Giants get Daniel Jones some help in Mocking The Draft’s first mock draft

Happy Halloween, everyone!

We are about 10 hours away from officially being in the second half of the 2019 season, so that means it’s time for some way-too-early mock drafts to come out.

Of course, it’s still the fall and that might be too soon for some to want to read about the upcoming draft, but the reality is that it is always draft season. NFL teams begin prepping for the next draft almost as soon as the current one ends, so it’s a good idea for us to keep an eye on the draft as well. Likewise, mock drafts give us a way to look at the current state and needs of the New York Giants.

So then, does the new mock draft from our SB Nation sister-site Mocking The Draft have a trick or a treat for the Giants?

(Yes. Yes, I had to make that pun.)

6. New York Giants: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

If the Giants finish this high in the draft, they need to consider help for quarterback Daniel Jones. Jeudy is the nation’s best wide receiver prospect, and some consider him right behind Young as the second-best overall player available for the draft.

Raptor’s thoughts

Despite drafting at sixth overall, this very nearly became a nightmare scenario for the Giants. Fortunately LSU QB Joe Burrow has elevated his stock to the point where nobody would question him as a top-5 pick.

While nabbing Chase Young would be a dream outcome for the draft, it’s unlikely that he falls out of the top 5, or even the top 3. Having both Andrew Thomas (OT, Georgia) and Tristan Wirfs (OT, Iowa) off the board when the Giants pick is definitely less than ideal. The Giants will likely need a pair of offensive tackles over the coming off-season as their pass protection has not been anything like adequate.

Kadar picks Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to give them a true number one receiver and the kind of offensive threat the passing game is missing.

Drafting a receiver at sixth overall might get criticized as a “luxury” pick at sixth overall, but given the schematic and economic realities of the NFL in 2019, they are cornerstone players. I think we can all agree that quarterback is, far and away, the most important position in football, both in impact and pay. Therefore, any position that directly help or disrupts a quarterback’s ability to function at a high level has to be a priority.

The players that do that most directly are offensive tackle (left and right), EDGE, cornerback, and wide receiver.

Obviously OT and EDGE protect and hit the QB (respectively), while corners can keep the ball in the QB’s hands or disrupt passes. Receivers who can overcome coverage, get open, expand passing windows, make plays, and score are incredibly valuable (as evidenced by their pay on the free agent market) and absolutely help their quarterbacks.

Jeudy is probably the second best player in the country behind Chase Young. He has average size, listed at 6-foot-1, 192 pounds and good speed with a (reportedly) low to mid 4.4 second 40-yard dash. But where he truly shines is with his remarkably quick feet, detailed route running, exceptional play speed, and the ability to create and exploit mismatches by lining up all over the offensive formation.

He is not the height-weight-speed freak many might want, but as a receiver in the mold of Amari Cooper and Odell Beckham Jr. he fits the archetype of a 1,000-yard receiver well.

I would be sorely tempted to draft either S Grant Delpit from LSU or LB Isaiah Simmons from Clemson and shore up the second or third levels of the Giants’ defense. But considering the Giants have only scored more than 17 offensive points twice in their first 8 games, getting the offense help should be the top priority.