Giants Mock Draft: Instant Contributors New York Can Find in Every Round
New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese always likes to tell reporters every year during his predraft press conference that there are good players in the draft and that their job as a personnel department is to find those players.
While countless hours and factors go into what the Giants consider a good player who can contribute as a rookie, the projections and scouting analysis typically don’t come full circle until the players come into camp and start trying to absorb and then execute the playbook during the minicamps, OTAs and training camp.
This slideshow looks at prospects in each of the seven rounds where the Giants currently hold picks.
In each slide, you'll find at least two prospects per round selected based on draft scouting reports, my analysis of where the Giants have a need and how well each prospect could potentially fit the Giants' system.
Round 1
1 of 7
OT La’el Collins, 6’4”, 305 lbs, LSU
Sticking with the pit, the Giants are still missing a starter on the offensive line. Whether that starter is a left guard or a right tackle remains to be seen, as whoever that starter is, he will affect where current right tackle Justin Pugh lines up in 2015.
The question the Giants need to ask themselves is if there is a better right tackle prospect out there than Pugh, who last year had a rocky sophomore season.
Pugh finished the 2014 season with a minus-2.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus after posting a 1.4 grade as a rookie in 2013.
Since the Giants coaches like to experiment with different personnel in the spring and summer, a player such as LSU’s La’el Collins might be a fit.
Although Collins played left tackle in college, Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout, projects Collins will be either a left guard, where he lined up a few times at the Senior Bowl, or a right tackle.
Rang further opined that Collins “is surprisingly agile in pass protection and is a mauler in the running game,” the latter statement no doubt music to the ears of the Giants, whose running game finished 23rd in the league last season.
OT Andrus Peat, 6’7”, 313 lbs, Stanford
If Collins isn’t on the board at No. 9, another pure tackle who is intriguing is Stanford’s Andrus Peat, a large, powerfully built prospect whom NFL Draft Scout’s Rob Rang praises for his combination of size and mobility:
"Considering his monstrous frame, it is almost unfair that he gains an immediate advantage on his opponent with surprising quickness off the snap. He is balanced and light on his feet to slip out to the second level and can adjust to moving targets.
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Lance Zierlein of NFL.com notes that Peat has quickly endeared himself to offensive line coaches around the league and believes that the Giants will be able to "plug him in at RT and move Pugh inside."
Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports also thinks Peat is a good fit for the Giants at No. 9, noting that Peat, “might appeal to the Giants for his right-left tackle capability, his maturity and readiness to play now and for the team’s need to give better sanctuary for Eli Manning.”
DT Danny Shelton, 6’2”, 339 lbs, Washington
Even though the Giants added defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis, this unit is still in need of some additional upgrades to join the younger foundation of Johnathan Hankins and Jay Bromley.
Thirty-four-year-old Cullen Jenkins is entering the final year of his contract and is not part of the future. Markus Kuhn has a solid motor, but he just isn’t as physical as you’d like to see at that position.
There is also little-known Dominique Hamilton, who spent time on the Giants’ practice squad last year, who at 6’5”, 315 pounds, is a big body who will get a chance to compete for a roster spot this year.
The chances of Shelton, who is a mammoth-sized yet surprisingly athletic defensive tackle, falling to the Giants at No. 9 aren’t very promising, but if he’s there, it would be hard for the Giants to pass on a guy who could probably be a Day 1 starter on that defensive line.
Round 2
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DE Alvin “Bud” Dupree, 6’4”, 269 lbs, Kentucky
With pass-rusher being among the Giants’ needs, Alvin “Bud” Dupree of Kentucky offers intriguing value if he should slip to the second round.
Dupree has ideal size to hold up against the run, though Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout notes that Dupree currently "lacks functional football strength" to fight off blockers.
Regardless, there’s a lot to like about Dupree, such as his wingspan, his quickness and his arsenal of pass-rush moves in which he can take an opponent by surprise by turning on the jets at a moment’s notice.
The only question with Dupree is if he’ll last until the top of the second round.
Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com notes that thanks to his postseason showings, Dupree’s stock is fast rising to where he could go in the middle of the first round if there is a sudden run on pass-rushers.
Campbell also notes that, unlike many of the intriguing pass-rushers in the draft, Dupree "has the flexibility" to fit in either a 4-3 or 3-4 base defense.
If Dupree is sitting there when the Giants are on the clock in the second round, it would be hard not to give him some serious consideration, as any concerns about his strength is correctable once he gets into an NFL program and starts working with a strength and conditioning coach.
There’s also not an urgent need to start a pass-rusher from Day 1, so the Giants could probably afford to work Dupree into certain spots while he adjusts to the pro level.
DE Preston Smith, 6’5”, 271 lbs, Mississippi State
If Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is looking for that defensive lineman who, in the mold of Justin Tuck, can line up at the end on running downs or inside on passing downs, Preston Smith might just be of interest.
According to Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout, Smith has "an array of rush moves" and a long wingspan to disengage from would-be blockers in the run game.
He also has experience lining up as a 1-technique lineman who can create pressure up the middle on passing downs.
Smith was the Bulldogs’ leader last season in sacks (7.0) and tackles for a loss (11.5).
OT Jake Fisher, 6’6”, 306 lbs, Oregon
If the Giants wait until the second round to address their offensive line, they should be able to find good value in prospects such as OT Jake Fisher from Oregon.
Described as being “more of a technician” by Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout, Fisher has shown the strength to move defenders out of the way.
Rang also praised him for being “a very effective double-team blocker,” who is able to bounce away from his initial target to get another target.
According to WalterFootball.com, Fisher, a solid run-blocker, has been compared to Seattle’s Justin Britt, who was also a Day 2 prospect.
Fisher, who earned the starting right tackle job in 2012, played at left tackle last season due to a knee injury suffered by teammate Tyler Johnstone.
Round 3
3 of 7
ILB Denzel Perryman, 5’11”, 236 lbs, Miami (Fla.)
At some point—and it’s going to be sooner than later—the Giants are going to need a long-term solution for their middle linebacker spot, a position that right now has 30-year-old Jon Beason plugged in as the starter and 29-year-old Jameel McClain as the backup.
Although the Giants added two free agent linebackers—J.T. Thomas and Jonathan Casillas—and re-signed Mark Herzlich, none of those linebackers are particularly appealing as a potential long-term solution in the middle.
There is a possibility that in time, the Giants might move Devon Kennard to the middle, but that remains to be seen as last year, Kennard seemed to show he was a fit for the strong-side spot.
The answer is to get a true inside linebacker now, if possible, and let that prospect learn from Beason and McClain.
Miami’s Denzel Perryman appears to fit the bill as far as the type of players the Giants seem to be targeting these days. Although he lacks ideal size (like Beason), Perryman is a tough, confident linebacker who was a team captain and who will push himself to surpass whatever physical limitations he might have.
Per Derek Stephens and Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout, Perryman “showed improved closing speed and explosiveness as a tackler in 2014.”
He also has shown consistency in using his hands to disengage from blocks. A durable player, Perryman has shown that he can keep up with receivers lining up in the slot.
The question with Perryman is whether he would last until the top of the third round, where NDS has him projected to be drafted.
Rang noted that at the NFL Scouting Combine, Perryman did little to silence critics of his speed and overall athleticism, thanks to his 4.78-second showing in the 40-yard dash.
If teams view Perryman as a two-down linebacker, that could cause his stock to tumble to the third round, especially given that the NFL’s current state of being more of a passing league which warrants bigger and faster defenders.
One thing that might appeal to the Giants, though, is that Perryman is a stout run defender, something the Giants’ 30th-ranked run defense might welcome with open arms.
Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com notes that Perryman “takes on blocks well and is quick to read his keys. He has good instincts and uses them to limit runs.”
Campbell also praised the former Hurricane for being a sound tackler and a physical force who plays with a nasty streak and believes that he has just enough speed to get to runs on the perimeter.
CB Alex Carter, 6’0”, 196 lbs, Stanford
Although the Giants are set as far as their starting cornerback spots are concerned, they still don’t have a long-term solution at slot cornerback, a position that is just as important as the starting cornerback jobs.
