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The New York Giants will have two picks inside the top 10 in the 2022 NFL draft, and unconventional logic suggests they should select two offensive linemen — including a center.
Will the new general manager go that route? That certainly remains to be seen, but it’s an approach being implemented in many recent mock drafts.
However, Pro Football Focus bucked that trend this week. While they do have the Giants picking one offensive lineman early, they shift to defense with the team’s second first-round pick.
But up first, a new starting right tackle in Ikem Ekwonu.
PICK NO. 5: NEW YORK GIANTS: OT IKEM EKWONU, N.C. STATE
At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, Ekwonu has guard-tackle versatility but earned a legitimate shot to start his NFL career at offensive tackle after his spectacular 2021 campaign at left tackle with the Wolfpack. He earned a 91.6 overall grade and 93.8 run-blocking grade across more than 800 offensive snaps this season, the latter of which ranks sixth among all single-season marks for Power Five tackles since 2014. He’s a true road grader in the run game with improved polish and footwork in pass protection. A player with his kind of skill set shouldn’t fall past the first 10 picks in the draft.
A couple picks later, the Giants address their second most significant area of need: pass rush. That comes via edge rusher George Karlaftis.
PICK NO. 7: NEW YORK GIANTS (VIA CHICAGO): EDGE GEORGE KARLAFTIS, PURDUE
Karlaftis will get tagged as just a lunchpail type with a high motor in a lot of lazy analysis this draft season, but he’s so much more than that. The 6-foot-4, 275-pounder was extremely productive for Purdue this season and should surprise with his athletic testing at the combine.
Karlaftis, another Feldman Freaks List member, reportedly recorded a 10-foot-1 broad jump, 37.5-inch vertical and 4.69-second 40-yard dash at just over 270 pounds this offseason. Boilermakers head coach Jeff Brohm also raved about Karlaftis’ efforts on and off the field in a Tailgate interview before the season.
In this scenario, Evan Neal is once again off the board at No. 3 overall (Houston Texans), leaving the Giants to select OT2. With Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux also off the board, they are left with EDGE3 at No. 7 overall.
Both players would come in and start immediately for the Giants, but not being able to nab one of the top players at their position with two first-round picks is a tough pill to swallow.
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