Olivier Dumont's 7-Round New York Giants Only Mock Draft
The month of April is here, which means the annual NFL draft is not far away. It's a time for teams to restock at positions of need while shaping their rosters for the future to become competitive.
The New York Giants, who have ten picks in the draft, will be looking to build on last season's surprising 9-7-1 playoff squad. What direction might general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll go with each pick?
I used Pro Football Focus's mock draft simulator to map out some possibilities.
R1, No. 25: OC Joe Tippmann
Height: 6-foot-6 | Weight: 337 lbs. | Class: Junior | School: Wisconsin
Earlier this offseason, the Giants decided to go all in on quarterback Daniel Jones’ new contract, giving him a four-year, $160 million contract with $82 million guaranteed. If you pay a quarterback that much money, you might as well invest in their protection so that they can succeed at the highest level.
With Andrew Thomas at left tackle and Evan Neal at right tackle, there are questions along the interior, particularly at left guard, where Ben Bredeson appears to be the incumbent against Joshua Ezeudu, and center, a position that was weakened when the team lost Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates in free agency.
Although the Giants agreed to terms with veteran center J.C. Hassenauer, they still need an answer for the long term, and Wisconsin's Joe Tippmann makes for an elite choice to do just that.
The reason why the Giants should prioritize Tippmann comes down to just how well-rounded he is. From his strength, athleticism, and IQ for the game, Tippmann brings all the tools to succeed at the NFL level. Though he will get scrutinized for his height, Tippmann has a flexible lower body which allows him to anchor his protection, and he comes in with more than adequate upper body strength.
The only drawbacks with Tippmann are his ability to maintain better posture with his leverage and playing with tighter hands to sustain body control through protection engagement. Because he’s tall for a center, those fundamentals have lacked at times during his tenure at Wisconsin, and that's something that could carry on over into the NFL.
But the player has great potential. If the Giants select him, he has the promise and foundation of skills to immediately become a starter. Drawing comparisons to Green Bay Packers center Josh Myers from NFL.com, Tippmann received the highest NFL Next Gen Stats score amongst all centers in the NFL Combine (87) and was second with his Athleticism Score (77).
R2, No. 57: LB DeMarvion Overshown
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 229 lbs. | Class: Senior | School: Texas
Over the last several seasons, the Giants have grappled with finding athletic, coverage-oriented linebackers for their defensive schemes. Although the Giants signed Bobby Okereke and expect Darrian Beavers back from an ACL injury, there is a widespread opinion that they need more at the position, particularly regarding coverage.
This is why the Giants should consider Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown with their second-round pick. Overshown is an athletic, lanky-long linebacker that previously played as a defensive back when he was a freshman and sophomore.
What stands out about Overshown is not only his tremendous growth from season to season, in which he produced a collegiate career high in total tackles (96), tackles for a loss (10), and sacks (4) in his final season with Texas; he also has show patience in diagnosing and processing plays and having the awareness to process routes when dropping into coverage.
Overshown is one athletic blitzer. Considering the Giants have defensive coordinator (Wink Martindale), who is a big proponent of deploying blitz packages, Overshown would make for a good fit in this Giants linebacker unit.
The downsides of Overshown's game are his lack of play strength due to his slender frame and his struggles with tackling in open space. These concerns can be improved at the NFL level, however. And seeing how much Overshown has improved every year while in college, the upside at the next level is hard to ignore.
R3, No. 89: SAF Ji’Ayir Brown
Height: 5-foot-11” | Weight: 203 lbs. | Class: Senior | School: Penn State
Julian Love wound up signing with the Seattle Seahawks. Whether this was for the best or not, the Giants lost a safety that led the defense in tackles.
Though the Giants have some options, such as Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton, and Bobby McCain, finding another long-term safety could be addressed through the draft. Penn State Senior Ji’Ayir Brown is certainly an option then in this case.
Brown has an excellent motor and has transformed into a versatile threat as a safety. Over his final two seasons at Penn State, Brown finished with 147 total tackles, ten interceptions, eight passes defended, and 4.5 sacks.
Though he’s not as explosive as some teams might prefer him to be, Brown contains good closing burst as a blitzer, tackler, and in coverage, and has the sharp, quick-minded ability to diagnose a quarterback’s intentions.
