Perfect Picks: New York Giants
With the NFL Draft approaching we will be looking at each team and evaluating where they need to improve. In this particular series we will run a seven round mock using the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator and find the ‘Perfect Picks’ for each franchise.
We will highlight four players that could help each team. This will feature picks 1 and 2, a mid round gem and a late round sleeper.
East Rutherford, New Jersey…all change please. New Head Coach Brian Daboll and new GM Joe Schoen came south from Buffalo this off-season and have a lot of the New York faithful sincerely excited about the future direction of the ailing franchise. But the roster has a lot of holes. The Giants might take advantage of a QB desperate franchise for the second year straight and trade one of their two top ten picks, but in the event that that doesn’t happen, here are some selections that I think make a lot of sense for Big Blue.
Round 1 - Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
The Giants don’t have an illustrious history of drafting tackles in the top ten, but if Neal is available at five, they’d be hard pressed not to pull the trigger. They still need help on the offensive front and Neal is the consensus best available lineman in the draft. At 6’6 and 360lbs with a solid frame and excellent length, the Alabama standout is the prototypical tackle prospect. He moved successfully from RT to LT last season and if anything looked more comfortable for doing so. A mauler in the run game, Neal will be fun to watch at NFL level.
Round 1 - Travon Walker, DL, Georgia
This edge class is beginning to confound draft analysts, with Kayvon Thibodeaux somewhat inexplicably sinking on most draft boards and Travon Walker steadily climbing. The Giants would do well to select either if available, but I’ve gone with Walker here, who has the coveted versatility that most prospects are missing (at Georgia he lined up anywhere from 3-tech to a stand-up 6-tech, and excelled across the board). His run defense is phenomenal, and he reminds me of Chris Wormley in Pittsburgh. He’d be a solid choice to anchor the defense under Don Martindale.
Mid Round Gem - Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
I’ve mentioned previously how this class is deep at linebacker, another positional need for the Giants who have a raft of old 7th round picks on the roster outside of Blake Martinez. Sticking with the SEC East theme I like Channing Tindall at 81 overall. Tindall wasn’t a full time starter for the Bulldogs but that is to be expected on such a fantastic defensive roster. On another team he may well have been a standout. With a high football IQ and aggressive downhill tendencies, he would seemingly fit Martindale’s blitz heavy, 3-4 base scheme.
Late Round Sleeper - Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami
Last season saw the Giants pick up a legitimate playmaking WR threat in Kadarius Toney in the first round. This year they’re unlikely to use another high pick on a wideout with their litany of needs, but could well take a flier late in the draft. I like Charleston Rambo, the Oklahoma transfer who flashed a lot of potential back in 2019 and showed good all-round development at Miami. The 6’1, 177lb receiver is versatile, lining up all over the field and providing more than dependable down-field blocking and physicality.
Draft In Full:
5. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
7. Travon Walker, DL, Georgia
36. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
67. Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina
81. Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
112. Marquis Hayes, OG, Oklahoma
147. Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami
173. Jerrion Ealy, RB, Ole Miss
182. Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State
