As Joe Schoen begins rebuilding the New York Giants, the NFL Draft offers the quickest opportunity set the foundation, and he just may be aggressive
The New York Giants are a franchise in need of a new direction, but fortunately, they have the draft capital to start to turn things around in next month’s NFL Draft.
We take a look at some of the players they could be after in this latest New York Giants Mock Draft.
If new General Manager Joe Schoen gets off to a strong start in the draft, the Giants could snap their five-year streak of losing seasons sooner rather than later. He’ll come out firing early, with the fifth and seventh overall picks.
The New York Giants also have an extra pick in both the third and fifth rounds, and while those are less exciting than a pair of top-seven picks, for a roster in need of a major infusion of talent, having extra ammunition in the mid-to-late rounds presents the opportunity to increase the odds of hitting on a pick, and on a cheap contract.
That’s a huge added bonus for a team that’s under salary cap pressure.
The New York Giants obviously have major needs, and will likely be hoping to address the offensive line and pick up help in the pass rush department. But just as much, they need an infusion of talent. With that in mind, let’s hop into it in what turned out to be a very exciting simulation of the draft.
In this New York Giants mock draft, they pulled off two trades, found two late-round players with sub-4.4 40 times, and identified a sleeper red zone target in the late rounds.
Round 1, Pick No. 5: Ikem “Ickey” Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State
With a couple of EDGE rushers leaving the board early in this New York Giants mock draft, they are faced with a choice between two offensive lineman: Ikem Ekwonu and Charles Cross.
Of course, there’s always a chance they could get both, but they have to pick the more important one for the fifth overall pick. These two are rated No. 5 and No. 6 on the Pro Football Focus Draft Board, but Ekwonu offers more versatility – he’s played both guard and tackle at the college level.
That creates optionality early in his career as head coach Brian Daboll would have options on how to get the best five linemen on the field.
It also means that he could be penciled in as a left guard, but slide out to left tackle if Andrew Thomas falters or in the event of an injury. Every year it seems that more and more key players are suffering injuries in the NFL, so versatility can be highly valuable along the offensive line.
But let’s not sell “Ickey” short, he’s 6-foot-4 and weighs 320 pounds but still runs the 40′ in 4.93 seconds. He’s an absolutely dominant run blocker, and an improving pass blocker with all of the natural talent to be a franchise player.
Round 1, Pick No. 7: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
As it turns out, the New York Giants have the chance to get a pair of elite linemen at the top of this draft and we opt to do it.
If Andrew Thomas continues to play at a high level, after taking these two behemoths in the top seven picks, New York would feel pretty confident that they have their LT, LG, and RT for the better part of the next decade.
The added benefit is that in a make-or-break year for Daniel Jones, in the final year of his rookie deal, the young quarterback would enjoy the benefits of a much-improved offensive line.
In many cases that can be the difference between the types of performances the Giants have seen thus far from Jones, and the kind of play that could rocket him into the top 10-15 spots among quarterbacks in the league.
Make no mistake, Cross is projected to be NFL ready, as you would expect with a top 10 pick.
Cross is an elite pass blocker, and part of the reason is his football IQ and good fundamentals. He’s great in the run game too, but coming from the Air Raid offense, he’s got more experience protecting his quarterback than opening holes on the ground.
Now it’s time for some creativity in this New York Giants mock draft, as the opportunity to accumulate even more picks presents itself.
Round 2, Pick No. 37: TRADE
Things get very interesting when the New York Giants move onto the clock in the 37th overall slot.
There can be a hesitancy to trade back when you’re a team in desperate need of talent, but sometimes that’s the right time to do it. It’s not like there’s anyone on the board at #37 who will be the difference in the Giants being a contender or not. In fact, in this particular New York Giants mock draft, there were three EDGE rushers on the board who would have made sense: Boye Mafe, Kingsley Enagbare, and Nik Bonitto.
