With the No. 173 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the New York Giants select North Carolina offensive lineman Marcus McKethan.
McKethan is an interesting choice if for no other reason than that he was teammates with Joshua Ezeudu, whom the Giants selected in the third round.
It’s no secret that New York needed to work on the offensive line during free agency and throughout the draft, and McKethan represents the third lineman taken — the second guard.
At 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds, McKethan certainly has the NFL size. However, like Ezeudu before him, he’s far more adept at run blocking than pass protection. That will likely prevent him from earning a starting job — which is now also a numbers game — but the long-term potential is very much there.
Here is what NFL Network draft guru Lance Zierlein had to say about McKethan:
Three-year starter offering premium size and length at the guard position. McKethan plays to his size with the ability to mash and move single blocks and double teams. He’s best suited for gap and power schemes, but will struggle against moving fronts that force him to react quickly to action in his gaps. The pass protection is going to be a little leaky due to his lack of slide quickness and trouble versus twists. McKethan’s blend of size and power should make him a Day 3 pick and future NFL backup.
McKethan is very much a long-term protect with a decently high potential ceiling. His chance to make the 53-man roster is slim (pending injuries), but he’ll likely be carried on the practice squad and molded over the course of the 2022 season.
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