New York Giants Mock Draft Roundup
Offensive line? Defensive tackle? Wide receiver? Running back?
As the number of days left before the NFL draft grows smaller, the divide in opinions among the noted draft analysts regarding whom the New York Giants should take with their first pick widens.
Each analyst listed in these next few slides makes an impassioned case for his selection, but the biggest question, the answer to which won’t be revealed until late Thursday night, is which analysis, if any, matches the Giants’ thinking.
Let’s look at the different opinions and logic the analysts use to justify their selection and then break down the feasibility of the pick as best as possible.
Todd McShay, ESPN: RB Todd Gurley
1 of 5
The Pick
RB Todd Gurley, 6’1”, 221 pounds, Georgia
Why Gurley?
“Yes, this is early for a running back, but Gurley is one of the best overall prospects in this draft class and the best player on the board in this scenario,” writes ESPN analyst Todd McShay.
“He's a fit too, as the Giants lacked a big-play threat at running back last season, and free-agent pickup Shane Vereen is more of a part-time back whose biggest contributions come via the passing game.”
The Skinny
Not long after NFL.com’s Ian Rapaport tweeted that Georgia running back Todd Gurley’s injured (ACL) knee passed the medical re-checks, McShay, who for more than two months stuck with Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff as the Giants’ pick, became one of the first known analysts to jump on the Gurley bandwagon.
It’s easy to see why, especially if NFL Draft Scout’s Rob Rang is accurate in his comparison of Gurley to Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch.
The problem, though, with McShay’s pick is that while Gurley might be the next "Beast Mode," the fact remains that Gurley, who posted a video of himself running on a treadmill on Instagram, is not known to have done any cutting or change of direction, which would be required at his position.
Indeed, during the combine, Gurley said that the timetable for his return to full health was six to nine months, which, considering he suffered the injury in November, would put him at the six-month mark as of May.
If the recovery stretches out to the nine-month mark, it would put Gurley into August, right around when training camp starts to crank up.
Once Gurley does get the green light, it’s highly unlikely that whoever takes him is going to let him go full-steam ahead right away.
Considering the Giants are in a “win or else” mode this year, as much as a healthy Gurley would provide a boost to their offense, they probably don’t want to sit around waiting for their first-round draft pick to get back on the field.
Rob Rang, CBS Sports/NFL Draft Scout: DE/OLB Randy Gregory
2 of 5
The Pick
DE/OLB Randy Gregory, 6’5”, 235 pounds, Nebraska
Why Gregory?
“Throughout the Jerry Reese-Tom Coughlin era, the Giants have consistently overlooked other positions of concern when a talented pass-rusher was on the board,” claims CBS Sports/NFL Draft Scout senior analyst Rob Rang in his April 27 mock draft.
“Gregory comes with all kinds of red flags, but his traits fit well in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's scheme, and he would provide the Giants with some flexibility with Jason Pierre-Paul again on a one-year franchise tender."
The Skinny
There are two inaccuracies with Rang’s assessment.
First, in the Reese-Coughlin era, the Giants have never gambled on a first-round pick who came with red flags in his character.
Last week during media briefing, Reese said that when it comes to evaluating character, it depends on how egregious the issues are.
“The thing you have to think about when you are thinking about these young players is that they are young,” he said. “Kids do kid things and do college things and it happens. If a guy has a long list of issues, that is when you have to throw the red flag in there. Is this guy going to stop?”
The problem with Gregory, who told NFL.com’s Kimberly Jones that he took full responsibility for his failed combine drug test, is that other issues in his background might give teams pause.
Per Jones, concerns about Gregory’s character might have begun forming before his failed drug test: "At the combine, executives from two NFL teams indicated to NFL Media that there were concerns about Gregory's Nebraska off-the-field 'issues.' And this was before Gregory's positive test from the combine came to light."
A second concern with Gregory is that at 235 pounds, he does not appear to fit the prototypical size the Giants look for in their defensive ends.
Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout notes that Gregory struggles to anchor and can be driven back if an opponent gets under his pads.
The Giants had enough issues last year with being exploited on the edges by opposing running games, such as what happened against Seattle.
If they are thinking about grabbing a defensive end, they will probably go for someone with more size who can anchor better.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: OT Brandon Scherff
3 of 5
The Pick
OT Brandon Scherff, 6'5”, 319 pounds, Iowa
Why Scherff?
