At last, less than a week from the NFL draft! With that being said, Giants fans will want some insight on some players available outside of the first round. Here is a full 7-round NFL mock draft to give the fans something to think about heading into this exciting yet nerve-wracking week.
Round 1: OT Rashawn Slater, Northwestern.
This would be a great pick for the Giants. Slater plays right tackle, a position that is a hole on the Giants offensive line. There are talks that some scouts believe Slater’s arms are shorter and that leads them to think he would make a better guard. No worries! The Giants also can use some help at guard. Either way, if Slater lines up at RT or RG, it will be beneficial. After all, Jones could use all the protection he can get.
Round 2: IOL Landon Dickerson, Alabama
Dickerson is a true center, but I feel like he can be a fantastic guard in the NFL. He had 216 snaps at RG, a position of need for the Giants. In an ideal scenario, Slater plays RT and Dickerson plays RG. The one hole the Giants may have is LG. The concern is Dickerson’s injury history, and it is extensive. When healthy, Dickerson is a force on the offensive line. This is the power the Giants will need on their line to protect Jones and to also create some opportunities for Saquon Barkley.
Round 3: EDGE Rashad Weaver, Pittsburgh
Weaver is coming off a career year in 2020 where he recorded 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. In his college career (3 seasons), he has 17 sacks, 34 tackles for loss, 109 tackles, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Weaver has a very nice inside spin move he uses to create leverage in the pass rush. He is also very athletic and can stay on his feet well even when he “picks grass”. The Giants could use more consistency at the pass rushing spot. Adding Weaver can bring more opportunities there. He may or may not be a day-one starter but I believe he will serve a good role under Graham’s defense.
Round 4: LB Monty Rice, Georgia
Rice is a former teammate of current Giants line backer Tae Crowder. Rice can provide some speed to the Giants linebackers. It is the one position on the defense besides corner that does not have much depth. Rice recorded 219 tackles in college with 10.5 going for a loss. He can do well in coverage, something the Giants have gotten better at but want to make sure there are enough improvements.
Round 6: RB Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana
The Giants running back room is so far Saquon Barkley, Devonte Booker, and Eli Penny (FB). The Giants decided to let Wayne Gallman walk to the 49ers. Adding a running back can create different looks in different scenarios. In his four-season career, he has rushed for 3,267 yards, 41 touch downs and caught 49 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns. If Barkley were to sustain another injury, Mitchell would be a good backup option to have. His contributions to the pass game can serve as a virtue.
Round 6: CB: Zech McPhearson, Texas Tech
McPhearson had his best season in 2020 where he intercepted four passes and defended six. He also logged 53 tackles. He comes from a family off many opportunities. His father played for the Patriots and his brother was a 2006 draft pick in the seventh round. He also has a brother that spent time with the Brewers in the Minor League. He is a physical corner who makes a play on the ball well and gets his timing just right. The Giants are slim at corner as far as depth and quality. It never hurts to have good depth at corner. He also returns punts, something Peppers did for the Giants the last couple seasons. He will need to work on his play recognition and seems to be better fit on the outside.
About Dylan Davis
Dylan Davis is a graduate of the State University of New York at Canton, where he obtained a B.A.A in Sport Management. He is a former athlete of football and baseball and sports fan for much of his life. Dylan creates content for 366 Sports and New York Giants 366, and is also a host on his own show, “The J&D Sports Show”.
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