The New York Giants have big weaknesses to address as they prepare for the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. Among those top positional needs are the cornerback and center spots. In this two-round mock draft, the Giants are able to land two prospects to fill those positions and reinforce their roster.
New York Giants 2-round mock draft:
25th overall: Deonte Banks, Maryland, CB
Cornerback and wide receiver seem to be the two positions the Giants are most likely to target in the first round of this year’s draft. New York has done extensive research on this year’s first-round receiving prospects, however, they still have a major need at the cornerback spot. That need could be filled with the 25th overall pick.
In a rich cornerback class, the Giants select Deonte Banks out of Maryland in the first round of this mock draft. Banks “profiles as a big, physical corner who has surprisingly smooth transitions in and out of breaks to match and mirror wide receivers,” according to Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network.
At the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, Banks turned heads, running a 4.35s 40-yard dash and recording a 42? vertical jump and an 11’4? broad jump. Banks is an uber-athletic defensive back that would fit perfectly in Wink Martindale’s fast-paced, press-heavy defensive scheme. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound cornerback has the ideal size and strength to play in Martindale’s system.
57th overall: Luke Wypler, Ohio State, C
The center position is arguably the Giants’ biggest current weakness. Big Blue could absolutely go with a center in round one, however, there is a talented prospect that will likely be on the board for them in round two. Ohio State’s Luke Wypler is the selection with the 57th pick in this mock draft, landing New York the center they desperately need.
Wypler is “undersized but highly athletic,” according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound offensive lineman spent the last two seasons as the Ohio State Buckeyes’ starting center. He allowed just one sack on 965 pass-blocking snaps while also boasting an 89.2 run-blocking grade during those two seasons, per Pro Football Focus.
Luke Wypler would be a day-one starter in the Giants’ offense. He would immediately solve a position of need while also providing Big Blue with a long-term building block on the interior of their offensive line. At 21 years old, Wypler still has plenty of room to grow and could reach his potential as a stalwart center on the Giants’ offensive line.