BBV Benchwarmers’ mock draft throwdown: Ryan, Joseph and Emily offer their Giants-only mock drafts

With the 2021 NFL Draft now less than two weeks away, our team is in full pre-draft swing doing mock drafts and player evaluations. Ed has been churning out his mock drafts and his mock draft analysis for weeks now. And earlier this month, Nick, Joe and Chris offered their “dueling mock drafts” for the Giants.

Now, Emily, Joseph and I have decided to throw our hats into the ring and present our “Benchwarmers’ Dueling Mock Drafts.”

Like the first edition, the rules are simple: 6 rounds, Giants only, no trades, and we had the ability to use whichever mock draft simulation machine that we wanted (even though we all used The Draft Network). Now, let’s get right to it:

Emily Iannaconi’s mock draft

Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

(Mock draft machine used: The Draft Network )

Round 1 (No. 11 overall) - DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama)

Round 2 (No. 42) - Jayson Oweh (EDGE, Penn State)

Round 3 (No. 76) - Aaron Banks (IOL, Notre Dame)

Round 4 (No. 117) - Jaylen Twyman (IDL, Pittsburgh)

Round 6 (No. 197) - Cornell Powell (WR, Clemson)

Round 6 (No. 202) - Larry Rountree III (RB, Missouri)

Reasoning:

Yes, I went wide receiver in the first round despite the Giants’ pressing need for an edge rusher and Micah Parsons still being on the board. I fully understand going edge with the No. 11 overall pick, especially because the Giants added Kenny Golladay in free agency. For me, though, New York’s next season is a make-or-break one for Daniel Jones. Therefore, the priority should be giving him weapons to throw to and adding protection up front. Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater was off the board so I went with DeVonta Smith. He finished his college career with an Alabama-record 235 catches, while also setting the SEC records for receiving yards in a single season (1,856) and career (3,965). His competitiveness and quickness would provide an immediate jolt to the offense.

In the second round, I directed my focus back to edge rusher in selecting Penn State’s Jayson Oweh, who turned heads at his pro day. At 6-foot-3, 257 pounds, Oweh ran a 4.36 40-yard dash and followed that up with a 39.5-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 11 feet, 2 inches. He is a bit risky because he was only a one-year starter at Penn State and he did not recording any sacks in 2020. His impact beyond the stat sheet is notable, though, and his athletic and physical traits make him a desirable player for any NFL team.

Then, I went with Notre Dame’s Aaron Banks in the third round. In the course of the past few drafts, New York has demonstrated its willingness to invest picks in some young offensive linemen. The Giants selected Andrew Thomas in the first round, Matt peart in the third round and Shane Lemieux in the fifth round last year. There is also 2018 second-round pick Will Hernandez. I think Banks is a good fit for New York’s rotating offensive line. He has experience at both guard spots and has played tackle from time-to-time. Banks also showed durability in college with 31 straight starts. I think the Giants can get behind that type of versatility and experience.

Next, I chose defensive lineman Jaylen Twyman in the fourth round. The Giants already have an experienced defensive line but they are going to need someone to replace B.J. Hill, who is entering the final season of his rookie contract.

With the No. 196 overall pick, I went with Clemson’s Cornell Powell. I had imagined trying to fill a need at cornerback or linebacker here but it surprised me that Powell fell to the sixth round as he has been projected as a late fourth- or early fifth-round pick. So I decided to snatch him at what feels like a good value pick to me for the Giants in the sixth round. The Giants’ receiving group is strong, but both Sterling Shepard and Kenny Golladay come with injury histories. The Giants should know better than anyone the importance of depth, and I think Powell provides that.

Lastly, I chose Larry Rountree III with the No. 202 overall pick. Speaking of injuries, Saquon Barkley will be returning from a torn ACL. Injury also impacted his sophomore campaign, meaning we haven’t seen the best of Barkley since 2018. The depth chart behind him is thin and Rountree can both replace Wayne Gallman and complement Barkley in the backfield.

Ryan Magill’s mock draft

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

(Mock draft machine used: The Draft Network)

Round 1 (No. 11 overall) - DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama)

Round 2 (No. 42) - Wyatt Davis (G, Ohio State)

Round 3 (No. 76) - Quincy Roche (EDGE, Miami)

Round 4 (No. 117) - Dylan Moses (LB, Alabama)

Round 6 (No. 197) - Jermar Jefferson (RB, Oregon State)

Round 6 (No. 202) - Tamorrion Terry (WR, Florida State)

Reasoning:

Before I get started, I want to explain that if trades were on I would have absolutely traded back into the first round to grab an EDGE. It is the most important position of need for the Giants and with none being worth the 11th pick in my eyes, I would make the move back into the 20-30 range to grab one.

Getting back to my mock, Slater would have been my 11th pick if he fell to me. He didn’t, so I was left with the heart wrenching choice between the electric speedster in Jaylen Waddle and the “Slim Reaper” in DeVonta Smith. As I explained in our roundtable discussion, I feel Smith should be the pick because of his ability to be a WR1 with his ability and mentality while still being able to contribute as a complementary player. The man went into a superhuman mode when Waddle was hurt, but also proved he could be just as effective as a second-or-third-option. That kind of pure talent is sorely needed on the Giants.

