It is officially draft week. This will be the second-to-last of mock drafts for the New York Giants, from yours truly. Let’s see if there are any surprises in this one.
Round 1, Pick 6: WR Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio State
The most complete wide receiver in the draft, he surprisingly fell to the Giants at pick six. Malik Nabers went fourth to the Cardinals, while the Chargers went to offensive lineman Joe Alt. Giants fans won’t complain. A big-bodied target, he’ll be the team’s WR1 they’ve been searching for for years.
Round 2, Pick 47: DL Braden Fiske, Florida State
There’s a glaring hole next to Dexter Lawrence on the defensive line. Though I wanted New York to possibly bring back Leonard Williams in free agency, he re-signed with the Seahawks. With that said, Fiske would be a great replacement. He brings NFL-level IQ and is a smart run defender. The Seminole plays with a high motor, and could arguably be a better pass-rusher compared to Williams. With 14 sacks in the past two seasons, there’s a case to be made.
Round 3, Pick 70: RB Trey Benson, Florida State
New York is known to have a heavy interest in the Seminole running back. Getting two players back-to-back from Florida State is surprising but also not at the same time. Benson’s track speed is evident on tape, and has the ability to break tackles easily because of his explosiveness. Though he’s not the best at changing direction, he can easily work on that along with being patient to be a better back.
Round 4, Pick 107: QB Michael Pratt, Tulane
A sleeper in this year’s draft, Pratt brings solid fundamentals and excellent touch to his throws. Though his arm strength isn’t the best, the 6’3″ quarterback is good at manipulating coverage and isn’t afraid to throw in the middle of the field. Pocket presence and scrambling out too early are concerning, but coach Brian Dabnoll can help develop him and fix his bad habits. Remember him and Josh Allen? Look how that turned out.
Round 5, Pick 166: G Zak Zinter, Michigan
Not wanting to leave this mock without an offensive lineman, Zinter is powerful and is a solid anchor. He could challenge for the right guard position from day one if the New York Giants don’t have a clear plan at the position (spoiler: they still don’t…)
Round 6, Pick 183: CB Kalen King, Penn State
In 2022, King was one of the best cornerbacks in the country. But, 2023 was a down year, as quarterbacks had a better passer rating (82.4 vs 48.9 in 2022) when targeting him and the cornerback was inconsistent. His technique is shaky at times, and doesn’t anticipate breaking routes as quickly as he should. But, he has a lot of potential athletically and will need time to develop. Giving him time to do so, he could be a starter down the line. His explosiveness and athleticism are not out of the question.
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