Joe DeLeone’s 7-round Giants mock draft: Keeping it simple

The wave of mock drafts continues, and now it’s my turn to try my hand at drafting for the New York Giants. For this mock draft, just like everyone else’s, I used Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator.

As you’ll notice, I chose to avoid any projected trades for this mock. While these simulators are a great tool for projecting draft selections, their ability to analyze trades are not always accurate. Go play around with the Pro Football Focus simulator and you’ll notice it lets you trade back an unlimited amount of times. Additionally, with the likelihood of future picks being factored in, I decided to keep everything simple and relevant to this year.

Progressing through this mock draft, I found many of the early picks were very convenient to the Giants positional needs. I’d argue with my picks in Rounds 1-4 I was able to address major needs with quality players who can compete to start.

Round 1 (No. 4) — Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson

After how much I talked up Isaiah Simmons to the Giants on The Chris and Joe Show, how could I not take him here fourth overall? I’m a firm believer that this teams offensive line needs to be fixed before they can hit full stride. Simmons, however, is too intriguing of a prospect not to take.

While talking to the media on Wednesday, Joe Judge spoke strongly on how he wants high upside players for the long term. Simmons has elite potential to be an impact player for a long time. His positional versatility can be the missing piece for a defense that needs playmakers at linebacker and safety.

Passed on:
Tristan Wirfs
Jedrick Wills
Mekhi Becton

Round 2 (No. 36) — Josh Jones, OT, Houston

The risk of passing on an offensive tackle early in the first is missing out on the second tier of tackles in the second. Lucky for the Giants, Josh Jones fell right into their lap. Jones isn’t the same prospect as the Big 4 first rounders, but he has been very consistent in his time at Houston. While he played left tackle in college, Jones can step in and start right away on the opposite end of Nate Solder.

Passed on:
Xavier McKinney
Antoine Winfield Jr.
Isaiah Wilson
Tee Higgins

Round 3 (No. 99) — Matt Hennessy, C, Temple

This is where everything started to fall in place perfectly. With linebacker and right tackle handled, center was the next glaring need. Jon Halapio’s time with the Giants has been riddled with injuries and inconsistency. A young center for the future needs to be selected in this year’s draft, and that happened to be Matt Hennessy. Cesar Ruiz was drafted late in the first round, taking him off the table early. Hennessy provided an intriguing option and met his value here late in the third round.

Passed on:
Chase Claypool
Matt Peart
Joe Bachie

Round 4 (No. 110) — Van Jefferson, WR, Florida

Another convenient pick. With the historic depth at the receiver position this year, taking one at some point is a must for the Giants. Talented guys with high upside could find themselves sliding to Day 3. This happened to be the case with Van Jefferson, who might not be an elite prospect but still a very good one.

Passed on:
A.J. Green
Tyler Johnson
Logan Stenberg

Round 5 (No. 150) — Kindle Vildor, CB, Georgia Southern

The fifth round is the perfect time to add depth to various positions and draft players with decent upside. While in 2019 a ton of draft picks were spent on corners and the Giants recently signed James Bradbury, selecting Kindle Vildor at pick 150 was the right move. You can never have too many defensive backs on your team, and Vildor offers potential as a slot corner. He’s on the smaller side at 5-foot-10 and 191 pounds but has the skills to contribute in various formations.

Passed on:
Robert Hunt

Round 6 (No. 183) — Antoine Brooks Jr., S, Maryland

Selecting Antoine Brooks Jr. followed a similar philosophy of the pick of the previous round. Having depth in your secondary is necessary for a league that frequents nickel formations. Brooks Jr. isn’t an athletic freak as a safety, but he was a playmaker during his time at Maryland.

Round 7

No. 218 — Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Miami

With will-backer not solidified on the Giants defense, a player Shaq Quarterman made a ton of sense early in the seventh. Quarterman isn’t going to step in and start right away, but he can compete with Ryan Connelly and contribute on special teams. As a four-year starter, he brings a ton of experience to the Giants linebacker core.

No. 238 — Trey Adams, OT, Washington

Trey Adams was once considered to be an elite tackle prospect as an underclassman at Washington. His stock dropped off significantly, but he still posses developmental talent. Taking him in the seventh round provides strong value.

No. 247 — Austin Mack, WR, Ohio State

With the depth of the receiver class, taking more than one should be highly considered. While Austin Mack isn’t anywhere near the top of the class in terms of potential, the former four-star recruit can mold into a core special teamer.

No. 255 — Tony Jones Jr., RB, Notre Dame

Mr. Irrelevant in this mock draft ends up being a running back of all positions for the Giants. We know Saquon Barkley is the focal point of the offense and will not be relinquishing any carries. However, adding a young running back to mix like Jones can serve as a nice change of pace. Considering this is the last pick in the draft there’s a minimal risk on if Jones makes the roster.

The full draft