NY Giants NFL Mock Draft after major Joe Schoen moves in free agency

What an emotionally filled opening week of the 2024 NFL season for everyone involved with the NY Giants. Whether it was the franchise itself, the players, or the fans, emotions ran all over the place. It was not easy to see the Philadelphia Eagles land Saquon Barkley on a three-year, $37.75 million deal with $26 million guaranteed, which many felt was the deal Barkley wanted all along from the Giants, and instead, he got it from their divisional rival. Not an easy pill to swallow.

On top of losing their best player on offense, the Giants also lost one of their best players on defense when Xavier McKinney took his talents to Lambeau and signed a four-year, $68 million deal. Joe Schoen had a few tricks up his sleeve, however, like upgrading the offensive line and signing Jermaine Eluemunor from the Las Vegas Raiders and Jon Runyan Jr. from the Packers.

The biggest acquisition, though, came with the blockbuster trade for Brian Burns and the $150 million deal that followed. Boom. With several of the Giants needs for the 2024 season already in place, they still have others to address. That's where the NFL Draft comes into play and Schoen will be even busier. He'll get things started with another franchise-changing trade:

TRADE ALERT: NY Giants trade No. 6, No. 47 and 2025 third-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for No. 4 overall, select LSU QB Jayden Daniels

The Giants quarterback situation is probably one of the biggest needs to address for the Giants heading into the NFL Draft after free agency. After losing out on Russell Wilson, who the Giants met with and were waiting to hear back from before he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Giants found their replacement for Tyrod Taylor when they signed Drew Lock to a one-year deal.

Or so we first thought, as Lock may not be just a Taylor replacement, but a potential competitor for Daniel Jones in 2024 as the team's starter:

If the Giants really view Lock as actual competition for Jones, then maybe all the rumors of the Patriots looking at wide receivers as opposed to quarterbacks could tempt the Giants into making a trade to move up, which was what happened in The 33rd Team’s latest mock draft.

With the Patriots selecting Marvin Harrison Jr., the Giants decide to call the Cardinals and offer a first and second-rounder in 2024 and a third-rounder in 2025 to move up and get Daniels to be their next quarterback of the future.

Even if Daniels doesn’t start until 2025, the message is very clear: Jones is not the future anymore and even if it doesn’t work out with Lock, the Giants still have their next guy to lead the team. You can’t fault the Giants for wanting to move up. Schoen and Brian Daboll’s jobs depend on this draft and especially with what they decide at QB.

NY Giants third-round pick: Washington WR Jalen McMillian

Since the Giants used both of their second-round picks in separate trades to upgrade for key positions, they'll wait a round and pick another need in the third round with Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan.

McMillan’s senior year wasn’t quite what his junior season was, which is why he probably slid down to the third round in this case. In 2023, he caught 45 balls for 559 yards and five touchdowns for the Washington Huskies.

During his junior season with Washington, McMillan had 79 catches for 1,098 yards and nine touchdowns. At 6-1 and 198 pounds, McMillan fits the mold of the receivers that the Giants have, which are on the smaller side, but speedy. The days of Plaxico Burress haven’t been a type the Giants have gone for in quite some time. A year ago, the Giants traded up to get another speedy receiver in Jalin Hyatt to go with Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton.

Whether the Giants make any other wide receiver additions before the draft remains to be seen, so if they don’t, McMillan would be a solid addition to a very thin wide receiver room. He's got the potential to be a stud for this offense.

NY Giants fourth-round pick: Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen

Through all of the mock drafts we have done here, we haven’t selected a running back in any of them. That was due to our expectations of Saquon Barkley returning on a long-term deal. However, he didn’t, which leaves a massive void in the Giants offense.

Yes, the Giants did sign veteran running back Devin Singletary, but he is not going to be the cow-bell type back that everyone saw with Barkley. The Giants don’t really see Eric Gray as that kind of player yet, so the Giants tap into the draft to take Wisconsin's Braelon Allen.

Notice the quote from the video of the highlights. “He reminds me of Brandon Jacobs.” The same running back who was part of two Super Bowl winning championships when he was teamed up with Ahmad Bradshaw. The same running back who was beloved by many Giants fans and still is.

Allen rushed for 12 touchdowns and 984 yards in his final year at Wisconsin, which was the only season in college that he didn’t rush for over 1,000 yards. With the Giants likely going back to a dual-threat back system, just like the Buffalo Bills used to run when Singletary was in the Daboll offense, Allen is the perfect complement to Singletary and can try to help fill the void left by Barkley.

NY Giants fifth-round pick: Michigan OG Zak Zinter

In the Burns trade, the Giants did trade their initial fifth-round pick. The Giants also did a pick swap of fifth rounders with the Panthers, so they end up with a selection and address another need in the offensive line and take Michigan guard Zak Zinter.

Zinter is no stranger to our mock drafts, as we have selected him before, although this is the first time we are doing a mock draft since the Giants made any major changes to the line.

They added Runyan, who said he can play on either side of the line, but does prefer the left guard spot. They also have Eluemunor, who can play all over the line, but does play right tackle, which he did for the Raiders in 2023. Some wonder where that leaves Evan Neal, who not only struggled, but also underwent ankle surgery. So, for now, Neal doesn’t factor into the plans of the line until he’s healthy and can show he belongs.

So with that said, the Giants bring in Zinter, who was a big part of the National Championship team before the leg injury in late November that ended his season. Before that, he would have been a much higher pick, and likely on the Giants radar still to fill offensive line needs.

Zinter taking the right guard spot to play alongside a seasoned veteran in Eluemunor at right tackle could be exactly what he needs to start his career.

NY Giants sixth-round pick: Kentucky CB Andru Phillips

The Giants secondary will likely lose a veteran in free agency with the departure of Adoree' Jackson, who is still unsigned. The Giants did sign former Eagles and Patriots defensive back Jalen Mills, but he’s transitioned from corner to safety and could help fill some of the void left by McKinney. So, with the Giants sixth-round and final pick, they select Andru Phillips from Kentucky.

Phillips, like Tre Hawkins, would be the second straight cornerback taken by the Giants in the sixth round of the draft. Hawkins was the Giants sixth-round pick from 2023 and started three of the 17 games in his rookie season, but he struggled at times. So, given Jackson’s expected departure as a free agent, beefing up the secondary and adding a corner is where Phillips helps the Giants.

Phillips has a good combination of speed and athleticism that can help transition into the NFL. He was considered one of Kentucky’s best defensive backs who excels in zone coverage. Depending on where Hawkins is with his growth and development going into his second season, Phillips could be the Giants potential third corner if they decide not to add anyone else in free agency.