The New York Giants have had a rough year in 2021, to say the least. Last season, the Giants ended at a 4-13 on the outside looking in. They were dead last in the final NFC East standings and well, it easily helped inspire more than enough reasons why in 2022, it’s all about redemption. 2022 will be a new season filled with optimism and hope that they can at least be a competitive team week in, week out.
It won’t be easy but so far this offseason, Big Blue has made some decent moves to try and have a bounce-back year in 2022. Of course, how they do in the 2022 NFL Draft will truly paint the picture of what their priorities are and how they’ll be shaping the team for a hopefully brighter future.
As of right now, the Giants have several needs to address heading into this year’s draft. It’s no secret that they need help when it comes to their offensive line, pass rush, and adding a few more weapons to help quarterback Daniel Jones get back to winning ways. Hopefully, after this year’s draft is officially in the books, the Giants can be infused with more talent ready to help the cause.
New York Giants have a total of nine picks in the 2022 NFL Draft
At the time of this writing, the Giants have nine picks to work with heading into this year’s draft. As of right now, they are:
Round 1: No. 5
Round 1: No. 7
Round 2: No. 36
Round 3: No. 67
Round 3: No. 81
Round 4: No. 112
Round 5: No. 147
Round 5: No. 173
Round 6: No. 182
It will be very interesting to see how the Giants address their main areas of opportunity, especially with two first-round picks within the top 10 of the draft order. They can go a number of different ways here, trade up, trade down, and who knows what else between now and when they’re on the clock.
New general manager Joe Schoen will have his work cut out for him but make no mistake about it, changes are coming for Big Blue that will bring a new era to the franchise. Hopefully, one that wins a ton of football games and has a lot more homegrown talent all across the roster thanks to this year’s draft.
In this latest Giants mock draft, the Giants use their two first-round picks on a top offensive tackle and defensive end. In the later rounds of the draft, they continue to address their offensive line, add some key weapons on offense, and add important depth on defense that is in dire need of it.
Let’s fire it up!
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 1 (No. 5) – Offensive Tackle Evan Neal
If you want to win more football games, it all comes down to winning the battle of the trenches. A great offensive line is such an important investment for long-term success that the Giants know they need to get an anchor at offensive tackle immediately. This is why it’s a no-brainer when it comes to what they’re doing with the No. 5 overall pick.
With their first pick in this year’s draft, the Giants will select offensive tackle Evan Neal out of Alabama to be that anchor for many years to come. At 6-7 and 350 lbs of pure strength, speed, and awareness, Neal will be a cornerstone on the Giants’ offensive line to help protect the quarterback and excel in keeping defenders at bay.
Neal brings a lot to the table with his ability to think quickly in the heat of the moment and experience at both left and right tackle. The Giants will appreciate his eagerness to perform consistently and get the job done when it matters most. He’s very coachable and can be molded to be extraordinary over his first few years as he gets used to life in the NFL.
As an instant starter for the Giants, Neal will only continue to improve over time and prove that he’s one big part of the puzzle to fix their offensive line woes. It might not be an exciting pick for Giants fans but at the end of the day, bolstering their offensive line with an absolute stud in Neal is exactly what the franchise needs for better seasons ahead.
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 1 (No. 7) – Defensive End Jermaine Johnson
The Giants need help badly when it comes to their overall pass rush as they get lucky when it comes to their No. 7 overall pick. Premier defensive end Jermaine Johnson is still available for the taking and the Giants don’t even hesitate for a second when handing in their pick.
At 6-5 and 262 lbs, Johnson is the real deal and will live up to all the hype he’s been generating this offseason. In just three seasons playing originally for Georgia for two years and ending his collegiate career at Florida State in his final year, Johnson totaled 106 tackles, three forced fumbles, and 18.0 sacks. One can only imagine the kind of production he’s going to have with the Giants.
As soon as his upcoming rookie season, expect to see Johnson be the next household name not only in the city that never sleeps but all across the NFL. He’s built with such speed that Johnson is all about being disruptive in every phase of the game and then some. His pass-rushing skills are amazing and he’s pretty stout against the run.
Johnson has the makings of being a complete package at defensive end for the Giants. They’ve needed to add a dynamic edge rusher such as him for years now and with Johnson coming into the fold, their defense will get that much-needed boost immediately upon his arrival.