The one major concern with Brown is his lack of discipline, which often leads him to get baited into committing mistakes or being moved out of position by opposing quarterbacks. In the NFL, that’s something that can be problematic.
But seeing how committed he is to the game and improving his talent, Brown is worth betting on as he comes with great upside to be starter mid-way into the 2023 regular season.
R4, No. 128: IOL Emil Ekiyor Jr
Height: 6’3” | Weight: 314 lbs. | Class: Senior | School: Alabama
After addressing a need at center, the Giants may want to go back to the interior offensive line to shore up the depth at guard, with three-year Crimson Tide starter Emil Ekiyor Jr could be a good fit.
Ekiyor offers excellent fundamentals to go with a pair of great hands. Though he doesn’t fit the ideal physical profile for a guard, his girthy base, proper footwork when lowering his pads, and well-schooled hand placement compensates for any size concerns.
On the negative side is Ekiyor's lack of ideal size and limited range as a lateral blocker. Whether he gets steamrolled with a bull rush or is dealt an athletic opponent that can outmaneuver him, Ekiyor needs to improve his strength to survive at the next level.
That said, Ekiyor was a starter for three years at one of the best college football programs, equipped with the versatility, experience, and skills to be a strong talent for the Giants. He would be a steal in the fourth round.
R5, No. 160: WR Andrei Iosivas
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 205 lbs. | Class: Senior | School: Princeton
Though the Giants signed Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, and Jeff Smith and retained Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, and Isaiah Hodgins, it can't hurt to pursue a receiver with one of their later picks.
Princeton’s Andrei Iosivas makes for a great candidate should he be available. The Hawaiian native was an All-American heptathlete in college, showing tremendous speed, leaping ability, and strength.
Though he fell a bit under the radar at Princeton, Iosivas produced better numbers each season, with his senior campaign being his best when he reeled in 66 receptions for 943 yards and seven touchdowns. The season before, Iosivas caught 41 receptions for 703 yards and five touchdowns, highlighting the big leap he took in his final season.
What’s great about Iosivas and his athleticism is that it grants him a robust foundation for the skill set he’s been able to develop. With sharp foot quickness and elite agility, Iosivas can shake off pressing corners and evade tacklers with little effort, yet with his size and leaping ability, he can elevate and win jump balls with the best of them.
Though the Princeton alum has that desirable athleticism for a league that’s only heading more in that direction, his lingering issue with being too much of a body catcher is problematic, as is his tendency not to be a willful finisher following his catches.
Iosivas has also illustrated struggles with adjusting to catches outside his frame, which is fundamentally concerning. That said, his baseline of athletic skills makes him a viable option for the Giants and a safe bet in the fifth round.
More Mock Drafts from Giants Country's Editorial Team
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R5, No. 172: LB Dee Winters
Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 227 lbs. | Class: Senior | School: TCU
Although we have the Giants addressing linebacker earlier in this draft, we are returning to that position for the fifth round with TCU's Dee Winter. In 15 games played last season, Winters had 79 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, one interception, and two passes defended.
Winters is versatile. Though he does come in at a smaller size for a linebacker, his elite pursuit ability, speed, and aggression often compensate for that. This can be seen firsthand with his good feel for penetrating through gaps to make a tackle and his ability to kick into second gear to chase down ball carriers. Winters does a great job getting after the pocket as a blitzer.
The only two concerns with Winters are his passiveness with taking on the block and his below-average change of direction in space. That lack of drive and urgency when crashing in on the block to the clunkiness in open space could be coached, but that said, given his versatility--he can play as an inside and outside linebacker--Winters' versatility might be too good to pass on.
R6, No. 209: CB Cory Trice
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 206 lbs. | Class: Senior | School: Purdue
In this day and age in the NFL, wide receivers are only getting bigger, stronger, and more athletic. And though speed and quickness go a long way with pass coverage as a cornerback, having that size and physicality is essential to allow you to contend with these receivers.
Though the Giants signed one-time Lions starter Amani Oruwariye (the tallest cornerback on the team at 6-foot-2) to join Adoree' Jackson, Aaron Robinson, and Nick McCloud on the outside, they should look to add more size and strength to the cornerback unit. Cory Trice fits that profile.
