The New York Giants have done a phenomenal job this free agency period, solving several holes on the roster. Finding a true and tried wide receiver one in Kenny Golladay and a premium corner in Adoree’ Jackson will ultimately fuel improvements across the board, especially on solid contracts that will prove to be minimal once the salary cap expands exponentially in 2022.
Free agency is best utilized when trying to solve specific holes, and since the cap decreased significantly this season, teams were forced to release quality players that otherwise wouldn’t hit the market in a normal off-season.
Looking ahead to the NFL draft in a month, the New York Giants are in a great position to find a fantastic player in the first round and add high upside talent in a second. Let’s take a look at an interesting mock draft that could end up taking their defense to the next level and providing a bit of support on offense.
Two round New York Giants mock draft:
Round 1 (11): LB Micah Parsons
While there are a few red flags surrounding Micah Parsons, including an investigation that is ongoing with Parsons being mentioned by name in a harassment lawsuit, his draft stock doesn’t seem to be dropping because of it.
Parsons is an elite defense of talent, bringing elite speed and strength to the linebacker position. During his Pro Day, he ran a 4.35, indicating impressive agility and speed. The Giants like to have connections with players, especially with COVID-19 limiting their interactions. His connection with defensive line coach Spence Chaos could be an indication that the Giants will consider him if he falls to 11. Parsons has stated his relationship with Chaos as positive, indicating that he helped him through the transition process to the NFL. With that being the case, the Giants could be looking at him with keen eyes, especially with head coach Joe Judge attending Penn State’s Pro Day.
Just asked Micah Parsons about his bond with Giants DL @SpenceChaos and interest from the Giants in general. Says they've been in contact numerous times throughout the process, has stayed in contact with Spence.
Says he'll go bike riding with Chaos if he ends up with #NYG.
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) March 25, 2021
Parsons did opt out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, but his addition to the defense would be extravagant. Adding a player who can rush the passer as an outside linebacker but also play middle linebacker at a high-level is exciting. If he is there at 11, you could argue he’s the best player available and one the Giants shouldn’t think twice about. However, the team will do their due diligence and look into his background, which could raise some concerns. If all checks out clean, I can’t imagine him being low on the Giants’ draft board.
Round 2 (42): OG Wyatt Davis
The Giants did very little to add offensive line talent this off-season, but drafting Ohio state guard Wyatt Davis in the second round might cover up some concerns. Davis is a plug-and-play right guard on day one, and he would immediately provide some competition alongside Shana Lemeiux and newly signed C/OG Zack Fulton. As a bully in the trenches, Davis is a sound pass blocker and solid run blocker in power schemes. Leading the charge in front of Saquon Barkley would be fantastic, and while he might need a few months to adapt to the Giants’ game, he could be a long-term solution at RG post-Kevin Zeitler.