This year, Trumaine McBride is projected to take over the role that opened when Walter Thurmond left for the Philadelphia Eagles.
McBride has played very well considering his size limitations—he’s listed as 5’9”, 185 pounds—but to ask him to line up against receivers who are 6’2” or taller is probably asking for trouble.
Junior-eligible Alex Carter could be a late Day 2 prospect who can provide depth at that cornerback spot as well as potentially learn that slot cornerback role.
Carter has good size for a cover corner and the speed to keep track with some of the bigger, more physical receivers fielded by opposing offenses.
According to Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout, Carter’s aggressive style of play sometimes results in a series of little yellow flags raining down in his vicinity. This is because Carter can sometimes be too “grabby” in his coverage.
Still, the talent and pedigree—he is the son of Tom Carter, Washington’s first-round pick in 1993—is there.
The younger Carter, who started right away as a freshman, earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention honors in each of the last three seasons.
He was the team’s leader in 2014 with 10 passes defended to go along with 41 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble.
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Round 4
4 of 7
FS Kurtis Drummond, 6’1”, 208 lbs, Michigan State
In keeping with need and projected value, the Giants must add to their safety unit. Currently they have three safeties under contract—Nat Berhe, Cooper Taylor and Thomas Gordon—who while supposedly being versatile enough to play either of the safety positions, all seem better suited for strong safety.
If the Giants are able to re-sign Stevie Brown, that will give them a veteran presence at free safety, but it’s unlikely that even if that were to happen, Brown would be the long-term answer.
A young prospect who could be the long-term answer is Kurtis Drummond out of Michigan State, who as a junior had 91 tackles, 10 passes defensed and four interceptions, and who as a senior logged 72 tackles, 11 passes defensed and four interceptions
Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com notes that in 2013, Drummond’s first season as a starter, he was "one of the best safeties in the Big Ten," benefiting from having quality cornerbacks in the same defensive backfield.
Still, there are some warts in Drummond’s game, such as a lack of consistency.
Campbell noted that Drummond really didn’t stand out during Senior Bowl week, and he pointed to the safety’s mixed outing against Baylor in the final game of the season, as well as being burned for big plays against Oregon early in the game.
What Drummond does bring to the table is that he is a solid wrap-up tackler, something that is becoming rarer by the day in the NFL among defensive backs. He can also probably be an instant contributor on special teams, particularly on the punt-coverage team, which last season was the weakest of the Giants’ special teams units.
Although Drummond has been susceptible to biting on the play action and needs to improve playing man-to-man coverage, he is a smart, durable and instinctive player, which is half of the battle.
WR Kenny Bell, 6’1”, 197 lbs, Nebraska
On paper, the Giants appear loaded at receiver with Odell Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle, Victor Cruz, Dwayne Harris, Kevin Ogletree, Marcus Harris and Corey Washington.
They are so loaded at this position that if they were maybe planning to make a draft-related trade, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see them package someone from the Ogletree-Harris-Washington trio to move up at some point to get a player they want.
Assuming they stand pat, let’s look ahead at the receiver picture. Although there is optimism regarding Cruz's return from the injury, there are still questions as to whether he can be the same player he was prior to the injury.
Randle finally cleaned up his act in the last two games of the season, but thus far, his lack of consistency has been a problem.
He’s entering a contract year this year, and if he doesn’t play the way he did at the end of the season, he could be the next high-round draft pick who fails to get a second contract from the Giants.
To recap, if Cruz and Randle can’t deliver—and again, the likelihood of this happening is slim—the Giants receiving corps will find itself in need of a tweak.
That’s why adding another receiver via the draft isn’t necessarily a bad idea. Beckham needs someone to help draw away the double coverage.
The receiver class is rich with prospects, and one receiver who is intriguing is Kenny Bell of Nebraska, whom NFL Draft Scout projects as a fourth-round prospect.
A thin, wiry type, there’s still a lot to like about Bell, starting with his pedigree—his father, Ken, played for Denver during the 1986-1989 seasons—and his high football IQ.
