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Throughout the draft process we have been keeping track of who the various mock drafts have linked to the New York Giants.
If you haven't seen it before, our handy-dandy pie chart gives a simple graphic representation of how often a particular pick is made for the Giants.
With ESPN Draft Analyst Todd McShay releasing his "Top 32" list, I thought it would be interesting to look at the most common picks for the Giants and see where they rank on McShay's board.
1) Laquon Treadwell (WR, Ole Miss) - 17.8%
McShay's Rank: 15th Overall
I knew Treadwell wasn't going blow the doors off the 40-yard dash at his pro day, but I was still expecting better than the 4.63 he posted. So why does he still carry a first-round grade? He does so much other stuff well. On tape, Treadwell shows outstanding hand-eye coordination and body control. He does an especially good job of working the sideline and getting his feet in bounds. Provided he lands with a team that uses him correctly, Treadwell has the skill set to be a potent receiving weapon at the next level.
Must Reads
2) Ronnie Stanley (OT, Notre Dame) - 15.6%
McShay's Rank: 7th Overall
Stanley has the natural ability to compete for a starting spot from Day 1. He plays with great balance and doesn't lose many one-on-one battles in pass protection. Stanley -- who has the versatility to play both left and right tackle at the next level -- put on a clinic during Notre Dame's Fiesta Bowl matchup against Ohio State.
3) Ezekiel Elliott (RB, Ohio State) - 13.3%
McShay's Rank: 5th Overall
Elliott is a total tone-setter in practices and games, with the offense often running through him. A true three-down back, he runs with authority and plays with great patience and vision, showing natural (and underrated) pass-catching skills. Elliott keeps defenders off-balance with smooth change-of-direction skills. And I've never seen anything like his run-blocking ability from the RB position. He won't be asked to do that much in the NFL, but his toughness cannot be overlooked.
4) Shaq Lawson (DE, Clemson) - 8.9%
McShay's Rank: 17th Overall
The more I watch Lawson's tape, the more I love his game. While he has some athletic limitations, Lawson plays like a junkyard dog, with a combination of quickness, power, technique and relentlessness that has to drive opponents crazy. It wasn't a fluke that he led the nation with 25.5 tackles for loss. Lawson won't consistently threatening as a pass-rusher, but he has the long arms and speed-to-power capabilities to make a leap in that area.
5 - Tied at 6.7%)
- Jack Conklin (McShay's Rank - 8th overall)
- Vernon Hargreaves (McShay's Rank - 12th overall)
- Myles Jack (McShay's Rank - 6th overall)
- Leonard Floyd (McShay's Rank - 21st overall)
Final Thoughts
This likely doesn't mean all that much. The "mainstream" draft analysts do have the contacts to hear things from NFL executives, scouts, and analysts, but their (ESPN and NFL Network's) words are hardly gospel.
But, it is interesting to see that the mock drafts either have the Giants taking players who are -- in McShay's view -- either good values in players like Stanley, Elliott, or Jack, or players who are significant reaches like Floyd, Treadwell, or Lawson.
According to McShay's board, Conklin and Hargreaves are the only two players who have been repeatedly mocked to the Giants who's value are commensurate with the 10th overall pick. Seeing Conklin 8th overall is certainly a shock, and probably merits a conversation all its own.