Folks, we’ve been hitting the mock draft game hard this offseason. This past weekend we released our Mock Draft 2.0 and over the course of the coming months we are going to be pumping draft content out left and right.
Today I wanted to look at a mock draft specifically for the Giants. I wanted to do a two round mock draft since the Giants pick early enough in the second round that I can have a semi-decent idea of who may be available. At this time there is still a ton of movement once you get past the top 15 or so of the draft that it can be hard to predict.
Nevertheless, I did my best to predict the future. I have definitely been critical of how Dave Gettleman and the Giants have made personnel decisions in the past. It’s part of the reason why the team is now in year 4 of a total rebuild instead of contending for the playoffs.
The Giants need to invest their draft picks in positions that have strong positional value. That means no drafting defensive tackles or running backs this year. They need to get help on the edges of the field where they are weakest. They need to take a receiver. They need to get a pass rusher. They need depth at cornerback. It’s not optional at this point if this team ever wants to contend again.
So that’s what I did with this mock draft. I addressed the positions that this team needs to build in order to be successful. It’s not an option at this point. It’s something that needs to happen. So let’s get to the draft!
Round 1, Pick 11: WR Jaylen Waddle
The Giants land a dynamic receiver in Jaylen Waddle with the 11th pick of the draft. With Ja’Marr Chase and Devonta Smith certainly set to be off the board in the top 10, most teams will view Waddle as the 3rd best receiving option.
Do I see it that way?
Absolutely not. I’d take Rashod Bateman over Waddle all day long. Bateman has a much higher floor and while his upside may not be as high as Waddle, the likelihood of him hitting is upside is much higher.
But mock drafts are all about what I think the team is going to do. I think most teams would prefer Waddle to Bateman. You can find a list of my top 5 wide receiver rankings here.
Round 2, Pick 42: Edge Jayson Oweh
The Giants grab an edge rusher in the second round here. While Oweh is a bit of a project, the dude is an athletic freak. The Giants are a team that I feel could coach Oweh into a productive pass rusher. Patrick Graham is an outstanding defensive coordinator who gets the best out of his players and Joe Judge preaches fundamentals. They have the staff in place to groom this guy into having success. This could be a franchise changing pick for the team.
Love the mock draft? Hate it? Let me know on Twitter @Giants366 or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Giants366.