It’s here. We’re of course talking about the NFL Combine, one of the best times of the year for a lot of football fans out there. Now is the time for some of the best young talents in the game to put on a show to impress general managers.
For NY Giants GM Joe Schoen, he’s going to be taking some pretty heavy notes to ultimately help him decide who he’ll end up taking with the No. 26 overall pick. There’s a lot of pressure on Schoen to get his first-round pick right, and he most definitely should keep a close eye on these guys over in Indianapolis:
8. SMU WR Rashee Rice
He may not be the most explosive wide receiver in the country, but goodness, Rashee Rice is a big-time talent and he has impressed during his time at SMU. Rice is known for his electric wheels, but he’s also got some fantastic hands to match. It’s no secret that the Giants are in desperate need of a WR1. Could Rice fit the bill?
Last season, the 6-2, 203 pounder had a monster year, posting 96 receptions for 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns. Each weekend, Rice put on a show and made countless defensive backs look silly in trying to slow him down. Rice looked so strong, he’s been mocked as a first-round pick by several experts.
This includes a potential move to NY to play with Big Blue. Rice has fantastic size and his leaping ability is something that can’t be ignored either. One thing that has people raising eyebrows is that he didn’t play in a Power 5 conference, but we’re not too worried about that.
If some of Schoen’s targets higher up on his board are gone by the time it’s NY’s turn to make a pick, who knows, maybe Schoen sends Rice’s name in. He’s got incredible potential.
7. Florida OG O’Cyrus Torrence
In addition to wide receiver, everyone knows that the interior offensive line is a priority for the Giants as well. That’s why Florida offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence very well could be who the G-Men decide to go with when it’s their turn to make a pick. Torrence is a true stud, and he does impressive work in the trenches.
Checking in at 6-5, 337 pounds, Torrence has the kind of size that you can’t teach. With him opening up holes in the middle and preventing pass-rushers from getting to the quarterback, it really feels like he’d be an ideal fit for head coach Brian Daboll. This offensive line still needs major work done.
Last offseason, Schoen made the offensive line a priority, as he worked around the clock to make things work for the unit. However, outside of All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas, the unit suffered. The hope is that Evan Neal can showcase a major improvement in 2023, but the guys on the inside looked rough from start to finish. It’s up in the air who will be back or not once next fall arrives.
That’s why Torrence could end up being NY’s first-rounder. A strong showing in Indy could help his chances of donning a Big Blue jersey.
6. Boston College WR Zay Flowers
You’re going to be hearing quite a bit about Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers over the next few weeks. Not only was Flowers fantastic during his time with BC, but he’s looking like a new man these days. During the season, Flowers weighed in at right around 170 pounds, which scouts were worried about.
You can go ahead and forget about that, though. Flowers has been working like a mad man in the weight room trying to get his body ready for the next level. The results are being showcased, as he has arrived at the NFL Combine at 183 points. The youngster put on more than 10 pounds of muscle and it’s showing for him.
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Arm tackles aren’t going to work on Flowers anymore. With him now north of 180 pounds, this is surely going to help him out during his rookie season. With wheels and sure hands too, it’s only going to make him more of an attractive target for teams. Some mock drafts have Flowers falling to the Giants too.
5. Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud
Normally, we wouldn’t even think about someone like C.J. Stroud making his way to the Giants. With NY not picking until late in the first round, there’s simply no way the Ohio State superstar would still be on the board for Schoen to take. However, CBS’ Chris Trapasso has us thinking thanks to a recent piece.
Trapasso wrote that he thinks the Giants will actually trade up with the Falcons and take Stroud with the No. 8 overall pick. If you ask Trapasso, if Stroud is still available by the time Atlanta is on the clock, then Schoen won’t hesitate in reaching out to Atlanta to try and acquire that spot from them.
As things stand, Daniel Jones and the Giants are yet to reach an agreement on a long-term deal. The two sides still need to meet in the middle money wise. However, Trapasso isn’t sold on things being a lock for Jones to be the signal-caller of the future. The NFL would be turned upside down if Schoen pulls off this kind of a trade during the first round.
