The latest New York Giants mock draft

By: Charlie Vakassian

Welcome to the first edition of our New York Giants Mock Draft! We will be using the draft simulator from The Draft Network, without trades, and seeing what picks the Giants could make pending how the board plays out.

Round 1, Pick 5-Ikem Ekwonu, OT/OG, NC State

The top three defensive players on my board were gone when I made this pick, as Kayvon Thibodeaux, Aidan Hutchinson, and Kyle Hamilton were taken with the first three picks. The Jets selected Evan Neal at pick four, leaving Ekwonu available at five, who is my highest graded offensive lineman anyway. Ekwonu is one of the nastiest players in college football, who mauls opponents in the run game. PFF has his numbers off the charts, with a run blocking grade of 93.8 and a pass blocking grade of 78.3. He only allowed 3 sacks the entire season. Ekwonu also has the ability to play the guard positions as well, but the Giants would be best served to put him at right tackle, where he can bookend with Andrew Thomas and give Daniel Jones stability on the edges. Saquon Barkley will approve of this pick as well, with Ekwonu well equipped to create running lanes for the former number two overall pick.

Round 1, Pick 7- Derek Stingley Jr, CB, LSU

The Panthers chose to select a QB with their selection at pick six, leaving the board mostly unchanged. While there are some intriguing edge rushers on the board, I decided to take the best cornerback in the draft and make the Giants secondary even better. New Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale likes to run schemes with blitzes and create pressure through good coverage from the secondary. Stingley was one of the better man coverage corners in college football and will do his best work on the outside, shutting down the top receiver on the opposing team. With James Bradberry potentially a cut candidate, Stingley can step in, work with Adoree Jackson and make the Giants defense much stronger. Stingley has the speed to keep up with speed burners, and insane ball skills to make incredible pass breakups and interceptions. He also has the chops in the run game, as shown in the above clip. The closing speed and pristine tackling ability make him an elite all around corner, and a rare talent that cannot be passed up.

Round 2, Pick 36-Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

Here, Brisker was the best player available, and I choose to make the Giant secondary an elite unit. Brisker would be considered the best safety in the draft if it wasn’t for Kyle Hamilton. He has elite recognition and ball skills and seems to have a knack for making big plays at big moments. Too often in 2021 the Giants had opportunities to put away games and couldn’t make the key plays at key times. Brisker is someone who can change that and bring in a hard-hitting style of play. Brisker can be used in just about every type of coverage you can imagine, man or zone, and has shown the ability to play the run while lined up in the box. Wink Martindale gains another chess piece for his defense, and the Giants defense is now well on it’s way towards becoming a top 10 unit in the NFL.

Round 3, Pick 67-Darian Kinnard, OG, Kentucky

This pick is an absolute steal, as I expect Kinnard to be taken in the second round when the draft rolls around in April. Kinnard played right tackle for Kentucky for most of his college career, but projects to be a good starting guard in the NFL. Kinnard has shown that he excels in tighter quarters as a run blocker, and moving him to guard will only allow him to become even better as a road grader. He is extremely strong at the point of attack and makes it extremely difficult for rushers to use power moves on him. He has enough lateral quickness to help on double teams and is quick enough to make recoveries on an initial loss at the line of scrimmage. Plug him in at left guard, and let him create massive holes in the run game for Saquon Barkley.

Round 3, Pick 81-Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma

You all have probably been wondering, where the heck is the edge rusher pick we all know the Giants desperately need? Well, here it is. Nik Bonitto was a productive player off the edge for the Sooners and makes for an excellent complement to Azeez Ojulari. Bonitto wins his matchups with speed and sheer motor, as he is relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback. Wink Martindale likes to run a 3-4 concept, which allows for Bonitto to rush the passer as a stand-up OLB, similar to how the Giants used Ojulari and Lorenzo Carter this year. Bonitto is also sharp against the run, demonstrating the ability to set the edge and force running backs into the defensive line.

Round 4, Pick 110-Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming

This draft is particularly strong with linebackers, so I decided to wait a little while, and I took someone who can come in and compete right away for a starting job alongside Blake Martinez. Muma is a former safety who made the transition to linebacker and has excellent speed and agility, which gives him really good angles when pursuing the ballcarrier. His best work comes in pass coverage, something the Giants have been sorely lacking since Antonio Pierce captained the defense more than 10 years ago. The only question is whether or not Muma would be here on draft night. Most people feel as though he will be gone in the second or third round, so if the Giants love him, an earlier draft pick will likely need to be used to get him.

Round 5, Pick 146-Tyrese Robinson, IOL, Oklahoma

You can never have enough offensive linemen. Joe Schoen has a history of getting big men in the later rounds, drafting guys like Wyatt Teller, Cody Ford, and Spencer Brown. New Assistant GM Brandon Brown found a 7th round gem for the Eagles in Jordan Mailata, who overtook first round pick Andre Dillard for the starting tackle job. So finding the right pieces in the later rounds will be key. A player like Tyrese Robinson will be intriguing for the GMen, as they try to finally solve the offensive line. Robinson played both guard positions at Oklahoma, and has an incredibly strong lower body, allowing him to be an anchor in the passing game. His mental side of the game is there as well, as he knows his assignments, and when to pick up or pass of stunts. Will Hernandez struggled with this aspect of his game ever since the Giants drafted him, and now Robinson can take his place and be an interior force.

Round 5, Pick 171-Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia

Tight end will likely be a need for the Giants, with Evan Engram heading for free agency, and Kyle Rudolph looking like a cap casualty. Jelani Woods is someone who can come in and be a productive player on Day 1. A converted tight end in the mold of Logan Thomas, Woods has a massive frame of 6 feet and 7 inches, along with an insane catch radius. This gives quarterbacks the ability to throw it up in one-on-one situations and have extreme confidence Woods will come up with the catch. Woods initially spent most of his college career as a blocker, so he is strong in helping set the tone in the run game. His growth as a receiver is what has caught the attention of scouts across the NFL. Engram struggled as a blocker in his Giants tenure, so having a good tight end who can block and make plays as a receiver is huge. Woods can be that guy.

Round 6, Pick 180-Cade Mays, IOL, Tennessee

I think Mays has the chance to be this year’s Trey Smith. Smith is a strong power-blocking guard from Tennessee, who slips in the draft, but rewards the team who drafts him with strong play. Mays is a player whose strong suit is in the run game, as he excels in gap blocking schemes. His work as a pass protector is still in progress, but he is able to hold his own against bull rushers up the middle. His technique can be a bit iffy, and he isn’t the most agile guard. His best work will come in the interior in close quarters. If a team tried to move him to tackle, the results just wouldn’t be the same, as Mays’ strengths all come from interior play as a guard. The Giants would be well served to grab Mays here, and finally, have depth on their offensive line.