New York Giants Mock Draft: Finding Starters in Every Round
New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese, who will speak to the media April 20 ahead of the upcoming draft, always likes to say that if a team does its homework, it can find good players in the draft who can be potential starters.
Of course, the further away from the first-round grade a player has, the more of a challenge of finding a potential starter.
Still, when one looks at the success the Giants have had of late with finding starters later in their draft classes—running back Paul Perkins (Round 5, 2016), offensive lineman Bobby Hart (Round 7, 2015) and linebacker Devon Kennard (Round 5, 2014) all come to mind—it's not hard to see why Reese would be so optimistic.
Let's look at some draft prospects in each round who have the potential to eventually become starters at their respective positions.
Round 1
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OT Ryan Ramczyk, 6'6", 310 lbs, Wisconsin
It sounds more and more likely that the Giants are going to stick with Ereck Flowers as their starting left tackle.
On the right side, it looks like a competition is going to ensue between D.J. Fluker, John Jerry and Bobby Hart for right guard and right tackle, respectively.
Regardless of how that competition shakes out, that still doesn’t leave the Giants with much depth at offensive tackle should there be injuries or struggles.
A guy like Wisconsin's Ryan Ramczyk, if he's there at No. 23, would probably be a day-one starter on a team, which means that he'd probably have a shorter learning curve in making the jump from college to the pros.
QB Patrick Mahomes II, 6'2", 225 lbs, Texas Tech
The Giants have begun to ponder life after Eli Manning, the thought driven home after head coach Ben McAdoo made a stop at Texas Tech's pro day to scout quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The junior-eligible QB has had a productive college career, but he has also drawn some questions from skeptics who have pondered if Mahomes is strictly a system quarterback.
Mahomes tried to put to rest those concerns. Per Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst, he did just that:
"From all the people I've spoken with, it was a very good day for Mahomes. He tossed about 70 NFL-type passes and looked very good. There were a few deep misses but from what I'm told they were as much a result of weary-legged receivers not being able to run to the ball.
Mahomes lined up under center and took snaps, something he rarely did in college. He handled the ball well and there were no bobbled snaps. His footwork looked much improved dropping into the pocket from under center.
Mahomes still has a lot of room for improvement, but I’m told he’s made incredible strides since his combine/pro day training started.
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The good thing about potentially going to the Giants is that Mahomes wouldn't have to step right in as a day-one starter for the Giants, not as long as Manning keeps mimicking the Energizer Bunny.
TE O.J. Howard, 6'6", 251 lbs, Alabama
O.J. Howard, without question, is the top tight end in what’s a very deep draft class.
However, if the Giants are to have any chance at getting this physical specimen, they'd almost certainly have to trade up in the first round, a trade that might prove too costly if the various draft analysts are accurate in pegging Howard as a top-10 pick.
If the Giants are lucky enough to land Howard, they’d be getting a player whom NFL Draft Scout's Rob Rang compares to Seattle's Jimmy Graham.
Rang notes that Howard is a "move" tight end and hybrid slot receiver who also has displayed "significant improvement" as a blocker.
Because he seems to be the complete package, Howard appears to be one of those prospects the Giants can only dream of acquiring.
Round 2
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LB Zach Cunningham, 6'3", 234 lbs, Vanderbilt
Although the Giants appear to be set at all three starting linebacker spots, they can still begin preparing for the future by adding a candidate such as Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham.
Per Rang, Cunningham fits the prototype for an outside linebacker in a 4-3 defensive front. In addition, Cunningham, because of the time he spent playing inside, has developed the ability to fight through the muck that normally accumulates at the point of the attack.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein notes that Cunningham's "missed tackles and lack of desired play strength" could potentially be an issue for some teams—perhaps even something that could knock him out of first-round consideration.
However, Zierlein does agree with Rang's assessment that Cunningham has the potential to be a "rangy, three-down linebacker" whose strengths are best suited for a 4-3 defense.
OG Forrest Lamp, 6'4", 309 lbs, Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky's Forest Lamp offers outstanding value based on his versatility. A college left tackle, Lamp, per Brugler, can line up anywhere on the offensive line except at center.
Compared to Dallas offensive lineman Zach Martin by both Brugler and Zierlein, Lamp appears to be an ideal fit for a Giants offense that asks much from its interior offensive linemen, particularly in the running game.
Brugler notes that Lamp is physically and technically sound as a blocker who "works hard to keep rushers in front of him in pass protection and rolls his hips as a run blocker to create movement."
