Joe Chatz's 7-Round Giants Only Mock Draft

The NFL Draft is less than a week away, and it will be crucial for the New York Giants to select a group of players that can have an impact in 2023.

For my mock draft, I used Pro Football Network’s Draft Simulator. Let's get right into it.

Round 1, Pick 25: TE Michael Mayer

Height: 6-foot-4.5 | Weight: 249 lbs. | Class: Junior | Age: 21 | School: Notre Dame

Why draft a tight end in the first round after trading for Darren Waller last month? Because Michael Mayer is that good. The Notre Dame alum is NFL-ready as both a receiver and, more importantly, a blocker.

Mayer is the ideal complement to Waller and Daniel Bellinger. He would give the Giants massive value in the short term and help the team should they transition from Waller in a year or two.

Mayer was a three-down player at Notre Dame who had 16 receiving touchdowns in his final two seasons in South Bend. He is Notre Dame’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (180) and receiving touchdowns (18).

He can already be relied upon to effectively block a defensive end or outside linebacker in the NFL. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones needs as many safety valves as possible to thrive, and Mayer can be another player that Jones looks to whenever he needs to get the ball out quickly.

The value at pick 25 wasn’t there for the Giants to select a defensive back after Kelee Ringo was selected number 21 overall by the Chargers. Tight End Dalton Kincaid from Utah was also in consideration for the selection, but Mayer’s plug-and-play ability made him stand out. I don’t see South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith as a first-round prospect, so that was an easy option to pass up at pick 25.

R2, No. 57: DE Adetomiwa Adebawore

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 280 lbs. | Class: Senior | Age: 22 | School: Northwestern

The Giants can learn something from the Philadelphia Eagles' recent successful runs: you can never have too many pass rushers on your team.

Insert NFL Combine-sweetheart Adetomiwa Adebawore. I can’t help but smile when I visualize a pass rush of Adebawore, Azeez Ojulari, and Kayvon Thibodeaux standing up and on the edges with Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence with their hands in the dirt. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale would have so much fun drawing up ways to deploy those players together, and it would wreak havoc on the NFL.

Some believe Adebawore to be a "tweener"--someone who is too slow for the edge and too small for the interior. If you can make plays on all three downs in the modern NFL, you don’t need a set position. Adebawore can be that type of athlete on the defensive line for the Giants.

Adebawore ran a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. At 280 pounds, he ran a 4.49. How can you say no to that type of athleticism at the position? And over his last two seasons at Northwestern, Adebawore had 9.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss, most of which came against Big Ten competition.

Wide receivers Marvin Mims Jr. (Oklahoma) and Rashee Rice (SMU) were available, but I don’t see either receiver developing into anything better than a third option on a good team. Cornerback Clark Phillips III (Utah) was a possibility, but I think he will struggle to adjust to NFL competition after playing in the PAC-12.

R3, No. 89: LB Noah Sewell

Height: 6-foot-1.5 | Weight: 246 lbs. | Class: Junior | Age: 20 | School: Oregon

The Giants' linebacker unit of Jarrad Davis, Darrian Beavers, and Bobby Okereke is solid enough on paper, but that shouldn’t stop New York from selecting Sewell in the third round. The former three-year starter at Oregon, who will turn 21 on April 26, is another upside pick for the Giants.

Over 33 collegiate games, Sewell made 218 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks. He isn’t the most athletic linebacker in the draft, but he knows how to run a defense and clean up on tackles. Sewell is strong as an ox (27 bench press reps at the NFL Combine) and has the experience to line up on Day 1 as an inside linebacker that can occupy and occasionally beat an interior offensive lineman.

This also would have been a nice time for the Giants to trade down in the third round while acquiring a 2024 pick. Running backs Zach Evans (Mississippi) and Tank Bigsby (Auburn) were available, but I see them as fourth- or fifth-round picks.

Wide receivers Nathaniel Dell (Houston) and A.T. Perry (Wake Forest) would have been my other choices in this round, but they were taken 87th and 88th, respectively, in this simulation.

R4, No. 128: CB Alex Austin

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 195 lbs. | Class: R-Junior | Age: -- | School: Oregon State

I think Alex Austin could be the steal of the draft at pick No. 128. The former Oregon State Beaver started his last 25 games in college, collecting four interceptions and breaking up 17 passes. The Giants need depth at the cornerback position, and Austin has the length and ability to play on the outside in Martindale’s defense.

At 6-foot-1, Austin's running a 4.55 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine isn’t too shabby. His football IQ is as high as anyone else at his position in this draft. He also truly cares about helping out on run defense and can frequently be seen cleaning up plays for Oregon State over the past two years. He needs to get stronger, but Austin has all the measurables one wants at the position.

