Giants Rumors: 'Belief Within' NYG Is Charles Cross 'Could Be the Answer' at RT

The New York Giants have reportedly expressed significant interest in Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross ahead of next week's 2022 NFL draft.

According to ESPN's Matt Miller, the Giants recently met privately with Cross and there is "belief within their front office that he could be the answer at right tackle as a day-one starter."

Miller added that buzz connecting Cross to the Giants has "continued to heat up" in the weeks and days leading up to Thursday.

New York should have ample opportunity to select Cross since it owns the Nos. 5 and 7 overall picks in the draft.

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Cross measured 6'5" and weighed 307 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.95 seconds, which is impressive for a man his size.

He also boasts a solid resume from his time at Mississippi State, including being a two-year starter who was part of the All-SEC freshman team in 2020 and the All-SEC first team in 2021.

For much of the pre-draft process, Cross has been viewed by experts as the third-best offensive tackle in the 2022 class behind Alabama's Evan Neal and NC State's Ickey Ekwonu.

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah (h/t NFL.com's Nick Shook) is still of the belief that Neal and Ekwonu are the top players at their position, but he views Cross as a firm No. 3.

He also acknowledged that there is a "connection" between Cross and the Giants, although he is unsure how much of it is real and how much is a smokescreen.

Jeremiah called Cross "polished" in pass protection, which is to be expected since the Bulldogs threw the ball a ton under head coach Mike Leach.

Assuming the Giants want to give quarterback Daniel Jones the best possible opportunity to succeed in 2022, which could be his final season with the team if he doesn't show significant improvement, taking a pass-blocking tackle like Cross could be a sensible move.

The Giants already have a young left tackle in Andrew Thomas, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, and Cross would give them high-upside bookends.

Since the top of the draft may be dominated by pass-rushers such as Travon Walker, Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux, it is possible that two or all of the top three offensive tackles could be on the board when the Giants pick fifth.

That means New York may have a tough choice on its hands between Cross and the other tackles, or it could possibly address another position of need at No. 5 and hope Cross is there at No. 7.

Whatever the case, the Giants are strong candidates to address the right tackle position early in the 2022 NFL draft, and if they are truly enamored with Cross, they will be in prime position to secure him.