Because of his rare combination of length, strength, and size, Trice does a great job impeding the early stages of a route and stifles possession throws made underneath. Although he doesn’t come with much versatility, Trice is solid in coverage, making for a solid plug-and-play option.
In his five years at Purdue, Trice finished with 106 total tackles, five interceptions, and 15 passes defended (ten of which were from last season), highlighting spurts of his pure talent in pass coverage despite not playing more than eight games in any of his first four seasons.
Because of his injury-riddled past, some might be deterred from drafting the young corner. Another concern with Trice is that he tends to struggle with his recovery timing when beaten, which exposes his lack of speed and fluidity in his game.
That said, Price still thrives in press and zone coverage. Trice would make for a great addition to the defensive secondary.
R7, No. 240: CB Carrington Valentine
Height: 6-foot | Weight: 193 lbs. | Class: Junior | School: Kentucky
Another cornerback with the next pick? That’s right! The Giants have plenty to work with now in their defensive secondary, especially with their cornerbacks. But similarly to that of its wide receiver unit, their defensive backs have also endured their fair share of injury woes these last two seasons, proving one can never have too many corners.
Carrington Valentine would be a fine choice in the seventh round for the Giants. Unlike Trice, Valentine is a speedier option at corner with a better set of hands that allows him to rake balls free from the grasps of his receiving opponents. Due to his lengthy athletic frame, Valentine also does a nice job crowding vertical throws and locating the ball on deep sideline throws.
Though Valentine had only one interception over his three years at Kentucky, he finished with 16 passes defended, ten of which came in his final season as a junior. He also had 118 total tackles to go with two sacks.
Some of these lackluster numbers are why teams are skeptical of Valentine. All too often, Valentine has exposed his inexperience by taking big bites from double moves and has dropped a handful of interception opportunities in college.
The upside is there for Valentine; with some technical work, he can be a good cornerback. But the refinement of his game requires much more attention than other options, making Valentine more of a long-term development project rather than the quick fix the Giants might be after.
R7, No. 243: SAF Jason Taylor II
Height: 6-foot | Weight: 204 lbs. | Class: Senior | School: Oklahoma State
At this point in the draft, I thought Jason Taylor II represented good value. During his last two years in college, Taylor produced at a level that immediately showcased why he’s NFL-ready.
Following a junior campaign in college that saw him finish with 48 tackles (37 solos), four passes defended, and two interceptions, Taylor made massive strides as a senior. In 13 games, Taylor had 99 tackles (80 solos), seven passes defended, and six interceptions.
With a history of making big plays during big moments, Taylor is a bruising tackler with legitimate stopping power. Although he’s a more physically oriented safety that doesn’t come with great agility, quickness, or breakout speed, Taylor had eight interceptions in two seasons, highlighting his ability to track deep balls thrown his way.
The two areas that might discourage the Giants from selecting Taylor are his mental mistakes and tendency to miss tackles in the open field. These two things can be coached, making Taylor more of a developmental pick. That said, Taylor does come with plenty of promise.
R7, No. 254: DE M.J. Anderson
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 269 lbs. | Class: Junior | School: Iowa State
With the final pick for the Giants, I opted for a defensive lineman to help fill out some more of the depth on the Giants' front seven. M.J. Anderson was the best left on the board.
Anderson didn’t get much playing time, particularly in his first two seasons in Minnesota. But following his transfer to Iowa State, he started in 5 of the 12 games he played, finishing his 2022 campaign with 37 tackles, nine tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. Though it might not seem like much, Anderson produced at a high level considering his limited reps.
At the forefront of Anderson’s talent are his pop with his hands and his ability to play off blocks to make tackles in gaps. His strength and evasiveness have made him quite the force, often creating good angles to attack edges as an inside rusher.
The only big concern with Anderson comes down to his lack of experience and development. Per PFF, Anderson only played in 608 total snaps during his three years in college and still has a lot to learn regarding reading blocking schemes.
Because so much of his game is still unrefined, he could take longer to groom and might be a developmental project. But Anderson does come with his share of upside and raw talent and has the potential to be a solid backup with a little seasoning.
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