The New York Giants desperately need help along the offensive line. They need a center, two guards and one right tackle. If they’re unable to address and fix those issues this offseason, they’ve failed.
For that reason, the Giants must use at least some of their early draft resources to shore up the offensive line.
But Cam Mellor of Pro Football Network doesn’t see it that way. In fact, he has the Giants completely avoiding the O-Line with each of their two first-round picks.
At No. 5 overall, Mellor has Big Blue selecting Purdue edge rusher George Karlaftis.
It’s time for the other New York team to pick. With back-to-back selections, the G-Men grab George Karlaftis from Purdue.
A sensational pass rusher when he’s got time to get moving, Karlaftis is scratching the surface of his raw talent. The Giants grab the third edge defender in five picks before making a splash pick next.
Karlaftis makes sense and is a name we’ve seen mocked to the Giants with frequency. But this pick only works if New York follows it up with an offensive lineman, which they do not as Mellor then has New York nabbing Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral at No. 6 overall.
It is very likely that the Giants secure the services of a quarterback in the 2022 offseason. If they don’t grab Russell Wilson, they’ll absolutely look to secure their top quarterback with one of their first-round picks. The selection here is Matt Corral as the Ole Miss quarterback presents all the upside with few questions about his game.
There is “absolutely” no guarantee the Giants will use a first-round pick on a quarterback. In fact, it seems extremely unlikely that they will with Joe Judge having already committed to Daniel Jones in 2022.
Beyond just that however, would the Giants really be better off with Corral under center and behind this line than Jones? If that problem isn’t solved — and it likely won’t be through free agency — then the team is just spinning its wheels.
In Round 2, Mellor has the Giants passing on available offensive linemen and trading down with the Cleveland Browns (New York gets picks Nos. 46 and 77 and a 2023 fifth-round pick in exchange for No. 37).
With the 46th overall pick, the Giants select…not an offensive lineman.
46) New York Giants (from Cleveland)
Henry To’o To’o, LB, Alabama
How about No. 70, their first third-round pick? Still no.
70) New York Giants
Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
It’s not until pick No. 77 overall (Round 3) that Mellor finally — finally — has the Giants selecting an offensive lineman. And it’s not even a right tackle prospect.
77) New York Giants (from Cleveland)
Thayer Munford, G, Ohio State
Two picks later, the Giants take another 50-50 prospect. And again, it’s on the interior.
79) New York Giants
Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame
This would be an atrocious and terrible draft for the Giants. Outside of Karlaftis in Round 1 and the potential value of To’oTo’o in Round 2, this mock solves almost none of the Giants’ problems and would leave whatever quarterback is under center in 2022 lacking.
How would you feel about this draft, Giants fans? Let us know in the comments below.
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