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 2 (No. 36) – Offensive Guard Kenyon Green
With Neal now locked in at offensive tackle for the Giants, it’s time to now focus on another part of their offensive line. Using the No. 36 overall pick, the Giants continue to bolster their offensive line by selecting Kenyon Green out of Texas A&M.
Green not only has experience at right and left offensive guard but durability is what he’s all about. He started in every game during his collegiate career and showed his versatility as well as being a plug-and-play offensive lineman covering the tackle position when needed. He’ll more than likely be a guard for the Giants but knowing he can also play tackle is a great utility option to have in the grand scheme of things.
The Giants have had so many offensive line issues over the past few years that it’s crazy to think it’s gone this long without them investing better talent through the draft. Now with Green in the mix, they have one of the best ready to jump in whenever his number is called to do what he does best.
Since the Giants will more than likely have a balanced offensive playbook in 2022, Green excels when it comes to rushing plays which should undoubtedly help the ground game. He has a high football IQ and picks things up pretty quickly which bodes well for his chances to be a stellar offensive lineman for Big Blue. Green has starting material written all over him and with continued coaching at the pro level, will make quite a name for himself sooner rather than later.
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 3 (No. 67) – Tight End Trey McBride
Now with their offensive line improved, it’s time for the Giants to start investing in some actual weapons to keep those chains moving. Tight end Trey McBride has been the talk of the offseason as he’s considered one of the top tight ends coming out of this year’s draft.
Sometimes players that are ranked so high just fall through the cracks based on the various needs of other teams, unfortunately. Such is the case here as the Giants realize in the 3rd round that drafting McBride is an incredible steal of a pick and is the route they go in. McBride is the kind of tight end that can start immediately and take care of business the moment he steps foot on the field.
In four seasons at Colorado State, McBride totaled 2,100 receiving yards, 164 receptions, and 10 touchdowns. His 12.8 yards per reception will be a welcomed sight for Giants fans as maybe giving Jones a younger and better playmaker with the potential to be a star at tight end is exactly the security blanket he needed on offense.
Considering that the Giants do want to keep their offense balanced as mentioned earlier, they are a solid fit for McBride as he’s also very good as a blocking tight end in pass protection and to establish key blocks in the rushing attack. He’s a great team player and once he gets to the big apple, will make sure to do his part for the Giants’ offense to be clicking on all cylinders no matter what his assignment is.
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 3 (No. 81) – Wide Receiver Calvin Austin
The truth of the matter is, the NFL is a passing league. The best teams that consistently make the NFL Playoffs all have one thing in common and that’s all about having great receiving options. The kinds of wide receivers that are natural-born playmakers, score a lot of touchdowns, and just make big plays on the gridiron.
The Giants are in dire need of having a speedy wide receiver that can not only take the top off of opposing defenses but will do whatever it takes to put his team in a position to win. With the No. 81 pick, the Giants select the perfect player that fits this mold in wide receiver Calvin Austin out of Memphis.
At 5-9 and 162 lbs, Austin might not be the tallest or strongest wide receiver but he more than makes up for it with his ability to make huge plays whenever the football is in his hands. Austin has such a sheer speed that it creates a lot of opportunities against defensive backfields. He excels with his yards after the catch as his route-running skills are very good. Most importantly of all, he works hard at honing his craft as a wide receiver and loves to motivate his teammates around him to build a culture of hard work.
In four seasons at Memphis, Austin has totaled 2,541 receiving yards, 156 receptions, 16.3 yards per reception, and 22 touchdowns. Austin’s experience as a punt returner will also help the Giants in that area and don’t let his small size fool you, he’s going to stand out with every opportunity he gets with Big Blue.
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 4 (No. 112) – Center Luke Fortner
One of the key attributes a locker room needs to truly push the envelope in a season is leadership. The kind of leadership that can rally the troops when needed and hold those around them accountable when things get rough. Now that the Giants are in the middle round of this mock draft, they draft a proven leader in center Luke Fortner out of Kentucky.
Fortner brings a lot to the table as he’s 6-6 and 300 lbs with many key attributes that the Giants look for in their players. He was a team captain at Kentucky and was also a leader that lead by example. He has a few things to work on in order to thrive at the next level as a starting center but has the foundation and intelligence to get there over time.
