5 first-rounders the NY Giants should consider who won’t replace Daniel Jones

The NY Giants have surprised plenty of people with their 6-2 start, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement for the roster. That’s why so many people are already thinking about the 2023 NFL Draft, as there will be pressure on Joe Schoen to make the right call.

Obviously it is still extremely early in the draft process, so it is difficult to tell not only where the Giants will end up in the draft order, but how some of these players will pan out. Despite this, it is always fun to do some early scouting for what’s to come.

The NY Giants biggest positions of need this season, in our opinion, are linebackers, corners and receivers. Schoen and the front office will do their due diligence to make sure the team drafts the proper players. With that being said, here are five potential first round prospects the NY Giants could target in the 2023 NFL Draft.

5. Alabama CB Brian Branch

Throughout eight games, one of the biggest issues on the Giants defense has been their lack of depth at corner. Players like Fabian Moreau have stepped in and performed tremendously, but the Giants need more than just him and Adoree’ Jackson.

With that in mind, the Giants are going to need to target some defensive backs in this year’s draft class, which makes it even better that the 2023 NFL Draft is home to plenty of extremely talented corners, especially Brian Branch out of Alabama.

Coming in at 6-0, 193 pounds, Branch possesses a rare combination of speed, size, and athleticism at corner that the Giants could really use in the secondary. In addition to this, Branch is an incredibly elite tackler, racking up 45 combined tackles while only missing one in eight games.

Branch projects to be a slot corner in the NFL, as that is where he has played the most during his college career. This could make things tricky on the Giants end, as they already have some traditional slot corners in Aaron Robinson and Cor’Dale Flott.

In eight games played, Branch has only allowed 16 receptions on 28 targets for 98 yards and one TD, forcing five incompletions in the process. Branch already has all of the tools to project as a great starter in the NFL – if he can learn to be more composed and efficient with his technique, he could become a superstar.

4. Florida OG O’Cyrus Torrence

While offensive guard may not be as big a need as other spots, the OL is still far from perfect for the G-Men and they could look to address this early on during the draft. O’Cyrus Torrence is arguably the best offensive guard in this year’s draft class. Whether it be his massive 6-5, 347-pound frame, or his impressive technique, there is really a lot to like about Torrence.

The NY Giants have been without a legitimately good offensive guard since they let Justin Pugh go back in 2017, so to add a potentially great interior offensive lineman to pair with both Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal could be huge for the future of this team.

After dominating for Louisiana in the FBS, many questioned how well Torrence would perform against better competition. Following a transfer to Florida, he has arguably looked even better, at least according to PFF.

Torrence is a great two-way threat on the offensive line, possessing great abilities as both a pass and run blocker. Possessing great awareness and technique, Torrence makes life difficult for whoever he goes up against in pass pro reps. As for his abilities in the run game, while he is still fantastic at this level, some improvements could be made.

When his hands are on point, he is an absolute monster, having the ability to move anyone and everyone out of his way to clear up holes for his running backs. The youngster has the tools to really make a difference up front.

3. Clemson LB Trenton Simpson

It goes without saying, but the linebacker play has been down for Big Blue in recent years. While they’ve had some talent in the form of Blake Martinez, and for a season, Alec Ogletree, they have been without a star at the position for quite some time.

With that in mind, the Giants should absolutely target Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson, who has looked like one of the most versatile defensive prospects in recent years. Simpson’s ability in coverage is something the Giants really need, as their current core’s lack of ability in coverage has killed them game in and game out.

In addition to this, Simpson’s athleticism, combined with his 6-3, 230-pound frame, could be devastating for opposing offenses. While Simpson still needs to work on his ability to break off of blocks and not be too aggressive while tackling, we truly think he could be an elite all-around threat for this Giants defense.

Through eight games, Simpson has racked up 47 combined tackles while only allowing 18 receptions on 28 targets for 144 yards and two TDs. Not only does Simpson have the size and speed to cover receivers from time to time, but he has been used as a pass-rusher in the past and found a lot of success.

Last season, Simpson racked up seven sacks, 13 QB hits, and 11 QB hurries in 90 pass-rush snaps. It’s hard to say a player this talented will fall to where the Giants could be drafting. However, last season we saw Devin Lloyd, the best LB in the class, fall all the way to pick No. 27, and so far, he has looked tremendous for the Jaguars.

2. Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.

For the same reasons they should draft Branch, NY should draft Joey Porter Jr., the son of former Pro Bowler Joey Porter, as well. Not only would he fill a significant team need, but Porter could also be a fantastic player in this league.

Coming in at 6-2, 198 pounds, Porter not only has a pretty large frame, but he is also very fluid for his size, which is great to see for a prospect. Porter has made a name for himself for being extremely physical with his opponents and using his size to put them into uncomfortable situations. However, this isn’t always the greatest thing, as Porter sometimes becomes to reliant on this and can get beat.

This is the No. 1 knock with Porter, while he has all the tools to be great, he must improve on his overall technique, but we’re not too worried about this, as in his three collegiate seasons, Porter has improved tremendously each year.

In eight games played this season, Porter has allowed 13 receptions on 28 targets for 123 yards and zero TDs while forcing 10 incompletions, which is the sixth highest in the nation. It is difficult to project where Porter will fall in the draft. If he shows significant progress in his technique, he could be a relatively early first-round pick, but if not, he could be in the Giants range.

1. USC WR Jordan Addison

Following the trade deadline in which the NY Giants got rid of Kadarius Toney, combined with Sterling Shepard’s impending free agency, the team is going to need to look for a new addition to this receiving core.

Putting a player like Jordan Addison in the NY Giants offense may be just what Daniel Jones and the rest of this team needs, as in seven games, Addison has caught 39 passes for 585 yards and seven TDs for USC.

Addison has showcased an ability to not only be an elite deep threat, but a huge YAC threat. Not only does his frame allow him to bully opposing corners, but his elite speed and athleticism lets him make some pretty nice plays in the open field.

An interesting part of Addison’s game is his usage on screen plays, as he ranks 32nd in screen catches, and 24th in screen yards in the entire country. This could make for an interesting addition to Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka’s system.

It could be tricky in terms of the Giants landing Addison, as he is arguably the second best receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft class. However, we have seen extremely talented receivers fall in the draft in the past. In addition to this, the Giants have plenty of assets to potentially trade up for Addison, so things could get interesting if they decide to be aggressive in pursuing him.

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