Trading back to acquire more picks in this year’s NFL Draft, but more importantly to create options at quarterback in 2023 may be the New York Giants’ best bet
The New York Giants find themselves in an interesting position leading up to the NFL Draft.
With two top-10 picks, the Giants have the power to drastically alter the draft.
Every year, teams are willing to offer a hefty trade package to move up to select a quarterback. General manager Joe Schoen and the New York Giants are in the perfect spot to at least entertain some of these offers.
Given that the right team attempts to move up in the draft, the Giants could accumulate quality draft picks for both this year and next. For a team that is attempting to rebuild their roster, accumulating the most draft picks possible could be what is best for them.
If New York can gain a package of picks, including a first this year and next year, they could be headed in the right direction.
With such a deep draft class, particularly in areas where the Giants need to improve, they could trade back anywhere in the first round and find players that will immediately help them. Whether it be at offensive tackle or defensive end, this class will have strong talent anywhere in the first round.
Here are 10 players New York Giants could target if they trade back in the first round
Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson can be an impact player from day one in the NFL.
After spending the past four years at Independence Community College, and the University of Georgia, Johnson found himself at Florida State this past year. In his lone season at FSU, Johnson reached career highs across the board. He also saw his stock soar to an all-time high.
During his two seasons at Georgia, Johnson was put on a defensive line full of NFL talent. While having to split time with other high-level prospects, Johnson still found a way to be effective. In 22 games with the Bulldogs, Johnson recorded 36 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks.
In 2021, his only season at FSU, Johnson doubled every stat that he had in his two years at Georgia. He finished the season starting in all 12 games. He recorded 70 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks.
At 6-4 and 260 pounds, Johnson has the size needed for the modern edge position. His blend of power and speed has allowed him to be effective up to this point. The things that worked for him in college should also allow him to succeed at the next level.
Minnesota’s Boye Mafe has all the characteristics that teams look for in a modern-day edge rusher.
Mafe has the size at 6-4 and 260 pounds. He has the speed, which he has shown on multiple occasions. He solidified this by running a 4.53 40-yard dash.
There is a lot to get excited about when watching Mafe. He has already proven himself as a capable pass rusher, accumulating a total of 15 sacks, with seven of them coming last season.
While Mafe arrived at Minnesota in 2017, his breakout has just come over the past two years. Over his final 19 games, he recorded 61 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks. He has also started just 13 games during his collegiate career.
Many of the critiques in Mafe’s game come from an overall lack of experience and production when on the field. While he has the skillset to dominate, he hasn’t fully played to a level that many believe he can.
Mafe is the type of player that will benefit from learning from the players around him. Given proper coaching and time to develop, he could unlock his full potential. He’ll enter the NFL as a player who can start immediately, but may struggle in the beginning. As he learns, he will only get better.
Michigan’s David Ojabo could be the perfect addition to a rebuilding New York Giants team.
A torn Achilles will, unfortunately, see him slip down draft boards, and could even see him getting taken on day two. Much like the Azeez Ojulari pick last year, the Giants could take a chance on a player that some teams may stay away from.
Ojabo was one of the biggest surprises in all of football last season.
After playing in just six games in 2020, Ojabo appeared in 14 in 2021. He exploded for 35 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and a school-record five forced fumbles.
It is worth noting that Ojabo has only been playing football since his junior year of high school. Since coming to Michigan in 2019, Ojabo has only recorded a total of 560 snaps and 534 of these came in 2021. His resume is strong, but not very long.
Ojabo has everything a team looks for in a speedy edge rusher. He can beat linemen with his moves and can win consistently. Given that he can return to 100% after his achilles injury, he could be a steal for a team, especially when many people saw him as a top-10 pick.
If the New York Giants are willing to be patient and draft a player who won’t make an instant impact due to injury, Ojabo could be the perfect addition. He has all the potential in the world, and given the time to develop, could become a top edge player in the league.
LSU’s Derek Stingley is among one of the most intriguing players to enter the draft in recent history.
After a near-perfect campaign in his freshman season in 2019, Stingley has yet to return to that level. But he can do just that.
Stingley has dealt with his fair share of injuries over the past two seasons which has undoubtedly affected his performance. When healthy, few players can match what he is capable of.
In his freshman season at LSU, there was a case to be made that Stingley was the best defender in all of football. He posted a PFF grade of 91.7 and served as a pivotal piece for the Tiger’s run to a national championship. He recorded 38 tackles, 21 defended passes, and six interceptions. He was also an All-American.
Over the past two seasons, Stingley has played in just 10 games. In that time, he has recorded 35 tackles, six tackles for loss, and zero interceptions. He has also missed 12 games over this stretch.
When on the field, Stingley is a lockdown cornerback. He is effective in both man and zone coverage and can hold his own against even the best receivers. Given that he can stay healthy, Stingley could very well be an elite corner in the near future.
There’s a chance Stingley could go top-10, but if he slides, and the New York Giants move back, he might be an ideal fit for Don “Wink” Martindale’s defense.
Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam could prove to be one of the best cornerbacks in this year’s class.
