Mel Kiper Jr Mocks Two Big Ten Standouts to Giants in First Two Rounds
The New York Giants have had a productive offseason so far, picking up veteran weapons on both sides of the ball, like tight end Darren Waller and linebacker Bobby Okereke.
Still, General Manager Joe Schoen must fill holes in the secondary and interior offensive line to compete in a stout NFC East—a division with three playoff teams in 2022.
To that end, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. addressed both needs in his latest mock draft, the first time the draft expert has the Giants taking any position other than wide receiver in Round 1.
To compete with Giants corners Aaron Robinson and Cor'Dale Flott for the position opposite Adoree' Jackson, Kiper has New York selecting Michigan cornerback D.J. Turner at pick No. 25. The redshirt junior from Suwanee, Georgia, played in 27 games, recording three interceptions, and 17 pass breakups.
Considered undersized at 5-foot-11, 178 pounds, Turner turned heads at the NFL Combine, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds. He left the event with the second-best athleticism score for draft-eligible corners.
“Turner is a hot name in the league right now, largely because scouts and execs went back to the tape after his 4.26-second 40-yard dash at the combine. That was the fourth-fastest time at the combine since 2003. He's in the first-round discussion now,” Kiper wrote.
Against Ohio State, the most NFL-comparable receiving corps he faced, Turner struggled to slow the Buckeye air attack. Though he was often in good position, the physical receivers managed to control the point-of-catch. Later in the game, Turner and his teammates gave extra cushion, and Ohio State exploited underneath routes.
To his credit, Turner’s anticipation and play recognition are top-notch, which he showed multiple times last year foiling bubble screens.
The 2022 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention certainly has the raw ability to be effective at the next level, but he will have to work on 50/50 catch situations to become more than strictly a zone corner.
In the second round, Kiper mocked another popular Big Ten standout to New York: Minnesota’s second-team all-conference center, John Michael Schmitz.
Widely considered the best center in the Draft, Schmitz draws an early round two projection from Bleacher Report and Pro Football Network. Should he fall to the Giants in the second, as Kiper predicts, the Giants could and most certainly should pounce, especially after losing both Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates in free agency (they did, however, sign J.C. Haussenauer for veteran depth, and they have Ben Bredeson who can also play the position).
Schmitz came out of the 2023 NFL Combine with the best production score and the second-best overall score for centers. Scouts have compared his ability to NFL veteran Ben Jones of the Tennessee Titans, and his coaches at Minnesota trusted him to make all calls and adjustments to the Gophers’ protection unit.
“[John Michael Schmitz] is physical in the run game and has good balance in pass protection. He allowed just one sack over the past three seasons,” Kiper wrote.
At 6-foot-3, 301 pounds, Schmitz has the size to compete in the NFL. He also understands the responsibility of leading the unit and makes quick decisions.
Against pass rushes, Schmitz demonstrates a unique ability to cycle through incoming defenders, funnel them to his supporting guards, and effectively pick up stunts.
On zone running plays, which the Giants feature heavily, he can reach the outside shoulder of defenders and punishes at the second level.
Thanks to Schoen’s proactivity earlier this offseason, this year’s draft will be about fine-tuning the roster rather than rebuilding it. Both Turner and Schmitz would complement the team and could very well remain available in the reverse order later this month.
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