Happy draft week! This is the time when we’re all looking at mock drafts, watching the latest shows on ESPN, and checking out what USA Informing had to offer (If you haven’t, check out the latest articles by my fellow writers about the NFL Draft and their favorite prospects). In the past two mock drafts, I have the Giants going wide receiver in the first round. Will it remain the same? Welcome to New York Giants Mock Draft 3.0.
Check out the 1.0 version and 2.0 version of my mock draft here.
I promise we’ll eventually go to a different position in round one. But with safety Brian Branch taken ahead of me by the Jaguars at 24, it left me no other choice but to go wideout once again. This time, Quentin Johnston fell into the Giants’ lap. The 6’3″ prospect is very appealing, as he would step in as the tallest starting wideout on the team. Physically, this man is a beast. Not only does he have size, but his speed and explosiveness make him a first-round prospect for a reason. Johnston had over 1000 receiving yards on 60 receptions in 2022, calculated to 17.8 yards per reception. I prefer Addison if he was available, but Johnston is 1B on my draft board. He can win those 50-50 balls and is a cheaper version of DeAndre Hopkins.
The Giants love their offensive linemen being able to play multiple positions. Drafting Tippmann would continue that philosophy. The 6’6″, 303-pound lineman played both guard and center during his time as a Badger. Most importantly, his best trait of his is his athleticism and running in space. Talk about being a heck of an athlete. He also excels at pulling, so it could mean a move to guard if the Giants need him to. Regardless, you have him blocking for Saquon Barkley on outside runs, and you got big run plays waiting for you.
Robinson immediately steps in to replace Julian Love. Grading out at 80.1 in 2022 according to PFF, he makes his case as the most complete safety in this year’s draft. Known as an all-around athlete, his tackling is top-notch. Not to mention he’s very versatile, deployed in the box, in the slot, and deep in coverage. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale would love to have him. His experience of him and rare missed tackles are a coordinator’s dream.
The Giants going running back in the fourth round is questionable. But, we can’t deny what Vaughn brings to the table at just 5’5″. Remember Shane Vereen during his time in East Rutherford. Think him, but more explosive. Vaughn’s best season was in 2021, when he ran for 1,409 yards and a whopping 18 touchdowns. 2022 was very similar, where he ran for 1,561 yards and nine touchdowns. He had at least 43 receptions in the past two seasons as a Wildcat, showing his ability to make plays with his hands. Even though Saquon Barkley is likely to be back with Big Blue, it would be nice to have someone else to take the load off of him.
I feel uncertain about entering 2023 with Shane Lemieux and Joshua Ezeudu. More competition is needed at this position. Enter Gaines, who graded out at 77.8 in 2022. Despite playing the majority of his college career at right guard, shifting to left guard should not be a problem. His run and pass blocking of him was exceptional during his time at UCLA, and he only allowed two sacks last season. He was part of an offensive line that helped the Bruins average 200-yard rushing for three straight years, perfect for a Big Blue squad that has two running threats in Barkley and quarterback Daniel Jones.
Like in the last mock draft, I wanted to add depth being Jihad Ward at the edge position. Phelps steps into that backup role. His 18 sacks of him over the past two seasons as a Jayhawk make me comfortable with this selection. He has shown a tremendous ability to win his pass-rush battles and is great at run-stopping too.
Pick 209: Brett Neilson, USC
This is a selection that makes sense if New York doesn’t trust Ben Bredeson or JC Hassenauer at the center position. The senior redshirt graded out at 90.2 in 2022 for USC, not allowing a single sack to quarterback Caleb Williams. Even with the pick of Tippmann earlier in round two, you can make this work still. Tippmann at left guard and Neilson at the center position would be the plan in this scenario. Worst case scenario, Neilson serves as depth behind Tippmann or whoever starts at center.
A solid linebacker who doesn’t miss tackles, Jones could slide into the right inside linebacker position as a potential starter. One of the best defensive players in the country, it’s a shame he fell this far into the draft. A three-time All-ACC linebacker, he had 84 tackles and led the team in tackles per game last season for the Orange. His pass rush grade of 88.1 places him in the top percentile, showing he can bring pressure to the quarterback with ease. Run defense could use some work, but you won’t see missed tackles from him.
There were times last year when I didn’t feel comfortable with Jamie Gillian being the team’s punter. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he’ll be better this year. But, if New York wants to find a long-term solution in this position, Turk is the guy. He was all Big 12 first team as a Sooner in 2022 and was the semifinalist for the Ray Guy award. He averaged 46.8 yards per punt last year, which was what Gillian averaged for the G-Men in 2022. Turk’s personal best of him was 51.2 yards per punt in 2021, showing his potential of being the best punter in the NFL.
You can never have too many receivers, right? The 6’4″ wide receiver had 817 receiving yards and seven touchdowns for the Bruins last season but excels as a physical blocker. Speed is an issue. He won’t wow you. His route tree from him is limited. Some development and he could serve as a backup wide receiver who will contribute on special teams.
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