While he is not viewed on the same level as prospects such as Derek Stingley or Ahmad Gardner, Elam has all the traits that teams look for in a foundational corner.
Elam was a three-year starter at Florida. After making an instant impact in his freshman year, he earned his spot in the secondary. Since arriving in 2019, Elam appeared in 35 total games for Florida. He also missed just three games during his entire career.
In his three seasons, Elam was among the best corners in football, even while playing in the SEC. He recorded 79 tackles, 26 defended passes, and six interceptions.
He played in a total of 959 coverage snaps and consistently proved how good he was. He was targeted just 100 times and allowed 52 receptions for a total of 625 yards. Over the 10 games that he played last season, he allowed just 191 yards.
At 6-1 and 190 pounds, Elam has the size for the position. He has also shown that he is fast enough to keep up with anyone on the field. He can step in and immediately be a solid option at the corner. Given time he could develop into a legitimate force at the position.
Mississippi State’s Charles Cross may be the best pass blocker out of this year’s offensive lineman.
He was dominant at left tackle while in college and was rarely beat. His inexperience in the running game is what has hurt him up to this point when comparing him to other prospects. Just over 20% of his snaps in college were run-blocking plays.
Cross has proven himself to be an elite blocker. He was dominant in an SEC conference full of NFL-bound players. He finished the season with a pass-blocking grade of 87.2. He also allowed just two sacks and 16 total pressures last season while playing in 719 passing downs.
Many have feared that Cross will struggle with a potential move to right tackle. Cross spent significant time at his pro day going through drills with that in mind, making sure to focus on the right tackle side.
If Cross can make a potential move to right tackle, he could be an immediate upgrade for the Giants. He has the talent and experience to show what is capable of.
Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum is a near-perfect prospect.
Linderbaum has shown elite skills in both pass and run blocking. He was also rarely beat, regardless of who was lined up against him. He finished the past season with a PFF grade of 95.4, the highest of any player in division 1.
In the three seasons that he spent at center, Linderbaum logged 2,317 snaps. In that time, he allowed just two sacks and 19 total pressures.
At 6-2 and 296 pounds, Linderbaum is seen as somewhat undersized for the center position, but this hasn’t impacted him yet. He has been dominant and typically won due to his athleticism.
Linderbaum will immediately come into the league and produce at the center position. He will heavily influence the run game and will play a large role in the success of the passing game.
Zion Johnson has separated himself as one of the top offensive line prospects in this year’s class. Johnson, a three-year starter at Boston College, also spent two seasons playing at Davidson College.
After transferring to Boston College, Johnson showed improvement with each season. This past season he was among the best guards in the nation. He played in a total of 777 snaps and allowed just one sack and six total pressures. He also posted PFF grades of 81.6 in pass blocking, 84.4 in run blocking, and an overall grade of 84.4.
Over the past three seasons, Johnson has started 30 games and appeared in 36. In this time he has amassed 2,288 total snaps. He has played at a consistent level. He allowed just three sacks over this entire stretch. It is also worth noting that he has been penalized just four times over this amount of time as well.
Johnson is also one of the more experienced players in this year’s class. He has played in 58 collegiate games and has spent time at both left tackle and left guard. While he is projected to be a guard in the NFL, the experience at tackle could prove to be extremely beneficial.
Utah’s Devin Lloyd has solidified himself as the best linebacker in this year’s class. He has all the makings of an elite player and could become that sooner rather than later.
During his three years as a starter at Utah, Lloyd set himself apart as one of the best linebackers in football. Over his final 33 games, he recorded 249 tackles, 43 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, and five touchdowns. He finished the season leading the team in tackles, tackles for loss, and interceptions.
Lloyd has set himself apart from nearly all of the other linebackers in this year’s class. He plays a style of football that embodies the modern linebacker. He can keep up with nearly anyone in coverage, can catch things thrown his way, and plays a smart style of football.
With veteran linebacker Blake Martinez coming off of a torn ACL and restructuring his deal, he could be entering his final season with the Giants. By adding Lloyd, New York would be solidifying the position for the foreseeable future.
Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean is one of the more interesting linebacker prospects in this year’s class.
At 5-11 and 229 pounds, he isn’t the biggest player, but that hasn’t hurt him up to this point. He plays just as fast and big as many of the other players in this class and has a resume that is significantly more polished than theirs.
After taking a starting role in 2020, Dean emerged as the best linebacker on a strong Georgia defense. He led the team in tackles in 2020 and added even more in 2021. Last season he was an All-American and voted as the nation’s top linebacker.
In 39 career games, Dean has recorded 168 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 10 broken-up passes, and generated five turnovers.
Dean has achieved much of his success by using his speed. He can impact plays before they get the opportunity to fully develop and he is a force across the entire field. He can also heavily influence both the pass and run defense for any team that he’s on.
He has recorded 1,442 snaps in his career, proving how reliable he can be. He has spent time in all areas of the defense, recording over 200 snaps in pass-rushing, run-defense, and coverage.
Given a team isn’t discouraged by his size, Dean can be an elite NFL player. He plays a style of football that allowed him to be successful in a difficult SEC conference. Given he falls to the right team, Dean can make an immediate impact in the NFL.