Which Position Will Giants Most Likely Target in Round 1 of the Draft?
With just over three weeks left until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place in Kansas City, Caesars Sportsbook has released its odds for which position each team will address in the first round of the draft.
According to the odds for the New York Giants, wide receiver leads the way with the best odds to be the position filled in the first round (-130), with defensive back (+300), offensive line (+650), linebacker (+900), defensive line/EDGE (+1000), quarterback (+1600), running back (+4000), tight end (+4000), and kicker/punter/long snapper (+10000) following in the odds.
The favoring of wide receiver is interesting. The Giants re-signed Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, and Sterling Shepard to join Wan'Dale Robinson, Collins Johnson, and David Sills V as returnees. They also added free agents Parris Campbell, Jeff Smith, and Jamison Crowder. Thus the Giants aren't short of receivers, but it's worth noting that Shepard, Robinson, and Johnson are all coming off season-ending injuries, while Campbell, Smith, Crowder, and Shepard are all signed to one-year deals.
So while an argument could be made to go with receiver at No. 25, it's somewhat surprising that the odds don't more strongly favor the offensive line, and in particular center (+650), where the Giants lost starter Jon Feliciano and backup Nick Gates.
The Giants could plug Ben Bredeson in at center--he played 30 snaps there last year--and perhaps be looking to take a center at some point on Day 2 of the draft. But in terms of pressing needs, again, center would seem to trump receiver given the lack of depth at the position.
Speaking of center, a prospect like John Michael Schmitz out of Minnesota would be a wise selection. The All-American allowed just eight pressures and two sacks in 2022, the two sacks coming in his final collegiate game against Wisconsin. In fact, those were his only two sacks allowed in his time with the Gophers.
In addition to his great pass-blocking skills, he has solid run-blocking abilities and technique. This is the type of long-term answer the Giants need at center, especially with a relatively young offense.
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