ESPN’s Todd McShay's Bold First-round Choices for Giants in Latest Mock Draft

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was once part of a decision-making team in Buffalo that never used a first-round pick on an offensive lineman in five drafts.

According to ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay's latest first-round mock draft, that's not expected to change now that Schoen is the head decision-maker with the Giants.

McShay has the Giants splitting their two first-round picks on defense and offense in what's a rather bold strategy mirroring what the Bengals did last year.

At pick No. 5, McShay likes Georgia edge Travon Walker, who boosted his draft stock at last week's combine. Notes McShay of his selection:

The Giants generated just 34 sacks (tied for 22nd) last season, and while Walker didn't pile on the QB hits at Georgia (six sacks and 29 pressures last season), he was asked to do a lot of different things in a Bulldogs front seven that produced three other likely first-rounders. The 272-pound Walker had a terrific workout in Indy, running a 4.51-second 40 and 6.89-second three-cone drill. Few players I've ever evaluated can generate the power he does from the ground up, and that was on display with a 35½-inch vertical and 10-foot-3 broad jump. Teamed up with Leonard Williams and Azeez Ojulari, Walker will only continue to develop while giving the Giants a dynamic edge rusher to spark the defense.

Worth noting is that within the first four picks, McShay has North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu and Alabama tackle Evan Neal off the board.

McShay apparently didn't feel Mississippi State tackle Charles Cross, whom he mocked to the Panthers at No. 6, was a fit for the Giants, despite his strong combine performance and allowing just one sack and six pressures in 683 pass-block snaps in the FBS (seventh-most.

At No. 7, McShay went with Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson, of whom he wrote:

Kenny Golladay led the Giants in receiving last season with just 521 yards. Evan Engram led the team in catches with all of 46, and he's headed to free agency. The next two on the list were running backs. And Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney each struggled to stay healthy. You get the point. With the top three linemen in the class off the board already, new GM Joe Schoen and new coach Brian Daboll can get quarterback Daniel Jones help in another fashion. Wilson has elite body control, 4.38 speed, and a big catch radius. New York can walk away happy on Day 1 with exciting new players on defense (Travon Walker) and offense (Wilson).

Interestingly, McShay--whose mock draft came out before the Carson Wentz trade between Washington and Indianapolis--passed on Oregon pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux at both picks, dropping him to No. 9 (Seattle via Denver). He also mocked Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner to the Jets at No. 10.

With free agency set to kick off next week, teams' draft needs at the top of the first round figure to change yet again, and it will be interesting to see if McShay has a change of heart regarding an offensive lineman for the Giants at either of their first-round picks.

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