The only other player available at this point that I saw value in was linebacker Owen Pappoe (Auburn). If I hadn’t selected Sewell in the previous round, Pappoe would have been the only other player to warrant serious consideration at 128.

R5, No. 160: WR Parker Washington

Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 204 lbs. | Class: Junior | Age: 21 | School: Penn State

Daniel Jones needs passing options that can get open with relative ease. Washington, who caught a pass in all 32 games at Penn State, would be the perfect option for Jones on all passing downs.

Washington had 146 catches for 1,920 yards in Happy Valley, averaging at least four catches per game each season. Yes, the Giants did sign Jamison Crowder (who is somehow only 29) in the offseason, but his recent career history suggests he can’t be relied upon to play 17 games.

Same with Sterling Shepard, who is again returning from a season-ending injury, and Wan'Dale Robinson, who missed time in his rookie season due to injuries.

Washington could be a long-term solution at the slot receiver position for the Giants and is someone with punt and kickoff experience to boot.

Offensive linemen Jarrett Patterson (Notre Dame) and Braeden Daniels (Utah) were considered for this pick, but Washington’s versatility was too good to pass up.

R5, No. 172: RB Tyjae Spears

Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 201 lbs. | Class: R-Junior | Age: 21 | School: Tulane

The Giants need players on offense who can make Daniel Jones’ life easier, especially if they are pass-catchers out of the backfield that can operate in open space.

Tyjae Spears is one such prospect. He had over 2,800 yards rushing and 560 yards receiving during his career at Tulane and would be a great third-down option for the Giants' offense.

He and Matt Brieda do similar things, but Brieda has only had two seasons where he didn’t miss time over his six NFL seasons. If Brieda, who is under contract for this year only, isn't the long-term option, Spears could take the receiving back role from him early on.

Safety Jay Ward (LSU) and cornerback Riley Moss (Iowa) were considered in this spot, but the need to give Daniel Jones as many options as possible supersedes defensive backfield depth.

More Mock Drafts from Giants Country's Editorial Team

R6, No. 209: QB Aidan O'Connell

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 213 lbs. | Class: R-Senior| Age: 24 | School: Purdue

I believe there is value in drafting a quarterback every year, and the Giants have ten picks in 2023, so they should invest in a developmental prospect behind backup Tyrod Taylor. Aidan O’Connell doesn’t have what it takes to be an above-average starting NFL quarterback, but he projects as a potential backup option.

O’Connell completed more than 64% of his passes during his final two seasons (24 appearances), and Purdue didn’t lose many games because of him. All you really need from a backup is for him to complete passes and not lose you the game.

O’Connell checks those boxes. He’s not a spectacular athlete, but he maneuvers well when pressured and can be a nice stand-in for Daniel Jones should he ever miss time and the team decide to move on from Taylor after this year.

I considered running back Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota) with this pick, given the Saquon Barkley uncertainty.

R7, No. 240: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 225 lbs. | Class: R-Senior | Age: 22 | School: Kentucky

If I had taken Ibrahim at No. 209, Rodriguez wouldn’t be the pick. Since I did not, I'm going with Rodriguez, who has too much raw talent for the Giants to pass up at 240.

There’s value in taking a running back with over 3,600 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns against an SEC schedule. Rodriguez may have to sit on the practice squad for a season, but he is a great depth option.

If Ibrahim had been the pick, interior offensive lineman Alex Forsyth (Oregon) would have been the choice. He has NFL size (6-foot-3, 303 lbs.) and would make a great depth piece on the offensive line for 2023.

R7, No. 243: OL Spencer Anderson

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 305 lbs. | Class: R-Senior| Age: 22 | School: Maryland

Speaking of offensive line depth, Maryland’s Spencer Anderson could make for a solid swing tackle for the Giants. Not only is he capable of manning both tackle positions, but he also has experience at center.

Anderson would probably survive waivers if the Giants wanted to add him to the practice squad for the 2023 season. However, his versatility could earn him playing time if there are injuries along the offensive line.

Safety Jordan Howden (Minnesota) was under consideration, but I had concerns about his size in the running game.

R7, No. 254: CB Cameron Brown

Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 197 lbs. | Class: Senior| Age: 23 | School: Ohio State

Brown has one thing you love in a late draft pick: experience. He hasn’t played many games, but he has been in some of the biggest games in college football history.

Brown has the size and strength to handle NFL receivers on the outside, though his speed leaves something to be desired. He can be a replacement-level NFL defensive back.

Tight end Josh Whyle (Cincinnati) would have been the pick if Mayer hadn’t been selected in the first round.

Get the latest breaking news and analysis on the New York Giants
Follow and like us on Facebook
Submit your questions for our mailbag
Check out the Giants Country YouTube Channel.
Subscribe and like the LockedOn Giants YouTube Channel
Sign up for our FREE message board forums
Get your Giants tickets from SI Tickets!