The Athletic Named These Four Prospects as Potential First-Round Interests for Giants

The Athletic as identified these four players as being potential targets of interest for the Giants in the first round of the draft ahead of next week's combine.

The New York Giants need help on both sides of the ball. With the combine set to kick off next week in Indianapolis, The Athletic’s Nick Baumbardner has weighed in with a list of prospects each team is likely to pay close attention to as far as first-round consideration is concerned.

Who did he pick for the Giants at each pick, and do his choices make sense? Let’s break it all down.

Pick No. 5: Offense - OT Evan Neal, Alabama, Defense – CV Derek Stingley Jr, LSU

Baumbardner is going to the heart of the Giants’ needs, starting with the offensive line, where, as he points out, Matt Peart, initially, a third-round pick in 2020, has not shown enough to be considered the long-term answer (plus he’s dealing with a late-season ACL injury suffered December 27 and might not even be ready for training camp, let alone for the start of the 2022 season).

If the Giants are going to draft an offensive lineman high, it probably needs to be a tackle, as they can devote some of their soon-to-be cleared salary cap dollars to land a veteran interior offensive lineman that can hopefully play all three positions. This would give the coaching staff flexibility as they add to that severely depleted offensive line.

This will also give them the flexibility to see where Nick Gates, who is coming off a broken leg, and Shane Lemieux, who is coming off a knee injury, are with their respective rehabs and where they might fit into the grand scheme of things.

Apr 17, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (1) reacts to making a catch against LSU Tigers cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) during the first half of the annual Purple and White spring game at Tiger Stadium / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The alternative, Stingley, is another pick where the Giants can’t go wrong. While many would probably prefer the Giants grab an edge rusher here, listen to defensive coordinator Don Martindale’s interview with Bob Papa. The veteran coordinator pretty much declared that cornerback will be a target this off-season.

“I just don’t think with our philosophy you can have enough corners because of the quarterbacks and wide receivers in this league and the rules that they have,” he said.

Martindale said he envisions a cornerback with ideal length and long arms, and Stingley appears to fit that mold. Notes Oliver Hodgkinson of the Pro Football Network of Stingley:

Stingley’s scouting report begins with size. At 6’1″ and 195 pounds, he owns the prototypical size of an NFL cornerback. However, size alone isn’t enough for success. Thankfully, Stingley is blessed with ideal length at the position, which helps him be disruptive both at the catch point and at the line of scrimmage. He routinely uses his length to get a jab in at the point of the snap, gaining an advantage from the get-go.

Pick No. 7: Defense – Edge David Ojabo, Michigan. Offense – WR Garret Wilson, Ohio State

Baumbardner flips the script for the Giants’ second selection in the first round, going defense and Michigan’s David Ojabo as the primary name to watch and then receiver Garrett Wilson of Ohio State as a possibility.

No one will argue if the Giants grab a pass rusher in the first round, though if it doesn't happen, it doesn't sound as though it will be the end of the world.

"Everybody says right away 'pressure,' but pressure can be viewed in many forms," Martindale said. "A lot of the times that we had free runners in the past, it's just been on four-man pass rushes. Now, it's different guys coming, but I think that's our trademark. We know how to attack protections, and I'm looking forward to doing the same thing here."

Still, something tells us that Martindale won't say "no" if presented with a potential "Batman" pass rusher for his defense.

Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State :: Kyle Robertson / USA TODAY NETWORK

Wilson is an interesting choice. The Giants' receiver unit will likely be revamped, starting with Sterling Shepard, who will probably be a cap casualty. There has also been some question about whether Darius Slayton has a long-term future with this team.

Regardless, if the Giants are looking to build a fast-paced offense, they're going to need to add to the receiving corps, and that's where someone like Wilson would fit in.

The Draft Network's Kyle Crabbs sees the 6-foot, 192-pound Wilson as projecting as more of a slot receiver in the NFL but adds that his versatility doesn't limit him in an offense.

Wilson, who is a part of the crowded wide receiver room in Columbus and has enjoyed a career year in 2021, projects best to the NFL game as a slot receiver, where his short-area agility will afford him more room to work and create space and he can be more naturally crafted quick touches for an offense that commands spacing issues with a prominent vertical passing attack. Those conditions parallel what Wilson often works with at Ohio State and would help to both maximize his immediate impact and allow the same creative touches he sees in college to follow him to the pros.

I appreciate Wilson’s versatility as an offensive weapon and would hope to see him placed into a role that features him in the RPO game as a bubble/glance threat, as a jet motion option to get him leverage to the perimeter quickly, and as an underneath receiver that utilizes his burst to carry across the middle of the field in mesh/drive concepts as the underneath target. 

The NFL Combine begins March 1 and runs through March 7. Keep it here at Giants Country for updates.

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