In the mock draft simulation, the Colts were interested in trading up from No. 41, and did not have an immediate need for a pass rusher. So essentially, the trade was a gamble that there wouldn’t be a three-team run on edge rushers at 38-39-40. That seemed unlikely, and the potential return was too good to pass up, so we pulled the trigger.
GIANTS RECEIVE: Pick No. 41, Pick No. 106 (4th Round), Pick No. 227 (7th round)
COLTS RECEIVE: Pick No. 37
On the famous draft trade chart, the New York Giants would be giving up 530 points of value and receiving 573 points of value.
Sometimes teams overpay when they have their sights set on a particular player.
Round 2, Pick No. 41: TRADE
All three of our targets remain, and Seattle wants to trade up now.
They’ve got the 43rd pick, and thus it’s impossible for all three of our targets to be gone. Of course, in the real world, the New York Giants scouts may possess a strong preference towards one in particular, which could stop this type of wheeling and dealing.
But, you also have to keep in mind that in many ways, the draft will always be a crapshoot. Only around 50% of second-round picks actually work out, so adding more lottery tickets can be a good strategy.
We pull the trigger again.
GIANTS RECEIVE: Pick No. 43, Pick No. 118 (4th round), Pick No. 236 (7th round)
SEAHAWKS RECEIVE: Pick No. 41
We’ve moved back a mere six spots, are guaranteed to still get one of our three targets, and we’ve added two fourth rounders and two seventh rounders. Not too bad!
Round 2, Pick No. 43: Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma
Some of the discussion I’ve seen around potential New York Giants draft targets notes their obvious need for edge rushers, but seems to ignore that new defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale seems to value versatility over pure pass-rush skills.
Martindale is a notoriously aggressive blitzer, and he likes to bring pressure from different angles, so he needs EDGE rushers who can also drop into coverage.
Enter Nik Bonitto.
According to NFL Draft Buzz, his athleticism and coverage skills in both man and zone schemes make him highly versatile. They cite his speed in the pass rush as his key weapon, but also note his ability to set the edge against the run. He’s not going to overpower his opponents, but in a scheme that relies more on misdirection, and as a pass-rushing outside linebacker, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Bonitto has certainly been productive in his time with the Sooners. In his last two years at Oklahoma, Bonitto had 16 sacks in 21 games, while also racking up 26.5 tackles for a loss. Last year he forced one fumble and recovered two.
Round 3, Pick No. 69: Cameron Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State
This linebacker-turned-defensive end put on 35 pounds in his time at San Diego State and heads into the draft as a powerful rusher who has heaps of strength.
Thomas projects more as a defensive end in a 4-3, but I couldn’t resist when he was still available this deep into the New York Giants mock draft.
He had 10.5 sacks last year as a junior, and in today’s NFL, you can’t have too many players who are capable of getting to the quarterback. Thomas is also versatile, albeit in a different way than Bonitto. His main weakness in scouting reports is endurance, as his performance can trail off late in games. He’s a capable power rusher, and he’s not a guy you want dropping into coverage. He also has lined up all across the defensive line in college, even in a 0 technique sometimes.
Call me crazy, but isn’t he the perfect weapon in passing situations on third down and late in games? He’s a bit undersized for a 3-4 defensive end, but that’s okay in a purely passing situation. Given his experience lining up across the line of scrimmage, he could also be the type of situational pass-rushing weapon that you move around the line of scrimmage. He could line up as an OLB and then move to a position along the defensive line before the snap, making things more confusing for the opposing offense.
Round 3, Pick No. 79: Dylan Parham, OG/C, Memphis
It’s no secret that the Giants need a lot of help along the offensive line, so even after drafting two offensive linemen in the top seven slots, don’t be surprised if they nab a couple more – especially if they end up stockpiling extra picks as we did.
Parham didn’t allow a sack in 11 games last year, and only allowed 10 pressures on 545 snaps in pass protection. He primarily played right guard last year for Memphis, and he’s also played right tackle. However, some scouts think his best position in the NFL would be center. The theme of this New York Giants mock draft seems to be versatility thus far, but it makes a ton of sense in this situation.
