Patricia Traina's Giants-only 7-Round Mock Draft
Sometimes when I do these mock drafts, I tend to pick player because he fits a need on the team.
this time around, I stayed away from that and looked strictly at value. That, for me, meant making a couple of trades to pick up more picks in the top 100 (my mock has five), three of whom are in the top 50.
Mock drafts are never easy to do and I'm certain there will be a handful of readers who realize after reading this mock draft just why it is I dislike doing them. But hey, the good news is that this is the final mock in our week-long "Mock Draft Mania" event for 2020.
Mock away!
My Methods:
I used Fan Speak’s Ultimate GM feature, which allows for trades. I chose Matt Miller’s Big Board for the Giants' draft board, and for the other 31 teams, I selected the random board option since all 32 teams likely have different grades and boards. And finally, I chose the "difficult" level for this simulation.
Round 1, No. 14 Overall (via Bucs): OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia
I received a trade offer from the Bucs to move down to No. 14 overall in the first round. As part of the package, the Bucs would send their first, second, third, and fourth-round picks for the Giants’ No. 4 overall pick.
I also received a trade offer from the Falcons offering the same type of package (first, second, third, and fourth picks) for the No. 4 overall. As I didn’t want to go down that far, I rejected that offer.
I accepted the Bucs’ offer, and I selected Georgia’s OT Andrew Thomas. Thomas, to me, is the safest of the Big 4 offensive tackles. I also like that Thomas has been a career left tackle, which means he should be able to slide right into the starting spot (and kick Nate Solder to the right side). Many people believe that it’s easy for a young offensive lineman to switch sides, but it’s not given all the landmarks and such that change.
At No. 14, I thought Thomas represented good value, plus I have a few extra picks now to play with should I want to trade on Day 2.
Round 2, No. 33 (via Bengals): Edge Julian Okwara, Notre Dame
I sent the Bengals my second-round pick, two seventh-round picks, and a future seventh to move up to the first pick of Day 2 in the second round. I added Notre Dame edge rusher Julian Okwara with that pick.
I think if the Giants are ever to get back to the days of having multiple consistent pass rushers, they need to add to that group and in Okwara, they would get a good young talent who can fit in with Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines.
Round 2, No. 45 (via Bengals): C Matt Hennessy, Temple
The Giants need a center for the long-term, and the more I’ve studied Hennessey’s game, the more I like it. He is quick and has great range in his blocking and is effective at the second level. If the Giants’ plan to run a zone scheme, he’d be a perfect fit.
With that said, Hennessy needs to develop a little more strength to better anchor, though I do think he can at least get in the way of blockers. I still believe the Giants are going to roll with Spencer Pulley at center this year before eventually giving way to a young prospect after a year of pro-level seasoning.
Round 3, No. 76 Overall (via Bucs): S Jeremy Chinn, So. Illinois
Chinn has fantastic ballhawk skills and range to where he could potentially be the answer at free safety. His tape also shows an ability to match up with tight ends and line up in the slot.
Adding a legitimate centerfielder at safety would allow the Giants to move Julian Love back to corner where perhaps he might even get in the mix for the slot position.
Round 3, No. 99 Overall (Comp Pick): TE Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
Another tight end? Don’t the Giants already have six on their roster? Yes, but as we’ve been writing about on this site, based on offensive coordinator Jason Garrett’s history as a play-caller, don’t be surprised to see a lot of multiple tight end sets.
Kaden Smith and Levine Toilolo would appear to be locks for two of the roles. Presumably, Evan Engram would be in the mix as well-- but that is assuming he’s fully recovered from his foot surgery from December and assuming he's still on the roster after the draft.
Just as the Giants did a few years ago when they drafted Sterling Shepard as their slot receiver “just in case” Victor Cruz didn’t make it back from his injury issues, I see the addition of a tight end as a necessity in this draft if the Giants are to run the type of offense that Garrett is believed to have drawn up.
If the Giants do draft a tight end, I wouldn’t be surprised if that means the team declines to exercise Engram’s option year, a decision of which they need to make by early next month.
Round 4, No 110 Overall. OT Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
Yes, folks, another offensive tackle. Cam Fleming is signed to a one-year deal, and I still believe that Nate Solder, despite having two more years left on his contract, will not be on this team after 2020. If I’m the Giants, I look to develop a young prospect that doesn’t necessarily have to start this year whom I can pair with my first-rounder.
Round 4, No. 117 9 (via Bucs): WR John Hightower, Boise State
The Giants didn’t address the receiver group in free agency but make no mistake about it. It’s a glaring need for several reasons, among them needing more guys who are capable of stretching the field and more big receivers to the mix.
Hightower checks both boxes. Last year he caught 51 receptions for 943 yards and eight touchdowns. In college, he often was past a defender playing press before the defender had a chance to react, working his way free down the field from coverage. And at 6-foot-1, Hightower is a little taller than the average Giants receiver.
Last year the Giants struck gold on Day 3 of the draft when they added Darius Slayton. He, Golden Tate, and Sterling Shepard should form a decent trio this year.
Still, it’s important to remember that Shepard is potentially one more hit away from seeing his career end prematurely if the hit should result in another concussion. The Giants would be doing themselves a big favor to add to their receiver group, given how deep the wideout class is.
Round 5, No. 150 Overall: CB Dane Jackson, Pittsburgh
Despite the Giants having added a bunch of corners between the draft and free agency (James Bradberry), it’s not a bad idea to add another guy who can potentially play the outside. Why/ Figure the projected starters will be Bradberry and DeAndre Baker, with Sam Beal or Julian Love as the third option. Beal, while talented, has had some injury issues in each of his first two seasons, which creates some pause about relying on him moving forward.
Jackson, according to his NFL.com draft profile, allowed just 42 of the pass targets against him to be completed, which is pretty impressive. Listed at 6-foot, 187 pounds, plays his breaks well and sticks to receivers like glue down the field.
Many of the negatives in his game—the grabbiness, for example, which will draw plenty of penalty flags from the more stringent officiating crews—are coachable. , and although he isn’t an interception machine, he did record a team-high 12 pass breakups in 13 games last season while also forcing four fumbles, tied for ninth-most in the FBS.
Round 6, No. 183 Overall: RB Patrick Taylor Jr, Memphis
The Giants would appear set with Dion Lewis backing up Saquon Barkley, but again, that’s just n a one-year deal. And with Wayne Gallman’s future very much in flux, I can’t see the Giants not adding another running back to the mix to compete for a spot behind Lewis, the projected No. 2
Taylor brings intriguing size (6-foot-, 217 pounds) and production (he scored a touchdown on every 13.1 carry in the last three years) to the mix. A potential short-yardage and third-down back, Taylor’s most significant issue, according to his draft profile, is that he sometimes runs tentatively instead of just using his size and strength to bowl over defenders in his way.
Round 7, No. 218 Overall: LB Shaquille Quarterman, Miami (Fla.)
At this point in the draft, I was looking for value with the potential to contribute on special teams. In Quarterman, I believe I’ve found that. Quarterman was a productive inside linebacker at the U, where he played the game with an old-school mentality.
A durable sort, Quarterman is more of a two-down thumper who can give you production against the run and contributions on special teams, but who probably won’t give you much in the way of coverage.
Round 7, No. 237 Overall: IOL Danny Pinter, Ball State
Pinter is a converted tight end who has limited experience playing on the offensive line (at right tackle), so he’d be a bit of a project as well as a likely guard candidate at the next level. Pinter has a good understanding o playing angles.
As Pinter learns the finer points of playing in the pit, his prior experience as a tight end could potentially serve a team well in its jumbo package.
