NY Giants NFL Mock Draft: Joe Schoen trades up for QB and lands No. 1 WR

NY Giants fourth-round pick: Penn State tight end Theo Johnson

Because of the prior trade involving the Titans that landed them Nix, the Giants don’t have a third-round pick, although they do get an extra fifth-round pick back. When the Giants are able to make their next selection, they address their need to replace Darren Waller with Theo Johnson.

The 6-6 senior hauled in 34 receptions for 341 yards and seven touchdowns for the Nittany Lions in 2023. His size and ability to catch the football is what the Giants need, especially if Waller doesn’t return. Some see Johnson as the next best tight end in the draft after Brock Bowers.

It didn’t quite work out like everyone hoped for with the Waller trade, as his nagging hamstring issue caused him to miss significant time in 2023. Walker’s retirement/release would end up saving the Giants about $6.7 million and also have a dead cap hit of $7.3 million. However, the Giants would gain a fresh pair of legs that is NFL ready to give the offense a new feature in the passing game.

Plus, Johnson can be paired with Daniel Bellinger, now entering his third season as a pro with the Giants. The Giants made several moves in free agency preparing for Waller to not return. The drafting of Johnson would be the final move signaling Waller’s exit from the team.