles as one of the most dominant defenders in the nation. Despite battling through various injuries, Pro Football Focus credits Thibodeaux with one of the highest pass-rush win rates in the nation in 2021. Thibodeaux would be a welcomed addition to Wink Martindale’s defense, and the kind of player the veteran coordinator has built his schemes around over the past decade.
During Schoen’s tenure with the Bills, working alongside general manager Brandon Beane, the Bills invested at least one pick along the lines of scrimmage each of the past five years, which would be a smart formula to apply to the New York Giants’ 2022 NFL Draft.
By some accounts, Linderbaum might be the premier offensive lineman in this year’s class, with the potential to be a dominant center for the next decade.
Especially given the uncertainty surrounding Nick Gates’ future, following a gruesome injury suffered early last season, Linderbaum very well might be the player sitting atop the New York Giants’ draft board.
Linderbaum produced a career-high 95.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season, while allowing just one sack and four quarterback pressures, against some of the Big Ten’s premier defenses.
If the New York Giants are truly committed to building an offense around Daniel Jones, committing to keeping the fourth-year quarterback upright needs to be a priority. That might start with Linderbaum anchoring a rebuilt offensive line.
There’s a very real possibility, after a dominant season and given Penn State‘s track record of top prospects dominating the pre-draft process, that Arnold Ebiketie hears his name called during the first round.
However, if Ebiketie slips into Round 2 come April, the New York Giants would be wise to redouble its commitment to building a dominant pass-rush by selecting him.
Ebiketie arrived in Happy Valley via the transfer portal last spring and was instrumental in powering the Nittany Lions to a top-10 defense nationally in 2021.
In his lone season in a Penn State uniform, Ebiketie produced a 91.8 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus, during a 9.5 sack, two forced fumble, and 62 total tackle campaign.
Following a standout performance during the Senior Bowl earlier this month, Ebikietie seems poised to follow in the footsteps of Nittany Lion edge rushers like Odafe Oweh and Micah Parsons as impact rookies. Ebikietie would certainly fit right into a rebuilt Giants’ pass-rush.
Following Dave Gettleman’s failure to follow through on building the New York Giants’ offensive line into a dominant foundation, Schoen is tasked with mining potentially as many as four new starters this offseason.
Pairing Boston College stalwart Zion Johnson as a bookend to left tackle Andrew Thomas has the potential to jumpstart a pivotal rebuild in front of Jones and running back Saquon Barkley.
Johnson, 6-foot-3 and 316 pounds, allowed just one sack for the Boston College Eagles last season, while producing a career-high 84.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
A dominant road-grader in the running game, Johnson also does a nice job in pass-protection.
If Johnson is available when the third round comes around, continuing in the Bills’ mold of fortifying both lines through the draft and selecting him would be a wise decision for the Giants.
In Buffalo, Dawson Knox quickly developed into one of Josh Allen’s favorite targets, and the security-blanket the pass-catching tight end provided has proven critical to the young quarterback’s ascension among the NFL’s elite.
Ferguson just might have the potential to offer similar upside to Jones, as he begins his fourth NFL season and the New York Giants must make a decision once and for all about his ceiling in this league.
Last season, Ferguson caught 46 passes for 450 yards and three touchdowns, while averaging 9.8 yards per reception. In four seasons as a starter in Madison, Ferguson was a mainstay in the Badgers’ passing game, catching 145 passes for 1,618 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Especially given the potential Evan Engram departs via free agency, Ferguson may prove an ideal fit for the New York Giants and provide high upside in a new-look offense.
There are myriad reasons the New York Giants should draft a quarterback this spring.
The most obvious is an insurance policy on Jones, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in December, but there is far more upside to continuing to invest in the most important position in team sports.
Given that Brian Daboll is importing a new offense, adding a young developmental quarterback is wise for the New York Giants, both in the event injuries press him into action but also as a potential trade chip if a veteran quarterback gets injured at some point during the preseason or early in the 2022 campaign … or in future years.
Purdy capped his standout season with an appearance in the East-West Shrine Game after 71.7 percent of his passes for 3,188 yards with 19 touchdowns to eight interceptions in 2021.
There’s a legitimate possibility, as Schoen moves to create $40 million in cap space, that the New York Giants move on from James Bradberry this offseason. That would obviously create a gaping hole in the secondary, and an opportunity for a young player to emerge.
Arizona State’s Chase Lucas is an intriguing prospect who could be a plug-and-play starter this September.
Lucas, six-feet and 185 pounds, has elite awareness after starting for five seasons in the Sun Devils’ secondary.
This past season, Lucas produced 34 total tackles and broke up six passes.
Continuing to add defensive backs, during an era where the sport is so tilted towards the passing game, is never a bad idea.
Smoke Monday’s physicality and versatility could make him a nice addition to a young New York Giants’ secondary that is among the strongest positions on the roster.
Last season, Monday produced 63 total tackles with one interception and five pass breakups. Monday might be the kind of player capable of stepping in and replacing Jabrill Peppers, who could depart via free agency this offseason.
The New York Giants, as a franchise, are a prime example of why there is no such thing as too much quality depth along the offensive line.
Over the past five seasons, if not longer, the Giants’ offensive line has been among the roster’s biggest weaknesses.
Given Matt Peart’s disappointing second season, and the Giants entering the offseason upwards of $10 million over the cap, it wouldn’t be surprising in the last to see Schoen invest multiple picks along the offensive line.
Stueber, if he lasts this late, could be a perfect fit, especially after his dominant performance up front was key to paving the way to the Wolverines’ winning the Big Ten Championship and appearing in the College Football Playoff last season.