The New York Giants hold the 25th overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, finding themselves in a much different position than they were in last year. “25 it’s a little bit harder than 5 and 7 to come up with names,” general manager Joe Schoen explained during his pre-draft presser.
Last year, New York had a good idea of who they would be drafting prior to draft night. But heading into this draft, the Giants may be hoping to see some of their top prospects fall down the board and into their lap. Here are three players that could shockingly fall to the Giants at the 25th overall pick.
WR Jordan Addison, USC
The Giants have been linked to WR Jordan Addison all offseason long. The USC prospect was formerly believed to be a player the Giants may need to trade up to draft. However, his draft stock has recently started to slip following a disappointing performance at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
Addison could tumble his way down the draft board and right into the Giants’ lap with the 25th overall pick. Despite once being considered the top wideout in this draft class, Addison has now slid in pre-draft rankings. Trevor Sikkemma of Pro Football Focus recently ranked Addison the 48th-best prospect in the class, landing him in the “Priority Mid-Day 2” tier.
As Addison’s draft stock continues to fall, the likelihood of him being available when the Giants are on the clock continues to increase.
S Brian Branch, Alabama
Brian Branch is listed as the consensus top safety prospect in this year’s draft class. The Giants met with Branch this week as part of their top 30 visits.
Branch is a versatile defensive back that could fill the void left behind by Julian Love. While he could be drafted early in the first round as the top safety in the class, many analysts believe Branch will be on the board when New York is picking.
It’s not often that a team can draft a top prospect at their position late in the first round. But the Giants could have that opportunity if Branch is available when New York is on the clock.
CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
The Giants held a pre-draft meeting with Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks. Some analysts believe Banks is the best defensive back in the class. Yet, others list him as a round-two prospect, like The Draft Network.
Banks’ wide range of draft rankings and grades make him a prospect that could potentially slip down the draft board. Banks is an elite athlete who ran a 4.35s 40-yard dash and posted a 42-inch vertical and 11-foot-4 broad jumps at the Combine.
The Giants, in need of cornerback support, would be getting a prospect with the potential to develop into a top player at their position if Banks were to fall to 25.