New York Giants' 7-Round Mock Draft and Top-100 Big Board

Another NFL draft is less than two weeks away, and this year's player selection meeting is particularly important for the New York Giants.

After finishing below .500 each of the past three seasons, the Giants are in desperate need of a turnaround. A handful of smart selections in the 2016 NFL draft could transform them into playoff contenders in Ben McAdoo's first season as head coach.

General manager Jerry Reese is the man in charge of picking McAdoo's first crop of rookie talent. Reese has held this role since 2007 and built two Super Bowl-winning squads during Tom Coughlin's tenure as head coach. Now, it's time for him to prove he can reach the same level of success with a new coach in command.

It was not difficult for Reese to identify the defense as New York's most talent-starved platoon. Earlier this offseason, he spent big money to sign end Olivier Vernon, tackle Damon Harrison and cornerback Janoris Jenkins in free agency. The revered talent evaluator also created a competition for the starting middle linebacker job by signing Keenan Robinson and Kelvin Sheppard.

Although the Giants could still use some help in the secondary and at linebacker, the free-agent spending spree addressed most of New York's pressing issues on defense. After acquiring just a few run-of-the-mill free agents on offense, the team may place heightened attention on that side of the ball in the draft.

This slideshow will highlight many of the prospects the Giants should consider drafting when the 32 teams gather at Auditorium Theatre in Chicago from April 28-30. We'll discuss New York's biggest needs and create a top-100 big board on the following slide. Then, we'll go round-by-round and predict the Giants' picks (they have six this year).

Read on to take a deep dive into Big Blue draft analysis.

Top-100 Big Board

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Ole Miss OT Laremy Tunsil tops this big board.

Let's start by breaking down New York's big board. Reese and the rest of the Giants' brain trust will use a ranked list just like this one to help them pick the best players available later this month.

The Giants aren't strong enough to select top prospects regardless of position, so the positions of need are weighted a little more than the others on this big board. That is why, for example, the offensive tackles as a whole are ranked higher than the defensive tackles. It's also why zero quarterbacks are included among the top 15 prospects.

The Giants own three picks in the top 100: 10th overall, 40th and 71st. The players they eventually select with each of those picks should be named somewhere on this list.

New York Giants' Big Board

Rank	Player	Position	School
1	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
2	Joey Bosa	DE	Ohio State
3	Jalen Ramsey	CB	Florida State
4	Vernon Hargreaves III	CB	Florida
5	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
6	Leonard Floyd	LB/DE	Georgia
7	Shaq Lawson	DE	Clemson
8	Darron Lee	LB	Ohio State
9	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
10	Eli Apple	CB	Ohio State
11	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
12	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
13	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
14	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
15	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
16	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
17	Josh Doctson	WR	TCU
18	Reggie Ragland	LB	Alabama
19	Carson Wentz	QB	North Dakota State
20	Sheldon Rankins	DT	Louisville
21	Noah Spence	DE	Eastern Kentucky
22	Jason Spriggs	OT	Indiana
23	Tyler Boyd	WR	Pittsburgh
24	William Jackson III	CB	Houston
25	Will Fuller	WR	Notre Dame
26	Germain Ifedi	OT	Texas A&M
27	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	Alabama
28	Emmanuel Ogbah	DE	Oklahoma State
29	Cody Whitehair	G	Kansas State
30	Michael Thomas	WR	Ohio State
31	Kevin Dodd	DE	Clemson
32	Jeremy Cash	S	Duke
33	Ryan Kelly	C	Alabama
34	Jarran Reed	DT	Alabama
35	Jonathan Bullard	DE	Florida
36	Corey Coleman	WR	Baylor
37	Keanu Neal	S	Florida
38	Vadal Alexander	G	LSU
39	Andrew Billings	DT	Baylor
40	Vernon Butler	DT	Louisiana Tech
41	Jared Goff	QB	California
42	Shon Coleman	OT	Auburn
43	Shilique Calhoun	DE	Michigan State
44	Pharoh Cooper	WR	South Carolina
45	Kenny Clark	DT	UCLA
46	Austin Johnson	DT	Penn State
47	Kendall Fuller	CB	Virginia Tech
48	Su'a Cravens	LB/S	USC
49	Joshua Garnett	G	Stanford
50	Jaylon Smith	LB	Notre Dame
51	Carl Nassib	DE	Penn State
52	Braxton Miller	WR	Ohio State
53	Kentrell Brothers	LB	Missouri
54	Joshua Perry	LB	Ohio State
55	Hunter Henry	TE	Arkansas
56	Landon Turner	G	North Carolina
57	Vonn Bell	S	Ohio State
58	Artie Burns	CB	Miami (FL)
59	Adolphus Washington	DT	Ohio State
60	Le'Raven Clark	OT	Texas Tech
61	Nick Martin	C	Notre Dame
62	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
63	Kenneth Dixon	RB	Louisiana Tech
64	Xavien Howard	CB	Baylor
65	Robert Nkemdiche	DT	Ole Miss
66	Derrick Henry	RB	Alabama
67	Chris Jones	DT	Mississippi State
68	Charles Tapper	DE	Oklahoma
69	Maurice Canady	CB	Virginia
70	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State
71	Leonte Carroo	WR	Rutgers
72	T.J. Green	S	Clemson
73	Devontae Booker	RB	Utah
74	Christian Westerman	G	Arizona State
75	Jerald Hawkins	OT	LSU
76	Javon Hargrave	DT	South Carolina State
77	Karl Joseph	S	West Virginia
78	Alex Collins	RB	Arkansas
79	John Theus	OT	Georgia
80	Sebastian Tretola	G	Arkansas
81	Rashard Higgins	WR	Colorado State
82	Jalen Mills	S	LSU
83	Zack Sanchez	CB	Oklahoma
84	Austin Hooper	TE	Stanford
85	Will Redmond	CB	Mississippi State
86	Tyler Matakevich	LB	Temple
87	Sterling Shepard	WR	Oklahoma
88	Cyrus Jones	CB	Alabama
89	Kenny Lawler	WR	California
90	Kyle Murphy	OT	Stanford
91	Kamalei Correa	LB	Boise State
92	Dominique Alexander	LB	Oklahoma
93	Kenyan Drake	RB	Alabama
94	Bronson Kaufusi	DE	BYU
95	Nick Vannett	TE	Ohio State
96	Connor McGovern	G	Missouri
97	C.J. Prosise	RB	Notre Dame
98	Joe Haeg	OT	North Dakota State
99	Kolby Listenbee	WR	TCU
100	Roberto Aguayo	K	Florida State