According to Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout, Bell excels in finding the "soft" spots in the zone coverage, something that Cruz was so good at.
Bell is also very good at adjusting to off-target balls and has shown himself to have good hands.
A solid downfield blocker—Brugler notes that Bell, the Huskers’ all-time leading receiver, is widely regarded as being "among the best blocking receivers in this year’s draft class"—Bell seems to thrive on contact.
He's been a solid special teams player who can also return kickoffs and is said to have an outgoing personality and a relentless work ethic, all of which would be welcome traits in the Giants' locker room.
Round 5
5 of 7
OLB Zach Hodges, 6’2”, 250 lbs, Harvard
Although the Giants added to their linebacker unit—they signed J.T. Thomas and Jonathan Casillas each to three-year deals this offseason—this unit has officially undergone year one of a multiyear makeover.
Let’s look at the picture as it stands. Jameel McClain is entering the second and final year of his contract. While he offers versatility as both a strong-side and inside linebacker, he is probably not a long-term solution.
Neither is inside linebacker Jon Beason, who has struggled to stay healthy since 2011. While Beason isn’t going anywhere this year—he agreed to a pay cut to stay with the team—in 2016, he carries a $6.5 million cap figure, per Over the Cap.
That figure is too much to carry unless he makes it through all 16 games this season and plays at a high enough level to tip the scales in favor of keeping him at that cap figure versus taking the projected $5.1 million cap savings.
Mark Herzlich is signed for two years but has shown that he is at best a spot-duty type, even though last year when moved to outside linebacker due to injuries, he earned his first overall positive grade (2.0) of his career from per Pro Football Focus.
Right now, the only cornerstone of that unit, pending how Thomas and Casillas do, is Devon Kennard, a 2014 fifth-round draft pick who was a pleasant surprise last year and who is believed to be a top- contender for the starting strong-side role this season.
Simply put, the Giants need more depth at this positon, particularly at outside linebacker, and a prospect who at the very least could provide help on special teams while he works his way into the linebacker role is Harvard’s Zach Hodges.
As a member of the Crimson, Hodges lined up all over the defensive line and was an outside linebacker, handling all of his assignments with aplomb. He has a good motor, though Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout notes that sometimes Hodges can be a little too "overaggressive."
Brugler does praise Hodges for having a good first step and for playing at a low pad level, but make no mistake—this prospect is in need of a solid year’s worth of work in the weight room, which will help him with disengaging from blocks.
The 2012 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, Hodges had posted 92 tackles with 31 tackles for a loss, 17.5 sacks and five forced fumbles prior to the start of the 2014 season.
According to Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com, Hodges didn’t embarrass himself at the Senior Bowl, he didn't stand out, though he did have a decent performance at the combine.
Hodges has an excellent first step with instant acceleration and nonstop momentum toward the ball, taking sharp angles with perceptive vision. He plays with low pad level and natural leverage to power through the line of scrimmage while staying balanced through contact.
At best, Hodges is someone who, given his high motor, be a force on special teams while he learns the finer points of becoming an NFL outside linebacker.
OLB Jake Ryan, 6’2”, 240 lbs, Michigan
Michigan outside linebacker Jake Ryan is another prospect who has a rich football background—his father, grandfather and two brothers all played college ball.
Ryan is also a two-year captain, the 2014 team MVP and a certified football junkie and overachiever type whose attention to detail and love of the game seems to help him overcome any athletic limitations he might have.
Ryan has made 41 college career starts, logging 267 tackles with 45.5 tackles counting for a loss. According to Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout, Ryan, who tore his right ACL in March 2013, lacks an initial burst and is limited in his lateral movement. He also struggles to disengage from blocks and tends to over pursue angles.
Still, there’s a lot to like about him as a prospect, according to Brugler. He is a solid special teams player who plays with control yet without fear. He has a high motor, a high football IQ, and makes smart, quick decisions in pursuit, limiting any wasted motion.
He is patient in the run game and does a nice job in anticipating the running back’s cut upfield. He is also an above-average blitzer.
