Mock draft season is in full swing and Pro Football Focus is in with their post-NFL combine mock. It has a different twist than their past projections. How did the New York Giants fare? At No. 4 overall in such deep draft, they’re winners no matter which direction they choose to go.
PFF predicts the Cincinnati Bengals will select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, the Heisman Trophy winner, with the first overall pick. The Washington Redskins, who many believe will take Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young at No, 2, end up with Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
That pushes Young to the third slot, where the Detroit Lions will snatch him up in a millisecond. So, who do the Giants grab at No. 4?
4. NEW YORK GIANTS – OT MEKHI BECTON, LOUISVILLE
The Giants are committed to building through the trenches, and there’s no larger building block in the draft class… literally. The 6-foot-7, 364-pound Mekhi Becton scooted his way to a 5.1 second 40-yard dash over the weekend. While he hasn’t been tested a ton in pass protection (73 true pass sets all year) and is raw as a prospect, Becton has rare physical tools to work with.
Now, I’m never going to say no to a huge offensive tackle in the first hour of the draft, especially for the Giants, who have had a dearth of solid tackle play the past several seasons.
But passing up Clemson everyman Isaiah Simmons here might be a decision that will haunt the Giants for decades. He is a seminal talent, a freak, and you never pass on a once-in-a-decade player.
PFF has Simmons going sixth to the Los Angeles Chargers with Miami taking Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert fifth.
This mock draft doesn’t take into account the possibility of trades. If Tua aces his pro day, teams might be looking to trade up to No. 2 or No. 3 to try and get him. That could push Young down to the Giants, which would have general manager Dave Gettleman doing cartwheels down Paterson Plank Road.
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