Round 1

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Pick 10: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame

For the second consecutive year, the Giants may spend a top-10 draft pick on an offensive tackle. Although the love affair they had with Ereck Flowers does not exist this time around, Ronnie Stanley is still the logical selection at 10th overall.

Stanley could have been a first-round pick in last year’s draft, but he decided to stay at Notre Dame for the 2015 season. As a result, the Associated Press recognized him as a second-team All-American. At 6’6” and 312 pounds with long arms (35 ⅝”), he has all the measurable traits to be a dominant tackle at the NFL level.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com noted that Stanley’s decision to return to school was a wise one, as it allowed him to improve upon the weaker aspects of his game:

"

Stanley showed great maturity in acknowledging his weaknesses and returning to school to work on them and improve his game. While Stanley’s core power is still a concern, he showed improved strength and run blocking prowess this year and should be ready to come in and start right away for a team looking to protect a high-end quarterback.

"

If the Giants do not select Stanley in the first round, they may not have another opportunity to acquire a starting-caliber tackle in this year’s draft. This class is not too deep at the position, and other top prospects—such as Jack Conklin, Taylor Decker, Jason Spriggs and Germain Ifedi—may all be off the board when the Giants pick again in the second round.

Stanley starred at left tackle for the Fighting Irish in 2014 and 2015, but he began his college career at right tackle as a redshirt freshman in 2013. With Flowers in line to start on the left side again, Stanley can expect to move back to the right side if the Giants draft him.

Behind two top-10 draft picks in Flowers and Stanley, quarterback Eli Manning will pass from a nearly impenetrable pocket in 2016.

Round 2

Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Pick 40: Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh

After using free agency to address some pressing needs on defense, the Giants now have the flexibility to fill their offensive holes with top draft picks. Offensive tackle was addressed in the first round of this mock; they can revamp the wide receiver corps by picking Tyler Boyd in the second.

After breaking Larry Fitzgerald’s school record for freshman receiving yards with 1,174 in 2013, Boyd became the first receiver in ACC history to post 1,000-yard seasons as a freshman and a sophomore (1,261 in 2014). When Pitt lost running back and defending ACC Player of the Year James Conner for the 2015 season, Boyd chipped in with 40 rushing attempts for 349 yards—on top of his 91 receptions for 926 yards.

Dayana Sarkisova of Pro Football Focus, who actually compared the Pitt product to Giants receiver Victor Cruz, described Boyd as an ideal secondary or tertiary pass-catcher:

"

Jack of all trades, master of none is something which fits quite well with what we’ve seen from Boyd. Outside of his struggles to get separation and win downfield on go-routes, he doesn’t really have a weakness, but there also isn’t anything he’s significantly better at than his peers. While he might not be the type of receiver that a team builds their offense around, he does have the ability to develop into a good second or third option in the NFL.

"

The Giants don’t need Boyd to be their world-beater at wide receiver; they already have that in Odell Beckham Jr. Boyd just has to be a better complementary pass-catcher than Rueben Randle, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent this offseason.

Boyd, who is 6’1” and 197 pounds, has the collegiate production and pedigree to start right away for the Giants. In a three-wide set with Beckham and a healthy Cruz, he will help keep the chains moving—at the very least.

Round 3

Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Pick 71: Xavien Howard, CB, Baylor

After adding offensive personnel in the first two rounds, the Giants can turn their attention back to the defensive side of the ball. One position that is in desperate need of quality depth is cornerback, and New York can address that need with the selection of Xavien Howard in the third round.