NFL.com’s Charles Davis, who included Ryan on his All-Underrated Team, wrote, “Ryan isn't going to blow anyone away with his measurables, but he's always around the ball. He might be one of those high-energy guys that makes it very hard for a team to cut him.”
NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt noted that Ryan was consistent in matching his combine numbers during Michigan’s pro day.
Brandt, who also praised Ryan for his intelligence, believes the young man’s best position on defense is at weak-side linebacker and that he will be a solid special teams player.
Round 6
6 of 7
TE Blake Bell, 6’6”, 252 lbs, Oklahoma
Although the Giants re-signed 32-year-old Daniel Fells, who, per Pro Football Focus was their highest-graded tight end last season, the tight end position is headed to a crossroads.
First, for as consistent as Fells was last year, he is not the long-term answer. In addition, Adrien Robinson, the team’s fourth-round pick in 2012 who was prematurely labeled as the “Pierre-Paul of tight ends” by general manager Jerry Reese after the Giants selected Robinson out of Cincinnati, is facing a make-or-break season in this, his fourth in the league.
That leaves Larry Donnell as the only tight end with any kind of stability—and that stability is far from being solidified.
The bottom line is that after failing to address the tight end position last year in the draft this year might be the time to add a prospect to not only challenge Fells for a roster spot, but also be a fallback in case something goes wrong with Robinson or any of the tight ends for that matter.
Bell is an interesting third-day prospect. A converted quarterback who played tight end for the first time in 2014, Bell is a solid run-blocker, something that the Giants haven’t had from the tight end position since the days of Martellus Bennett.
Nicknamed the “Belldozer,” Bell has better than average strength for the position and has good hands as a receiver, Also because of his background as a quarterback, he has a high football IQ that allows him to quickly grasp different offensive concepts.
Bleacher Report’s Curt Popejoy opined that Bell, who had 16 catches for 214 yards (13.4 YPC) and four touchdowns in 2014, has a "huge" ceiling as an H-back, a role that really wasn’t as effective or visible in Ben McAdoo’s offense last year.
Want another reason to like Bell? His 6’6” height ensures that all of the Giants tight ends on the roster would be at least 6’4” and would probably give McAdoo a nice selection of options for a potential red-zone target.
Bell is still very raw given his lack of experience in the position, but if the Giants are willing to be patient with him—and considering how patient they were with Donnell and Robinson, this wouldn't be a stretch to expect—he could be one of those high-risk, high-reward payoffs.
DT Joey Mbu, 6’3”, 313 lbs, Houston
The Giants appear set at defensive tackle for the time being after adding Kenrick Ellis to a group consisting of youngsters Johnathan Hankins and Jay Bromley, and older veterans Cullen Jenkins and Markus Kuhn.
However, Ellis and Jenkins are both playing out this year while Kuhn, a seventh-round pick in 2012, just hasn’t developed into a force, despite having a good motor and a solid work ethic in the weight room and in the classroom.
If the Giants want to add another youngster to this group that they can develop over the year, Houston’s Joey Mbu might be worth a look.
According to Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout, Mbu, a team captain, is a classic "run-stuffer"—a wide body with a solid anchor, good upper-body strength and good balance in making plays inside of the tackle box.
He also has a little pass-rushing ability, having logged four career sacks, though speed is not his game. Rather, Mbu is alert enough to get his hands up in the air to bat down passes if he should find himself stonewalled at the point of attack.
On the flip side, Mbu has had some weight-related issues that might have affected his conditioning. According to Rang, Mbu reached 350 in the past and was subbed frequently by the Houston coaching staff, something that raised questions about the young man’s conditioning.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, notes that Mbu sometimes isn’t always true to his gap responsibilities. His best intangible is his work ethic and willingness to learn, so perhaps with some solid coaching, Mbu can smooth out the rough edges that currently exist in his game to become a part of a defensive line rotation.
Round 7
7 of 7
The Giants will have two picks in the seventh round, their original pick (No. 226 overall) and the 245th overall pick, courtesy of the Denver Broncos, who traded the pick last summer to the Giants in exchange for kicker Brandon McManus. As such, we'll look at four potential prospects in this round.