I’m always a big fan of drafting versatile linemen in the middle rounds because if they aren’t quite good enough to be NFL starters, they can be extremely valuable backups.
Round 4, Pick No. 106: Ed Ingram, G, Louisiana State
Again we find ourselves in a situation with two picks bunched together at 106 and 109, and I have my eye on two players and have to decide who’s more likely to be available at 109.
I decide to take Ed Ingram here. At this point in this New York Giants mock draft, I’m mildly annoyed that I’ve drafted so many offensive linemen, but at the end of the day you can’t stray too far from the board and the best player available.
In addition, the reality is that at this stage in the draft no pick is a favorite to end up a long-term starter. If the Giants feel like they have three offensive line spots locked down after the first-round picks, then they can add a few mid rounders and hope that when the dust settles in a few years, they’ve built a young group of starters that can hold down the line for several years.
Ingram is also quite a bit different than Parham. He’s less experienced and less polished but plays with more of a mean streak. Perhaps if the Giants managed to hit on both picks, they’d compliment each other well.
Round 4, Pick No. 109: JoJo Domann, LB/S, Nebraska
Perhaps JoJo Domann is a man with no position, but perhaps he’s just a man in search of the right defensive coordinator to put him in the right variety of positions. Domann’s scouting report reads like a coach’s dream in many ways. He’s a great leader, he has good fundamentals and football IQ, and he’s a strong wrap-up tackler. He uses his instincts well. The problem is that he’s a bit too slow to be a safety and a bit too small to be a linebacker.
A slight difference in one of those areas could move him up a couple of rounds, but the idea here is to try to capitalize on everything else and plug him into a scheme that might be a good fit. According to NFL Draft Buzz, Domann “has had some success as a pass rusher – although he’s not going to beat anyone with a bull rush.” They also point out that he could play any linebacker spot, and drop into coverage, “Fluid and quick drop into zone, covers enough ground to be Tampa-2 ‘MIKE’ and knows where the markers are.”
The middle linebacker in the Tampa-2 covers the deep middle of the field, so that’s a ringing endorsement of his coverage abilities for a linebacker. It sounds to me like he might be the perfect fit in a role where his defensive coordinator wants to mix up sending him on blitzes with some misdirection, or dropping into coverage. He can run with some tight ends, too.
This is the type of pick that is either likely to be a home run or a bust, but in the fourth round I’m more than okay with that.
Round 4, Pick No. 118: DeAngelo Malone, EDGE, Western Kentucky
Keep in mind that Cameron Thomas may not be the perfect fit for an outside linebacker in Martindale’s defensive scheme, and it might make sense to snag a guy who projects into that role if he is able to keep developing. That’s what I see in DeAngelo Malone.
Scouting reports say he’s great against the run and strong in coverage, and that he’s improving but has more work to do as a pass rusher. He’s got the quickness needed, though, so it’s a matter of improving his fundamentals and angles.
Can Martindale and company coach him up into an every-down player? I think there’s a chance. If not, I could foresee Malone being a two-down linebacker, and Thomas taking his spot when it’s a more obvious pass-rushing down.
Round 5, Pick No. 146: Zyon McCollum, CB/S, Sam Houston State
Not many people on this planet can run a 4.33 40 yard dash. Even fewer can do that and play NFL caliber football.
Even fewer, still, are available in the fifth round of the draft. But this time, Zyon McCollum was. After considering him in the fourth round, I couldn’t pass him up in the fifth.
On top of his speed, he’s heralded as a physical defender against the run and a willing tackler. His frame could pack on more muscle, and due to his physicality, he could even turn into a safety if his agility does not allow him to be an NFL cornerback. Anytime I see a player with these physical tools and two ways to stick in the NFL, that strikes me as great value this late in this New York Giants mock draft.
Round 5, Pick No. 171: Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia
There’s a lot less space in the red zone, so one thing that can help is verticality.