The Giants can easily develop Fortner to be another anchor on their offensive line and continue building upon his natural abilities. He’s decent in pass protection and in a rotational role at center, could be used as quality depth his first few years in the league.
Fortner has a lot of experience in calling plays, picking up pre-snap blitzes, and adjusting well during a football game. With the kind of coaching the Giants can provide him, it might take a year or two but he could very well be on his way to being the long-term answer at the most important position of their offensive line.
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 5 (No. 147) – Running Back Tyler Badie
Unfortunately for the Giants, they’ve been hit with injuries and a lack of consistency when it comes to their running back situation. There is no telling if running back Saquon Barkley will test free agency next year or if he’s in the long-term plans of the franchise but the positional group needs another name in the mix.
With these later rounds in this year’s draft, it’s all about seeing if Schoen can find those hidden gems. If it’s anything to learn, it’s probably not expected that the Giants are going to spend too high of a draft pick on a running back but here in Round 5, they’ll find great value by drafting Tyler Badie out of Missouri.
At 5-7 and 199lbs, Badie is a dual-threat running back that thrives at getting a chunk of playing time to do what he does best. It’s all about the production he’d bring for the Giants and if used either in 3rd down situations or on screen plays, it could bring a better dimension to this part of their offense.
In his four years at Missouri, Badie put on quite the show in multiple offensive roles on the Tigers’ offense. As a running back, he totaled 2,740 rushing yards, 513 attempts, and 23 touchdowns. As a receiving option, he totaled 1,149 receiving yards, 126 receptions, and 11 touchdowns. With his experience as a punt returner as well, he’s going to be a dynamic player on the Giants that can be subbed in and be a difference-maker.
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 5 (No. 173) – Safety Yusuf Corker
As the Giants are left with two final picks in this mock draft, now it’s time to add a bit more depth to two areas of opportunity on their defense at safety and linebacker. These will be developmental players that will need more coaching, training, and patience above all else to see if they can turn into higher quality players in the future.
One such player is safety Yusuf Corker out of Kentucky that has shown signs of brilliance here and there but has his work cut out for him to ever make it as a starter on Big Blue. At 6-0 and 197 lbs, Corker has a good enough football IQ to adapt to the pros but does have issues with finishing up his tackles.
Too many times he’s missed easy tackles that were there for the taking but he more than makes up for this with his ability to zone in on the football and put himself in a position to make a play. Once he tightens up this aspect of his game, he could be a solid backup safety or used in special dime packages as a starter once everything falls into place.
At Kentucky, Corker totaled over 241 tackles, two sacks, and three interceptions. His numbers are decent enough to earn a shot with the Giants thanks to how smart he is as a defender and that’s all a good coaching staff needs to work with.
New York Giants Mock Draft: Round 6 (No. 182) – Linebacker Micah McFadden
With their final pick in this mock draft, the Giants want to add one more defensive player to the mix at linebacker. A player that not only brings leadership to the locker room but can bolster their special teams unit as a keen tackler that knows how to stop returners at will.
In Round 6 with their No. 182 pick, the Giants select linebacker Micah McFadden out of Indiana. He’s 6-2 and 232 lbs of toughness and agility ready to disrupt opposing offenses as he has a knack for finding weaknesses in pass protection. Considering he totaled 14 sacks in his collegiate career, it proves he has what it takes in taking down quarterbacks when his number is called.
McFadden can immediately help out on special teams and be a fun player to watch and see if he can climb the ladder to earn more playing time. He’s a bit undersized but can make up for that with his raw ability to make plays in blitzing packages. Once the Giants’ coaching staff hopefully works their magic on him, McFadden can be a decent backup and more over time. He spent two years as team captain at Indiana so his presence will definitely impact what he does on and off the field.
With this mock draft in the books, we can only hope when the real deal happens in this year’s draft, the Giants leave with high grades and new hope that this infusion of talent is exactly what their roster needed. Of course, with any new draft class, we won’t really know how things pan out until at least two to three years down the road. Hopefully, by then, the Giants will be back to being a playoff contender again with fun and exciting things we can all talk about.