RB John Crockett, 6'0", 217 lbs, North Dakota State
The 2015 draft class is rich with running backs, and as the Giants have seen the last few years, you can never have too many running backs, not with how injuries seem to worm their way into the unit and cause key members to miss chunks of games.
Although New York added Shane Vereen as a free agent to be their change-of-pace guy in a group that includes Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, Orleans Darkwa and Michael Cox, an intriguing prospect on whom they might want to take a chance is North Dakota State’s John Crockett.
Crockett, a blue-collar type of back, was the workhorse for the Bisons, racking up 752 carries for 4,309 yards (5.7 YPC) and 41 touchdowns on the ground, with a career-high 368 touches for 1,994 last year.
As a receiver, Crockett has 43 receptions, 30 of which came in 2014, for 485 yards and one touchdown.
He also has a kickoff return experience, having returned 16 balls for 357 yards, with 121 returns coming in 2013.
NFL.com’s Lance Zerlein observed that Crockett has what it takes to develop into an every-down back.
Having come from a pro-style offense, Crockett is patient, creative in finding yard that aren’t initially there, and can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Like any potential rookie, Crockett has his weaknesses, which include running too upright, failing to keep his legs churning in traffic, and struggling to break tackles.
He also comes with below average strength for the position, something that a year in a pro-level strength and conditioning program might address.
The Giants have usually carried an extra player at a unit that appeared to be stacked—last season, for instance, they took cornerback Bennett Jackson in the seventh round in the draft last year despite having secured Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Zack Bowman and Walter Thurmond III in free agency to join Prince Amukamara.
Jackson ended up not making the 53-man roster, instead landing on the practice squad where he unfortunately suffered a season-ending knee injury.
The point is that he will now have a chance to compete for a 53-man roster, where there currently appears to be some positions open at the bottom of the depth chart at defensive back.
The same thinking might apply at running back, as while you ideally want all of your picks to work out, if you miss on your seventh round pick, it’s not as devastating per say as missing on your first- or second-round picks.
DE Deion Barnes, 6’4”, 260 lbs, Penn State
Thanks to the extra draft pick in this round, don't be surprised if the Giants take a flier on a candidate in hopes that he works out to be someone who can contribute in the long-term.
An interesting defensive end who might fit this bill is Penn State’s Deion Barnes, who according to Dane Brugler and Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout, has the physical traits teams look for in an edge-rusher, but who seems to have tapered off in his college career after a strong freshman season.
Barnes, who mostly played at left defensive end for the Nittany Lions, bounced back from a subpar 2013 season in which he had 28 tackles, four tackles for a loss, two sacks and one forced fumble. In 2014, en route to earning an All-Big 10 Honorable Mention nomination, Barnes finished with 44 tackles and 6.0 sacks.
OG Adam Shead, 6’4”, 338 lbs, Oklahoma
Another position where the Giants might be looking to add some young depth is at offensive guard.
Currently, they have John Jerry back on board, a man who can play guard or tackle. However, Jerry is not the long-term solution, as he showed last year that he has his issues in the run-blocking game.
Still, Jerry figures to be the first man off the bench if there’s an injury at guard or tackle, though if CFL import Brett Jones, who played center for Calgary, can quickly pick up the intricacies of playing guard in addition to center, he could be someone to watch if there is an injury among the starters.
Turning to the draft, Adam Shead, a four-year starter for the Sooners, is a big-bodied man who’s all about power.
A fierce competitor who is good on the move and who adjusts to the sudden defensive twists in front of him, Shead’s technique needs polishing, according to NFL Draft Scout’s Dane Brugler.
Shead sometimes lunges at his man, which takes away his balance and base. He is also inconsistent on the second level and has been seen on tape lowering his head prematurely, which results in him whiffing on his block.
Still, these are all technique issues that coaching should be able to smooth out, which means Shead will probably be at least a year away from being ready to contribute at the NFL level unless he proves himself a fast learner.
Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.
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