The New York Giants have a ton of holes to fill in the 2022 NFL draft, which makes the concept of trading back that much more attractive. With a full rebuild underway after hiring Joe Schoen to be the team’s new general manager, collecting more draft capital seems like the most efficient strategy.
However, there are some prospects that will be tough to pass on if they drop to the 5th overall selection, let alone the 7th, both of which the Giants have at their disposal. Offensive tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Evan Neal out of Alabama both stand out as lucrative prospects that can start immediately at right tackle.
Another electrifying prospect is Oregon outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux is one of the most exciting pass rushers in the draft class, with elite speed and phenomenal strength combined into one athletic specimen. There are concerns regarding his work ethic and motor, though, which could drop him right into the lap of Schoen and Big Blue.
“I heard a lot about Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, including concerns that he just doesn’t play with the same fire as some other top prospects. His ceiling is high, but the floor is lower than what you want for a top-five pick.” – Todd McShay
Thibodeaux played in 10 games this past season, recording 49 total tackles and 12 tackles for loss. He also tallied 7.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. When looking at him as a pure prospect, the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses, which is why he will likely be a top-five pick.
Suppose teams begin to sour on his services. In that case, the Giants could inject a potentially elite pass rusher into their system alongside Azeez Ojulari, who had double-digit sacks as a rookie.
As per The Draft Network, Thibodeaux remains an electrifying prospect:
Kayvon Thibodeaux is a former No. 1 ESPN 100 player when entering the University of Oregon. Upon arriving, he earned countless honors and awards including the Morris Trophy and Pac-12 Championship Game MVP while also earning All-American and All-Pac-12 status in nearly every publication. Thibodeaux is a very good athlete with regards to explosion and agility. In the passing game, he has an explosive first step and demonstrates very good ability to counter if he doesn’t win with his initial move. He rushes with good instincts and feel and has shown an uncanny ability to set linemen up throughout the game. In the run game, he plays with heavy hands and does a good job holding the point of attack. He should improve the consistency in which he disengages but plays with high effort, motor, and emotional endurance.
Looking ahead, there are only a few situations where the Giants should sit still, and those revolve around Ekwonu, Neal, and Thibodeaux. Unless Aiden Hutchinson magically falls to number five, which is highly unlikely, those are the three players worth sticking around for.
Otherwise, the Giants should heavily consider moving back and collecting more capital for 2023, a strong quarterback class in case Daniel Jones flounders.