Day 2 Preview | Best Available Prospects

Who are some of the potential prospects the Giants could be eyeing in Day 2 of the draft? Gene Clemons has you covered.

What started as a pretty stock 2020 NFL draft turned into a whirlwind of trades and surprise selections in the first round.

The Giants selected University of Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick, filling a serious need on the offensive side of the ball.

Thanks to how the remainder of the first round unfolded, there are still some areas that the Giants need to fill that will definitely be available at a premium in the second round. Here are the best players available that fills a need for New York.

Xavier McKinney, Safety, Alabama

McKinney is a top 20 talent that fell through the cracks during the first round due to a run on linebackers during the back end of the first round. McKinney could be a perfect fit in the new Giants defense.

His versatility allows him to play deep on the hash, deep middle, or at nickel. He is instinctual and fluid in his movements, and he has a tremendous range.

He is an excellent blitzer and does a good job getting ball carriers down when tackling. Competitiveness and intelligence make McKinney someone the Giants should seriously target in round 2.

Tee Higgins, Wide Receiver, Clemson

Many believe the Giants still need to find a legitimate X receiver, and Higgins would fill that role. Draftniks all around the country watched in awe as the 6'4" 216 pound Tigers prospect fell out of the first round despite six receivers being selected.

Higgins can elevate to get 50/50 balls, has really quick feet that he uses to defeat press coverage and get in and out of routes effectively. He has tremendous ball skills and is uncanny at hauling in deep downfield passes. His long stride makes his speed deceptive and is effective at taking away a defensive backs cushion. He should be in play during the 2nd round and would look good in Giant blue.

D’Andre Swift, Running Back, Georgia

Swift is a top twenty talent in this draft, but because of the position he plays, he dropped out of the first round. There was a running back taken with the final pick of the first round, but surprisingly it was Clyde Edwards-Helaire from LSU and not Swift.

Swift’s vision between the tackles, his explosion out of the backfield, and his shiftiness in the open field give him the potential to be a dynamic playmaker in any offense. For the Giants having Swift as a second back would take a legitimate amount of weight off the shoulders of Saquan Barkley and give New York a dynamic duo in the backfield.

Yetur Gross-Matos Edge Rusher, Penn State

There’s a possibility that the reason Gross-Matos is still available after round one is that he doesn’t possess the greatest get-off. What he does not possess in get-off, he makes up for in pass-rushing skills. 

His length and athleticism make him ideal for playing on the edge. He is great at hand fighting and understands how to swipe a tackle's hands away when they engage.

He possesses good bend when coming around the edge, and his speed to power moves still has room for improvement. Gross-Matos has a double-digit sack ceiling, but he could fit fine in a pass rush by committee situation. If the Giants still think they need to bolster their pass-rushing prospects through the draft, keep an eye on Gross-Matos.

Lloyd Cushenberry, Center, Louisiana State

Cesar Ruiz was the only non-tackle offensive lineman taken in the first round, but it could have easily been Cushenberry. He has power for days, big hands, long arms, and a great explosion.

The premium on tackles in the first round pushed Cushenbury into the second round. He has skills that are a premium at the position, and he has something no other lineman can claim that he’s faced defensive lineman who are future first-round NFL draft picks.

AJ Epenesa, Defensive End, Iowa

There's no doubt that Epenesa's performance at the combine hurt his first-round stock. Now he becomes a value puck in round two. He is a guy who should fit comfortably as a 3-4 or 4-3 end.

That versatility would seem to fit the new Giants defensive identity perfectly. He has strong hands, and in his pass rush, he has an assortment of moves, including a long arm, club move, and push-pull. He also has really good read recognition ability, and its strong versus the run.

Others

No safeties were taken in the first round, so guys like Grant Delpit from LSU are still available as is Minnesota's Antoine Winfield Jr.

An assortment of talented receivers is still on the board like Denzel Mims from Baylor, Michael Pittman Jr. from USC, and Laviska Shenault from Colorado.

Giants general manager Dave Gettleman and the entire front office will be busy resetting their board and preparing for round two and three, which should prove to be just as exciting if not more so than the first round.