The Giants, remember, spent a good deal of their limited salary cap resources to add to the running game, signing veterans like offensive lineman D.J. Fluker, big-bodied receiver Brandon Marshall and blocking tight end Rhett Ellison.
Adding a player like Lamp to the mix would further provide a much-needed upgrade to a rushing attack that hasn't finished in the top half of the league since 2012.
OT Taylor Moton, 6'5", 319 lbs, Western Michigan
Regardless of what happens with Ereck Flowers, D.J. Fluker, John Jerry and Bobby Hart this summer, the Giants would be wise to add another young offensive lineman with the versatility to play both guard and tackle.
Enter Taylor Moton of Western Michigan. Despite having played tackle in college, he projects as a better fit inside at guard, per Zierlein.
Moton appears to be an ideal fit for the power-based scheme the Giants have been trying to run for years without success.
While he would probably be afforded time to develop at first if he were to be drafted, he appears to have the size and the tools to be a good fit for the Giants offense.
Round 3
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TE Jordan Leggett, 6'5", 258 lbs, Clemson
The absolute latest the Giants should wait to draft a tight end is the third round, as by then, much of the deep class figures to be snapped up by other teams.
A prospect that might drop to New York in this round is Clemson's Jordan Leggett, ranked as NFL Draft Scout's seventh-best tight end in this year's class.
Per Zierlein, Leggett is versatile, having lined up as a traditional in-line tight end, slot receiver and as an H-back.
With just three dropped passes in his last two seasons, Leggett's 16 yards per reception is the third-best in this year's tight ends class, per College Football Focus.
DT Elijah Qualls, 6'1", 313 lbs, Washington
Washington's Elijah Qualls is a big, bulky type who is surprisingly light and fast on his feet and who is disruptive.
According to Rob Rang of NFL Draft Scout, Qualls is the type of defensive lineman creative defensive coordinators appreciate because the young man's versatility allows for him to be lined up inside, at defensive end and, in some situations, as a stand-up rusher.
Qualls has 9.0 sacks over the last two seasons, and he logged six quarterback hits and 49 hurries over the last three seasons.
Against the run, he's recorded 42 stops in the last three years with only 10 missed tackles over that period.
Given his versatility and production rushing the passer, Qualls might be too intriguing of a value player to pass up for the Giants' defensive tackle rotation.
RB Kareem Hunt, 5'10", 216 lbs, Toledo
Giants fans who are probably tired of seeing the team's running backs hit the turf without much of a fight might just love what Toledo's Kareem Hunt can bring to the table.
Per College Football Focus, Hunt's 76 broken tackles is the second-best total in this year's draft-eligible running backs group—more than double the 31 broken tackles the Giants running backs accumulated last year alone.
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Round 4
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RB Wayne Gallman, 6'0", 215 lbs, Clemson
Paul Perkins, who by last season's end had passed now former Giant Rashad Jennings on the depth chart, is projected to be the starting running back.
Shane Vereen, who missed most of last year with a triceps injury, figures to be the third-down back again, if healthy, while Orleans Darkwa, re-signed as a free agent, will also compete for some carries.
The Giants could use a power back to push the pile. That back could be Clemson’s Wayne Gallman, a big physical downhill runner, who, per Pro Football Focus, averaged 3.0 yards per carry after contact over the last three years.
Besides being a power back, Gallman snagged 81.5 percent of his pass targets (66 of 81) over the last three seasons for 454 yards, making him a two-way threat who could give the Giants coaching staff loads of options when he’s on the field.
DT Tanzel Smart, 6'1", 296 lbs, Tulane
Regardless of what happens with defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who remains unsigned, the Giants are sure to add another defensive tackle to what's otherwise a thin group.
Tulane's Tanzel Smart doesn't possess the ideal size the Giants tend to favor in their defensive tackles, but Zierlein notes that the young man's quickness and disruptive nature more than make up for the lack of measurables.
Per College Football Focus, Smart has recorded 12 sacks, 20 hits and 58 hurries as a pass-rusher in his last three seasons. Against the run, he’s recorded 141 tackles (102 solo) with 85 stops over that same period.
Against both the run and on the pass rush, Smart's production steadily increased, making him an intriguing prospect for a possible spot in the defensive tackle rotation should he fall into the Giants' lap.
Round 5
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CB Shaquill Griffin, 6'0", 194 lbs, UCF
Currently, cornerback isn't a high need for the Giants in 2016 thanks to the return of Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
As far as depth, the Giants also added veteran Valentino Blake. With it looking less and less likely that they'll re-sign Leon Hall or Trevin Wade, they might be planning to look to the draft to add more depth.
