The NFL Draft is just days away, so it’s time to update our New York Giants seven-round NFL Mock Draft.
In version 3.0, in mid-March, we wondered whether putting the Franchise tag on Saquon Barkley would change the Giants’ draft plans. Now, with Saquon not wanting to sign his tender, we feel even more strongly that running back (potentially as a 2024 starter) will be in the cards for the Giants, along with a wide receiver, off-ball linebacker, safety, interior offensive line, and special teams assets to round out all four quadrants of the team.
Mock Draft Rules
- We used the Pro Football Network’s Mock Draft Simulator
- We drafted solely based on who was available at the time the Giants were on the clock
- We made this a no-trade mock draft for the Giants
New York Giants Mock Draft
Rd 1 (Pick 25): Zay Flowers, WR Boston College
This was a tough choice because O’Cyrus Torrence was also on the board here, and he would be an immediate starter at guard for the Giants. However, the upside of Flowers was simply too good to pass up.
The former Golden Eagle is a smaller receiver at 5’10” and 175 pounds, but he is electric after the catch and has elite change of direction ability, which helps to make him a strong route runner. While some may see his size and determine he’s just a slot receiver, Brian Daboll will be more creative with the way he uses Flowers since the overall skill set and package are enticing and he has the versatility to make plays on the boundary as well.
Rd 2 (Pick 57): Antonio Johnson, S Texas A&M
The Giants still need help in the secondary after the departure of Julian Love and Johnson could be part of the answer for New York. Skilled safety is one that has good size, was a versatile player in college and could be in the NFL as well. Johnson played everywhere from deep safety to slot defender to box safety.
Johnson was named first-team All-SEC in 2022 despite missing three games. In all, he recorded 71 tackles, five for loss, one pass breakup and a team-leading three forced fumbles. The consensus seems to be that Johnson will go in the second round, but he had at one point been projected as a first-round pick. NFL Mock Draft Database has Johnson ranked as the 54th-best player in this year’s draft.
Rd 3 (Pick 89): Daiyan Henley, LB Washington State
We’ve talked about Henley in a few articles this offseason as being a great fit for the Giants. At 6’1″ and 230 pounds with 33″ arms, he has the perfect frame for an off-ball linebacker. At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, he also showed good explosion and the elements of being a “twitchy” athlete. He was also much stronger in coverage than many expected and showed that he could be a true three-down linebacker at the next level.
Rd 4 (Pick 128): Tyjae Spears, RB Tulane
This is a fun pick because Spears is a home run threat on offense. He’s an explosive runner with easy speed needed to gain significant chunks of yardage. He’s a smaller back but runs hard through contact and sets up tacklers to gain extra yardage. His quick twice ability and elusiveness make him dynamic with the football in his hands, and I think Daboll would come up with creative ways to use him.
He would push Matt Breida for the backup job as a rookie and potentially slide into a bigger role if the Giants can’t work out a long-term deal with Saquon this season.
Rd 5 (Pick 160): Olusegun Oluwatimi, C Michigan
Joe Schoen said that the Giants are comfortable with their center position, but you have to think that he wants to add more competition there with Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates both gone. Oluwatimi was a four-year starter for Michigan and is a highly intelligent player who plays with a strong understanding of angles. He has tremendous awareness on blitz pick-ups and is a true captain of the offensive line in helping communicate to his teammates. He won’t wow with his measurables, but he’s a smart and talented player who could have a job in the NFL for a decade.
Rd 5 (Pick 172): Garrett Williams, CB Syracuse
Honestly, there’s a chance Williams goes in the third round, so we had to take him here. Williams is a physical and aggressive defender that showcases an alpha mentality whenever he’s on the field. He’s a tremendous athlete with good change-of-direction skills and showcased a strong ability to make plays on the ball. His draft stock will likely be impacted by his recovery from an ACL injury, but this is a risk the Giants can take this late in the draft.
Rd 6 (Pick 209): Jalen Wayne, WR South Alabama
The Giants met with Wayne at the Combine and would likely take the chance here to see if he can make a mark at the wide receiver position. He’s a bigger receiver at 6’2″ and 205 pounds, so he gives them a different look from Flower. He has long arms and was a versatile weapon at South Alabama, even playing running back in some instances. He’s a strong route runner who may not have great deep speed but does have the ability to manipulate coverage and get himself open across the middle. He’s also a strong blocker, which the Giants will love.
Rd 7 (Pick 240): Mekhi Blackmon, CB USC
Joe Schoen and Brandon Beane loved drafting cornerbacks late when they were together in Buffalo, and it worked well, hitting on some solid rotational players with 6th or 7th-round picks. Blackmon could be one of those selections. He plays with a fearlessness and aggression that will be welcomed in New York and has shown good ability to make plays on the ball in the air, so he would be an ideal special teams and depth piece at cornerback.
Rd 7 (Pick 243): Tayshawn Manning, OG Kentucky
The Giants are still a little thin in the middle of the offensive line, so why not take a shot on the 6’4″ and 335-pound Manning? He’s incredibly strong and plays with great punch in the run game. Obviously, there are some flaws in his game or he wouldn’t drop this far, but perhaps he can emerge as a backup guard for years? That would be great value here.
Rd 7 (Pick 254): Tim DeMorat, QB Fordham
This would be quite the feel-good pick with the Giants’ final selection of the draft. DeMorat is a Florida native, but played his college football here in the Big Apple at Fordham. He had a historic year leading the Fordham Rams to their first playoff appearance since 2015 and breaking school and Patriot League records in most passing yards (4,891) and most touchdowns (56) in a season.
It would be something to see only the fourth Fordham player to be drafted into the NFL since 1955 be selected by the Giants.
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