Howard leapt to the forefront of the Big 12 in 2015, earning consensus first-team all-conference honors with five interceptions and 10 pass breakups. He is a strong, physical cornerback at 6’0” and 201 pounds, which makes him the perfect prospect for a team looking to toughen up its press coverage.

In time and in the right system, Rob Rang of CBSSports.com believes Howard will resemble Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Byron Maxwell.

"Maxwell earned a massive contract from the Eagles after racking up interceptions and big hits opposite All-Pro Richard Sherman in Seattle," Rang wrote. "If protected over the top with a rangy free safety, Howard has the size, physicality and ball skills to continue his big-play ways in the NFL."

Since they signed Janoris Jenkins in free agency and already have Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie under contract, the Giants won’t need Howard to step in and be a starter on day one. Instead, he can pick up some pointers from these two ball hawks and relieve them when one is banged up.

If he catches on quick enough, Howard can also compete for the wide-open slot cornerback role and see some significant playing time as a rookie. Regardless, he will be a welcomed reserve at the position.

Round 4

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Pick 109: Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple

Linebacker jobs are up for grabs in New York, and Tyler Matakevich is a potential fourth-round prospect who can compete for one in the starting lineup.

Matakevich was the most decorated defensive player in college football in 2015. He won the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The AAC standout was also selected as the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.

It’s tough to contest those recognitions, considering Matakevich’s insane production. He eclipsed 100 tackles in each of his four seasons at Temple and finished his college career with a total of 481 stops (40 behind the line of scrimmage). As a senior, he tacked on 4.5 sacks and five interceptions.

Despite this stellar resume, Matakevich is physically limited when it comes to his strength and size. The 6’0”, 238-pound linebacker lacks ideal athleticism, but his work ethic and intangible qualities still make him a desirable prospect.

If drafted by the Giants, Matakevich will join a competition for the starting middle linebacker job with no clear front-runner. Jasper Brinkley returns after starting nine games last season, but Uani ‘Unga and newly signed free agents Keenan Robinson and Kelvin Sheppard are also in the mix.

Since Matakevich is decent in pass coverage and may not be strong enough to make it as a middle linebacker, perhaps his best fit is on the weak side. He would almost certainly be an upgrade over J.T. Thomas or Jonathan Casillas, who have both been serviceable at best.

Round 5

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Pick 149: Matt Judon, DE, Grand Valley State

The Giants are long overdue when it comes to drafting an outstanding defensive end. A fifth-round pick spent on Matt Judon could yield the team’s best pass-rushing selection since it picked Jason Pierre-Paul 15th overall in 2010.

Judon may have been the most dominant player in college football last season, but he was competing at the Division II level at Grand Valley State. He accumulated 20 sacks in 15 games. In addition to his 81 total tackles (23.5 for losses) in 2015, he also recorded three forced fumbles and three pass breakups.

Critics will point to his collegiate competition, but Judon stacked up well against the best defensive end prospects in this year’s draft class at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. His frame is large enough at 6’3” and 275 pounds, and he was a top performer in the 40-yard dash (4.73 seconds), bench press (30 reps) and vertical jump (35 inches).

With the Giants in a transition year, a daring pick like this one is just what Jerry Reese needs to prove that he can build a championship-caliber team without Tom Coughlin. Uncovering Judon and unleashing him on opposing quarterbacks would be a great way for the stumbling general manager to flex his muscles once again as a draft guru.

Pierre-Paul and high-priced free-agency acquisition Olivier Vernon are expected to start at the defensive end positions, but the door is wide open for a third pass-rusher to emerge in the rotation. Judon could contribute off the bench and make the leap from reserve to superstar in just a couple of seasons.

Round 6

Young Kwak/Associated Press

Pick 184: Joe Dahl, G, Washington State

If the Giants turn back to the offensive side of the ball in the sixth round, it should be to further bolster the offensive line. Joe Dahl would be a good guy to consider with their last pick of the 2016 NFL draft.

Dahl started his college career at Montana, an FCS school, before transferring to a Power Five program in Washington State and sitting out one year. After one season at left guard, the ascending lineman spent his last two seasons with the Cougars as the starting left tackle for a pass-happy offense.

At the NFL level, Dahl is better off playing guard than tackle. He is a technically sound blocker who can afford to pack a bit more mass onto his 6’4”, 304-pound frame. There’s nothing insurmountable that holds him back from one day claiming a starting job as a pro.

By drafting two offensive linemen—perhaps Ronnie Stanley and Dahl, as this mock suggests—the Giants would complete their rebuilding project along the offensive line. In the past three drafts, first-round selections Ereck Flowers and Justin Pugh, as well as second-rounder Weston Richburg, have all become instant starters. And it appears as though 2015 seventh-rounder Bobby Hart, who could be the team’s starting right guard this year, is not far behind.

Smart drafting, and not free-agency spending, is delivering New York a revamped front five. If the Giants acquire both Stanley and Dahl in this year’s draft, this position unit will be teeming with youthful starters and quality depth for the first time in a long time.

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