4. USC WR Jordan Addison
You already knew Jordan Addison was going to be on our list. The former Biletnikoff Winner, who took home the honors while at Pitt, made his way to USC this past season and recorded a memorable year working with signal-caller Caleb Williams and Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley.
Now, Addison has his sights on the NFL and several teams are dreaming of the chance to have him suit up and play in their offense. The big issue here for the Giants is whether or not Addison is still going to be available by the time they’re ready to send in their selection. Addison is considered one of the top WR targets for his class.
The worry for NY is that potentially a team like the Baltimore Ravens could snag him up a few picks ahead of them. If Addison is still there, however, then Schoen would surely love to have him catching balls from Jones.
Addison is the kind of playmaker who can change a game. He’ll show the world at the NFL Combine what he’s made of. This past season for USC, the 6-0, 175-pounder caught 59 balls for 875 yards and eight touchdowns.
3. TCU WR Quentin Johnston
As you can tell, we’re WR heavy for this piece and Quentin Johnston is a player that we absolutely love. Checking in at 6-4, 215 pounds, Johnston is the kind of outside WR who drives defensive backs and defensive coordinators crazy. The Giants need an outside wideout like this to really help take the offense to the next level.
In his most recent NFL Mock Draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. thinks that Johnston will be there for the taking when the Giants are up. Not only that, but Kiper thinks that Schoen won’t hesitate in going with the TCU stud as his pick.
"“The Giants don’t have a No. 1 or No. 2 wideout on their roster, and Wan’Dale Robinson, a second-round pick last year, is most effective out of the slot,” Kiper wrote. “Johnston is the big, fast and physical receiver they need. At 6-foot-4, he is tremendous after the catch, breaking tackles and running for long touchdowns. He understands how to use his frame to high-point the ball in the air. Jones has improved every season, but he has never had a player who can make contested catches like Johnston. Schoen should make this happen in April.”"
With Johnston balling out for the Horned Frogs, TCU was able to shock the nation and make it all the way to the National Championship Game. Johnston finished the campaign with 60 receptions for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns. Schoen seriously shouldn’t even blink if Johnston falls to him. He’d be a major get.
2. Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
The final WR you’ll read about from us here is Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt. There’s a strong feeling that not only will Hyatt be available for the G-Men when they’re up, but that Schoen will look to rock with him as well. Hyatt has been quite productive for the Vols and he’s coming off a monster season in 2022.
This past campaign, the 6-0, 180-pounder caught 67 balls for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns. His showing in the win over Alabama is going to be talked about for years, as he closed that game with five touchdowns. Five!
That must have driven Nick Saban crazy. This just goes to show how electric Hyatt can be when he’s suited up. Several experts and analysts believe Hyatt has what it takes to be a true talent in the NFC East starting next season. He has a late first-round projection, which works quite well for the Giants.
1.Georgia CB Kelee Ringo
This list wasn’t going to only be for guys on offense, as we’ve saved a star cornerback for last. If you don’t know about Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo, then you’ll surely find out plenty about him over the next week or so at the NFL Combine. Ringo is a 6-2, 210-pounder who can fly all over the field to make plays.
With his size and leaping ability, he’s also able to knock down balls high in the sky and out-battle big-bodied receivers. Those are the kind of attributes you look for in a lockdown cornerback. Ringo posted 37 solo tackles last season, plus two interceptions and seven pass deflections. There’s surprisingly been a little bit of doubt about his game ahead of the Combine.
However, the Georgia defender will look to silence all of that doubt in Indy. In several Mock Drafts, the Giants end up taking Ringo in the first round. As bad as this team needs help at receiver, the secondary, especially CB, needs help. That’s where Ringo could step in.
One thing to consider too here is that there’s a chance that all of Schoen’s top offensive targets will be gone by the No. 26 overall selection. There are other teams looking for WRs and interior offensive lineman as well. This could potentially open the door for Ringo to make his way to East Rutherford later this year.
7 under-the-radar NY Giants targets to watch at the NFL Combine
With the 2023 NFL Combine finally upon us, here are seven players Joe Schoen and the New York Giants should have their eyes on.