Whether it be leaping ability or height, it creates the opportunity for the quarterback to put the ball where only his receiver can get it. Woods is 6’7″ and weighs 269 pounds. He started his college career at Oklahoma State, where he didn’t get many opportunities as a pass-catcher.
A transfer to Virginia allowed him to showcase those skills, and boy did he ever. In his lone year with the Cavaliers, Woods caught 44 passes for 598 yards and 8 touchdowns in 11 games.
Woods’ arms are more than 34 inches long, which just seems unfair on top of his height. Oh yeah, and he runs a 4.61 40. At that height, and at that weight. Who the heck is going to cover this guy? Sure, his route running and quickness aren’t as good, but the first can be coached, and did I mention he’s 6’7″, nearly 270 pounds, and runs a 4.61?
It seems to me that with those numbers, he doesn’t have to run the best routes ever to be a nightmare to cover. How many people can stay with him and contest balls thrown that high in the air? But, even if he’s ultimately only useful in the red zone, that’s great value in the fifth round!
Round 6, Pick No. 183: Malcolm Rodriguez, LB, Oklahoma State
Malcolm Rodriguez would be another ‘tweener for the Giants in this mock draft, but that also means a guy you can lineup at linebacker and drop into coverage, or lineup in the secondary and send after the quarterback.
The main knock on Rodriguez is his size, at 5’11 and 225 pounds, he’s going to be overpowered in the box in the NFL too often.
But he’s good in coverage, reads the quarterback well, and can throw a big hit. He’s got solid speed for a linebacker. He was obviously productive at Oklahoma State. Last year he had 129 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, three sacks, an interception, four passes defended, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
If he’s going to make it in the NFL, it’s going to be as a weapon that gets moved around the defense. Perhaps Wink is the right coordinator to try to make that happen.
Round 7, Pick No. 227: Cameron Jurgens, C, Nebraska
It’s easy to look at this pick and be frustrated by another offensive lineman, I get it. But at this point in the New York Giants mock draft, we’re not expecting to draft starters for 2022 or even 2023. You’re looking more at long-term projects, or perhaps people who can contribute situationally. Jurgens would be a project. He could put on a bit more weight for the NFL, at 6’3 and 290 pounds, and his technique needs refinement. But he has the physical tools that give him a chance to succeed.
He also started 18 consecutive games at center for Nebraska, which tells you something. While he may need some work for the NFL level, he can obviously play. Perhaps he turns into a starter in a few years, but even if he ends up as a backup, he’d be valuable depth at that point.
Round 7, Pick No. 236: Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
For a moment, it looked as though Tyquan Thornton had broken the NFL Scouting Combine record for the 40-yard dash at 4.21 seconds.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1499557673330782237
However, in the end, the official time was 4.28 seconds – six one-hundredths of a second short of the record. That was pretty much all I needed to know to feel good about taking a flyer on Thornton in the seventh round. And at 6’2 and 3/8ths and 180 pounds, it’s not like Thornton’s just a track star with no size.
According to Pro Football Network, he uses his speed and quick-twitch ability well but could improve some of his route-running fundamentals, and doesn’t currently run the full route tree. He also needs to add some strength to improve his ability to catch contested passes.
Of course, that’s why he’s still on the board in the seventh round despite catching 62 passes for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns last year in a power conference and running a 4.28 40′. It’s certainly worth the gamble with that kind of upside!
New York Giants Mock Draft Summary: Solidifying the Future
The most fun picks on draft day aren’t usually the ones that build winning franchises. The obvious exception is franchise quarterbacks, but other than that, the most important thing is to build in the trenches. That’s what the Giants did in this mock draft, especially along the offensive line and with the pass rush.
They also took advantage of the opportunity to move back in the draft and add more picks, which is something I think would be wise for the Giants to do this year, given how much talent they need to add.
If Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll come out of the 2022 NFL Draft feeling confident that they’ve set the offensive line up for the next decade and injected some playmakers on defense, that’s a huge win for the Giants.
Stay tuned for another New York Giants Mock Draft in a week, as FanSided stays on top of all of the latest draft developments leading up to next month’s draft.