Giants Select This Wide Receiver in NFL Analyst’s First Mock Draft
A receiver for the New York Giants at No. 25?
That's what NFL.com's Charles Davis has in his latest mock draft. Davis, undeterred by the fact that the Giants loaded up on receivers during free agency--they signed Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, and Jeff Smith to one-year deals and re-signed Isaiah Hodgins, Sterling Shepard, and Darius Slayton--is forecasting.
With good reason. The Giants committed to quarterback Daniel Jones on a four-year deal, and one of the things general manager Joe Schoen vowed to do this off-season was to build the talent around the fifth-year quarterback.
This leads to Davis's selection for the Giants at No. 25. The analyst has mocked TCU receiver Quentin Johnston to the Giants, noting, "Johnston is a big target who should fit well in the Giants’ physical offense."
(Interestingly, Davis also apparently contemplated Alabama defensive back Brian Branch for the Giants at No. 25 following Julian Love's departure.)
Sticking with Johnston as the pick, though, makes more sense. Of the 13 or so receivers currently under contract for the Giants, only two--Slayton and Wan'Dale Robinson--are signed beyond this year. And Robinson, who is recovering from a torn ACL, is still very much a question mark to be ready for the start of the 2023 season.
Johnston would bring, among other things, explosiveness and deep speed to the Giants' receiving corps, notes NFL Draft Bible, which also had this to say about the young receiver.
A tall, long, strong, explosive, and fast pass-catcher, Quentin Johnston is an exciting deep and jump-ball threat who wins with physicality after the catch. Though he has struggled with injuries and his athletic profile does not lend itself to high-level or diverse route running, the TCU receiver is an immediate low-level starter with elite upside.
Johnston stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 208 lbs. The only wide receiver taller than Johnston on the Giants’ roster is Hodgins, who is 6-foot-4. Johnston has elite-level athleticism, his 89 production score ranking him second among all receivers at the NFL Scouting Combine.
He was extremely productive in Fort Worth. He finished fifth in the FBS in average yards-per-reception as a freshman (22.1). As a sophomore and junior, he earned First-Team All-Big 12 Honors after leading TCU in receiving.
Johnston’s ability to be explosive while not losing pace on his routes is strong, as is his catch radius (33 ⅝ arm size). NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein notes that Johnston compares to former Bears and Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffrey in size and strength. Johnston does have an injury history--he missed seven games combined during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Additionally, he needs to improve as a blocker.
But, with his top-level athleticism and strong ability to separate from defenders (4.4 speed), Johnston projects as a big-time playmaker for the Giants, who are building a receiver corps with experience, speed, and height.
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