NY Giants 7-round Mock Draft: Big Blue trades up for top WR1 target

In 2022, Daniel Jones and the New York Giants defied all expectations. With the duo of head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen taking over, the team found instant success. The Giants finished the season making plenty of noise. Now, it's time to look to the future.

Since the end of the season, the Giants have made several additions to improve both sides of the ball. Now with the draft quickly approaching, they will look to complete their roster. In our latest mock draft, the Giants will look to trade up to add an elite option to the wide receiver room. Let's get started:

NY Giants Round 1 Pick: Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Trade Scenario: Giants trade up to pick No. 14 with the New England Patriots. New York sends picks 25, 89, 254, and a 2024 second-rounder in exchange for No. 14.

With the move to trade up to 14th overall, the Giants will add a potential star at the wide receiver position in Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Throughout the draft process, the two sides have shown clear interest in each other. With his arrival, Jones and the offense will add a game-changer in the passing game.

During his time at Oho State, Smith-Njigba showed that he had all of the tools to be a dominant wide receiver. In total, he took the field in just 23 games for the Buckeyes. But when healthy, there were few players that impacted the game as much as he did. He finished his collegiate career recording 110 receptions for 1,698 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns.

This past season, Smith-Njigba spent much of the year sidelined with a hamstring injury. But what he missed in 2022 was made up for by what he displayed on a regular basis in 2021.

In his sophomore season, while sharing the ball with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, Smith-Njigba often looked to be Ohio State's best wide receiver. He finished the season recording 95 receptions for 1,606 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. This included a historical performance in the Rose Bowl that saw him haul in 15 receptions for 347 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Placing Smith-Njigba in this Giants offense could give Jones the best chance to succeed. It could also be exactly what this unit needs to take the next step.