Pat's Final 7-Round, Giants-Only Mock Draft

Happy Draft Week!

That’s right, the endless barrage of mock drafts will finally be coming to an end this week. But more importantly, and much like a television series that teases answers to burning questions all year long only to unveil said answers in the season finale, we’re finally going to get the answers we’ve been longing for since the regular season ended.

For this final mock draft of mine, I used Pro Football Focus's mock draft simulator. Although I was offered trades, none appealed to me (this mainly because if the Giants do trade in real-time, I think it's going to be for future picks, which wasn't presented to me in any of the proposals.

Here's what I came up with.

Round 1: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

Florida tight end Kyle Pitts (Pitts, for what it's worth, is my top pick for the Giants at No. 11 if he's there--and I don't think he will be). So that left me with a choice of

I had a choice between Waddle, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, and Northwestern OL Rashawn Slater. I still believe the Giants need to complete the offensive line, especially since they have four guys (including two projected starters, Will Hernandez and Zach Fulton) who are in contract years, but I can't seem to shake this gut feeling that the Giants will draft a receiver.

So why go with the receiver? This team is committed to putting the best surrounding cast around quarterback Daniel Jones which includes as many playmakers as possible.

Second, this is said to be a deep class for guards to where if a team wants to wait until the third or fourth round to draft one, the option should still be there.

And third, the Giants are throwing a lot more resources toward their offensive line in terms of coaching, including new offensive line coach Rob Sale, the addition of Pat Flaherty, and the reassignment of Freddie Kitchens to senior offensive assistant. Head coach Joe Judge has left no stone unturned when it comes to the offensive line's development, and now it's up to the players to deliver the goods.

As for Waddle, they'd get themselves a top-notch playmaker who can work in the slot and outside and be a potential replacement for Sterling Shepard (whose guaranteed money dries up after this year) when he eventually moves on.

Waddle's explosiveness is something the Giants haven't had since they sent Odell Beckham Jr to the Browns. He can attack defenses from multiple spots on the field, and while he has room to grow as a route runner, the addition of Waddle would give the Giants yet another big-play maker for Jones to lean on in his critical third season.

Round 2: Edge Joe Tryon, Washington

Director of College Scouting Chris Pettit might have very well offered a hint into the organization's thinking when he offered the opinion that the edge rusher class, despite lacking a Chase Young type of prospect, is still rich in talent.

This would mean that the Giants, who desperately need to find and develop a stud pass rusher, might be able to wait until Day 2 to get that guy, and one prospect that would be a great fit for the Giants is Joe Tryon, who is an ideal fit for what the Giants do on defense.

Tryon, who opted out of 2020, has only two seasons as a starter in college, but they were productive ones. His official college stats include 61 total tackles with 14.5 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, and two passes defensed in 25 games played.

Pro Football Focus has him with 50 total quarterback pressures out of 396 pass-rush snaps and 38 stops for zero or negative yards. However, they also have him with nine career missed tackles, or 15.5% of his tackle attempts, a stat that needs to be cleaned up.

Tryon, 6'5", 225 pounds, has shown (albeit in limited snaps) the ability to play well standing up and then rush the passer on third down with his hand in the ground. Already showing outstanding athleticism, closing speed, and agility in the open field,

Tryon needs to add some strength and fine-tune his technique, but there is a lot of upside in this young man's game, making him a great value (in addition to a great fit) if he's there in Round 2. Further, if the Giants land him, that would given the team four young pass rushers--Lorenzo Carter, Oshane Ximines, and newcomer Ifeadi Odenigbo--who can be mixed and matched any number of ways.

Round 3: G Kendrick Green, Illinois

The Giants are almost certain to add an interior offensive line to the mix, especially with Fulton, Jonotthan Harrison, and Will Hernandez entering contract years. In Green, who played for former Giants assistant coach Bret Bielema at Illinois, the Giants would be getting a converted defensive tackle who stands 6'4", 315 pounds, and who started at guard and center for three seasons for the Fighting Illini's offensive line.

Projected as an initial backup as a rookie at all three interior offensive line spots, Green needs to improve his hand punch and angles and add some strength, but there is a lot to like about this prospect and the value he brings to the table.

Here's some of what NFL Draft Bible has to say about Green as a prospect:

Green is an explosive athlete out of his stance who is fast in a straight line and can climb to the second level easily. His lateral agility is also great, making him a tremendous puller. He uses his momentum to convert into power when blocking opponents on the move. Green is strong enough to knock nose tackles off balance and reach and seal linebackers as a combo blocker. In pass sets, he gains depth quickly and mirrors rushers with his active feet.

Green might not necessarily be a Day 1 starter, but he has enough upside to develop into one down the line given his athleticism and versatility.

Round 4: IDL Milton Williams, Louisiana Tech

Williams was listed as an interior defensive lineman, but at just 6'3", 278 pounds, he might be too light to play along the interior. As a three-tech, however, he could be a worthwhile developmental prospect.

Williams is very athletic and has a quick get-off. He plays with good pad level and does a good job of timing his get-offs which allows him to disrupt the backfield and has enough traits to be part of a defensive line rotation.

He'll still need to add some lower body strength to improve his anchor and work on his pass rush techniques. Still, there is enough here to work with if the Giants are looking to develop some young defensive line depth for the future when the Giants have B.J. Hill, Austin Johnson, and Danny Shelton all up for renewal after this season.

Round 6: Edge Malcolm Koonce, Buffalo

A team can never have too many pass rushers, and in Koonce, someone figures to get a real diamond in the rough who is coming off a relatively productive college career.

Koonce has surprising speed (his calling card) and flexibility and can bend the edge very well. He has very little wasted motion and is a strong fit for an odd-man front. Where Koonce needs some additional development is in coming up with a counter set of motion in case his speed is used against him, and he could also use more lower body bulk to better anchor and strength to finish his tackles.

Still, there's a lot of upside to like about this 6'3", 245-pound prospect who, in four seasons at Buffalo, posted 119 quarterback pressures and 63 stops who could develop into a solid contributing outside linebacker.

Round 6: CB Bryce Thompson, Tennessee

Thompson, 5'11", 190 pounds, played his college ball for Giants defensive assistant Jeremy Pruitt, where he started as a true freshman. Thompson has fluid hips and can flip them at will without giving up ground in pursuit, and has good foot speed to stay with receivers on vertical routes and good arm length to break up passes and redirect receivers.

He's also a solid tackler and good press cornerback who needs to improve his reads and show discipline in not jumping at the first thing he sees. He does bring some character concerns with him--he was arrested for a misdemeanor domestic assault in August 2019 after allegedly engaging in a confrontation with his girlfriend. (Thompson was also suspended indefinitely after his arrest but was later reinstated.)

If Thompson interviewed well and alleviated any concerns about his character, he's someone I could see the Giants taking a flier on.

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