UCF's Shaquill Griffin appears to be an ideal fit for the Giants.
Griffin, who played both left and right cornerback in college, is a two-year starter with playmaking potential, He returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the last two seasons, leading his team in passes defensed and even blocking a kick on special teams.
Per Dane Brugler's annual NFL Draft Guide, Griffin has ideal size, length and play strength, but he is also a work in progress who needs coaching in several areas such as tackling, jamming the receiver, press coverage and blitzing.
Brugler believes that with the right amount of coaching, Griffin will be able to bring his level of play up to an acceptable NFL level.
OLB Elijah Lee, 6'3", 228 lbs, Kansas State
Although Kansas State's Elijah Lee comes from a 3-4 system, the Giants have, at least lately, been drafting linebackers with an eye toward developing them for a season before turning them loose.
Lee might make for the latest such prospect. In 13 starts last year, he led the team with 110 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss. He also added 1.5 sacks and two interceptions, his coverage skills improving in each of the last three seasons.
Per Pro Football Focus, he went from a 112.5 NFL rating in 2014 to a 90.4 rating in 2016, allowing just one touchdown last season while breaking up two passes and intercepting two.
The Giants found success in converting Devon Kennard from a 3-4 system to a 4-3; there's no reason to think they couldn't do the same with Lee, if he turns out to be their pick.
Round 6
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CB Nate Hairston, 6'0", 196 lbs, Temple
Temple's Nate Hairston only has one season as a starting cornerback, but it was certainly a productive one that no doubt has NFL teams taking notice.
Per College Football Focus, he allowed 57.8 percent of the pass targets against him to be completed for 273 yards, and he did not allow any touchdowns. His 57.0 NFL rating in 2016 was also helped by two interceptions and three passes defensed.
Where Hairston, whom Zierlein pegs as being "raw," needs to develop is in man-to-man coverage.
Given the Giants depth that would be in front of him were he to be drafted, if Hairston proves to be a quick learner, there should be no reason why by the end of the year he doesn't earn some snaps with the defense.
QB Jerod Evans, 6'3", 232 lbs, Virginia Tech
There are different schools of thought regarding whether the Giants are going to take a quarterback in this draft and, if so, in what round.
If the Giants are going for broke in terms of adding the final missing pieces to gear up for a championship run, it would be surprising if they spend a draft pick on a quarterback in the first three rounds.
Playing off that possibility, Virginia Tech's Jerod Evans, projected as a fifth- to sixth-round prospect by NFL Draft Scout, is a quarterback who drew the Giants' attention at the combine and who might be a promising developmental prospect.
Evans only has one year of experience in the Hokies offense, but in that year, he set eight single-season school records, including touchdown passes (29), passing yards (3,546), total offense (4,392), completions (268) and rushing yards by a quarterback (846).
Because there is still time left to Eli Manning's career, with some expedited coaching, Evans can probably get up to speed in an NFL offensive quickly enough.
Round 7
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WR Jalen Robinette, 6'3", 220 lbs, Air Force
Air Force's Jalen Robinette is probably a year or two from developing into a starting prospect, but there is still much to like about this receiver.
Per Zierlein, Robinette has legitimate NFL size to also include a wide wingspan and big hands (10 7/8"). Robinette doesn't shy away from the big hits and is competitive enough on jump balls, having won most of those plays.
He also has a second gear and the strength to fight off jams that often render some receivers ineffective.
Robinette averaged 27.4 yards per catch in 2016, which led the nation, and was named to the first-team All-Mountain West following the 2016 season, a year in which he posted 959 yards on 35 receptions and six touchdowns.
While he adjusts to the pro level, Robinette's size and physicality would probably serve him extremely well on special teams.
OG Corey Levin, 6'4", 307 lbs, Chattanooga
If the Giants are looking for a developmental prospect along the interior offensive line, Chattanooga's Corey Levin is a guy who, per NFL Draft Scout, played like a "man among boys" against his level of competition.
The bad news, though, is that Levin's technique wasn't always crisp. The good news is that if Levin is open to coaching, the technique can be fixed. His low center of gravity and stocky build, combined with the athleticism to pull and his good balance, make him far too intriguing to pass up.
Unless otherwise noted, all advanced analytics are from Pro Football Focus and all draft prospects' heights and weights and analysis are from NFL.com's combine section.
Patricia Traina covers the New York Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced.
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