“I'm still in the camp that says Scherff can be a tackle,” Kiper noted in his mock draft published on April 17. “I'm also in the camp that says he's going to be a monster in the run game if we start him at guard out of the gate—and for my offense, which averaged 3.6 yards per carry last season, that sounds pretty good.
“I think it's the safe call to make at No. 9 because not only do I need the immediate impact, I could have seen the Jets or Falcons grabbing him before us, so I'm happy he's around.”
The Skinny
There’s no doubt that the Giants must complete their upgrade of the offensive line—the lack of a consistent running game last season stuck in the craw of head coach Tom Coughlin, who during various offseason press gatherings, mentioned as much.
While Scherff is the safe pick for the Giants at No. 9, where New York might vary with Kiper’s analysis is where they view Scherff’s best position. General manager Jerry Reese, in his draft preview press conference last week, told reporters that he believed Scherff could play either guard or tackle.
However, Reese, as he has done in the past, will leave the final decision regarding where each of the draft picks will play up to Coughlin and his staff, and there is no guarantee that Coughlin, who won’t speak to the media until after the first pick is made, will share Reese’s evaluation of Scherff’s best position.
With that all said, because Scherff can be plugged in at guard or tackle, and because Justin Pugh can play guard or tackle if New York selects Scherff in the first round, the versatility he adds to that offensive line will allow the coaches plenty of time to experiment in finding the best configuration.
The only question, though, is if the coaches believe Scherff is better-suited to play guard and can convince Reese of that, will the Giants spend a top-10 pick on a position they've only drafted in the first round twice (William Roberts and John Hicks) since the draft was implemented?
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Bucky Brooks, NFL.com: DT Danny Shelton
4 of 5
The Pick
DT Danny Shelton, 6’2", 339 pounds, Washington
Why Shelton?
“The G-Men are at their best when attacking offenses with a deep and talented D-line rotation,” notes NFL.com draft analyst Bucky Brooks in his April 23 mock draft. “Shelton could be a monster in the middle of the Giants defensive line."
The Skinny
Shelton is a big-bodied plugger who would add another dimension to the Giants' defensive interior.
The depth at defensive tackle, by the way, is bordering on the thin side. Veteran Cullen Jenkins is in the final year of his contract, while newcomer Kenrick Ellis only signed on for one year.
Markus Kuhn hardly resembles a plugger, and Jay Bromley is still a bit of an unknown entity as far as live action is concerned, though a rookie draft pick would also be an unknown as well.
Therein lies a possible reason not to draft Shelton. If the coaching staff believes that Bromley can be that big-bodied plugger in relief of Ellis, there’s no need to add to that position this year.
Peter Schrager, Fox Sports: OT Ereck Flowers
5 of 5
The Pick
OT Ereck Flowers, 6’6”, 329 pounds, Miami
Why Flowers?
“Why Flowers before Iowa big man Brandon Scherff? Multiple front office executives have told me they project Scherff as a guard more than a tackle in the NFL,” said Fox Sports analyst Peter Schrager in his April 13 mock draft.
“Flowers? He's a tackle first, a guard second. Ferocious, the bench press leader at the combine, and versatile at either tackle or guard spot, I like Flowers to the Giants at ninth overall."
The Skinny
Schrager is probably in the ballpark with his choice of an offensive lineman. The Giants are one solid offensive lineman away from having a complete starting unit.
While Flowers is a stud in the run-blocking department, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein expresses concern about the junior’s pass-blocking technique, noting that this aspect of Flowers’ game “needs plenty of work.”
Zierlein, in fact, believes that Flowers might thrive more as a guard than a tackle, according to NFL.com’s Mike Huguenin, who lists Flowers as one draft prospect who could be facing a position switch once he gets to the NFL.
If the Giants agree and have a choice between Scherff and Flowers at No. 9, it would make sense for them to go with the more polished player.
Again, there is a heightened sense of urgency surrounding the Giants’ program this year—if this team doesn’t end up in the playoffs, it would not be a surprise to see a major overhaul at the end of the season.
As such, the Giants need to hit the ground running with their personnel. That also includes their top-10 draft pick, who needs to be as polished as possible so he can step in on opening day as a starter.
Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced.
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