In my final full seven-round mock draft, I had the New York Giants taking Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 5 and Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson at No. 10. In hindsight, I should have known that was a little too exotic for the new-look, John Harbaugh-led Giants.
Instead, Big Blue went the no-frills route, revamping the trenches by selecting linebacker/pass-rusher Arvell Reese at No. 5 and offensive lineman Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa at No. 10. Both picks fit the vision Harbaugh has been peddling all offseason: toughness.
In my mock, I had New York pivoting from dynamic playmakers to addressing the interior offensive line with Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon. But if Thursday night taught me anything, it’s that Harby isn’t here to razzle and dazzle fans with flashy picks. He’s here to make necessary upgrades to the roster, regardless of how unsexy it might seem.
Looking at the available players entering Day 2, it’s pretty obvious who the 37th pick could be. Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald, if he falls to them, almost makes too much sense and aligns perfectly with the strategy of bolstering the trenches and being okay with winning games ugly.
Ohio State DL Kayden McDonald fits exactly what Giants just told us on Day 1
Franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart needs more weapons, so I was tempted to buy into them going with a receiver, but McDonald just screams "culture fit."
Not only would the 6-foot-2, 325-pounder check the best player available box, but he’d also fill the biggest hole remaining on the roster, literally and figuratively: the Dexter Lawrence-sized void on the defensive line.
For those of you living under a rock, the G-Men gave in to Dex’s trade request, sending him to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall pick. That has created a 6-foot-4, 340-pound problem that needs fixing, and McDonald is the perfect solution.
The former Buckeye sits 27th on FanSided's big board, making him a potential steal at 37. The scouting report says, "McDonald is like trying to move a mountain," alluding to how stressful it is for offensive linemen to try to move him off his spot. Entering the league, he'll likely only be viewed as a run stuffer, but Sexy Dexy was also expected to mostly contribute in deleting the ground game, and look how he turned out.
If McDonald isn't there or Harbaugh wants to pivot, Georgia's Christen Miller and Texas Tech's Lee Hunter are also still available and could provide help along the defensive front. We'll see how it shakes out Friday night when Round 2 kicks off.
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