I found myself in the same place that Joe DeLeone did, taking Wyatt Davis and Quincy Roche in Rounds 2 and 3. But the two make plenty of sense for the Giants. Davis, a 2019 unanimous First Team All-American, is a natural right guard who has the ability to slot in on Day 1 and be a better-than-average starter for the G-Men.

Meanwhile, Roche has slipped under-the-radar while his Miami teammates Jaelan Philips and Gregory Rousseau have dominated the headlines. Roche put up 14.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 3 recoveries in his lone season at Miami after a terrorizing three years at Temple. At his pro day, ran a 4.62 in the 40, had a 32.5 vertical jump and a 9-feet-11 in the broad jump. He also had 23 reps on the bench press at 225 pounds. Since Roche tends to win more with his technique than his pure athleticism, he isn’t as flashy as other EDGEs in the draft. At this pick, however, he provides starter quality at incredible value.

I can already hear my brother Colin chirping in my ear about this one, but I took Dylan Moses in Round 4. Partially in response to taking Roche over North Carolina linebacker Chazz Surratt (someone I am very, very high on), I decided to take a flier on the oft-injured but incredibly solid player who quarterbacked Bama’s defense and was a Butkus Award finalist as a sophomore. Allowing him to learn from Alabama-alum Reggie Ragland and starter Blake Martinez while giving him time to fully heal from his injuries could be huge for Moses. He’s a fringe first-round talent when he’s healthy, so I couldn’t resist him here.

Finally, with my duo of sixth rounders, I went with running back Jermar Jefferson and wide receiver Tamorrion Terry. With really only Saquon Barkley and Devontae Booker on the roster, the Giants need to add a running back in the later rounds. Following a breakout freshman year which saw him rush for 1,380 yards and 12 touchdowns, Jefferson fell off a bit. He never recorded another 1,000 yard season, but he was named 2020 PAC-12 Co-Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 858 yards and 7 touchdowns. He might benefit from a rotational role. Lastly, Terry is a 6-foot-3, 207 pound physical threat with an impressive ability to go up and grab the ball. He suffered from inconsistent quarterback play during his time in Tallahassee, which hurt his stats in the long run. Nevertheless, he provides solid depth with the ability to grow into a solid contributor.

Joseph Czikk’s mock draft

Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images

(Mock draft machine used: The Draft Network)

Round 1 (No. 11 overall) - DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama)

Round 2 (No. 42) - Joe Tryon (EDGE, Washington)

Round 3 (No. 76) - Spencer Brown (RT, Northern Iowa)

Round 4 (No. 117) - Alim McNeill (DT, NC State)

Round 6 (No. 197) - Tommy Kraemer (RG, Notre Dame)

Round 6 (No. 202) - Demetric Felton (WR, UCLA)

Reasoning:

This was the first time I had used a mock simulator and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I think all Giants fans should organize a mock draft like this with friends, maybe enjoy a cold beverage and see how their Giants draft class turns out.

Like Emily and Ryan, I took DeVonta Smith with the 11th pick and an EDGE soon after. With the first pick, realistically it was between Smith and his Alabama teammate Jaylen Waddle. Why Smith? I explained my choice on our Big Blue View roundtable discussion this past week.

In the second round I went after Joe Tryon, the EDGE rusher out of Washington. Football Gameplan’s Emory Hunt told Big Blue View Tryon is the complete package that the Giants are looking for.

“When people describe edge rushers, when they talk about what they want, they want somebody long, somebody athletic, somebody that has twitch, somebody that is good at both ends of defense and they want somebody who has upside.

“Well, damn, that looks like Joe Tryon. Judging by how he finished 2019, he plays the game a lot like [Washington Football Team edge] Montez Sweat,” Hunt told BBV.

I grabbed Spencer Brown out of Northern Iowa in the third round, knowing that Dave Gettleman would love to upgrade the offensive line. I reasoned that Brown can one day compete for the right tackle opposite last year’s first round pick, left tackle Andrew Thomas. It’ll be a good investment that should pay dividends in a year or so, once Brown has a bit of NFL game tape under his belt.

“[Brown] plays with a nasty disposition and plays hard from snap to whistle. He’s a good athlete with regard to balance and body control. He is smooth and fluid in his pass set and plays with the football IQ to use his length to his advantage on the edge,” wrote The Draft Network.

In the fourth round I went all value, selecting N.C. State defensive tackle Alim McNeill. He was one of the highest guys on the board at the time of my pick and the Giants can always use another high-motor interior run stuffer.

He needs a little bit of work at growing into a pass rusher. However, The Draft Network noted that McNeill is a terrific mid-round option for a team in need of a short-yardage and early-down run stuffer that has a ceiling to develop into a more effective pass rusher.

Skipping the fifth round, the Giants head to the sixth round where I picked up Tommy Kraemer, a guard out of Notre Dame, and Demetric Felton, a stud wide receiver out of UCLA.

Kraemer, like many sixth-round picks, is a gamble with low-end starting potential. However, “his dense frame, functional strength, and power at the point of attack are all positive assets that will make him a viable option in certain offenses,” per The Draft Network. He’ll need a good, athletic center and right tackle around him to do that.

I took Felton with my last pick because the man is a playmaker. He projects as a low-end slot receiver in the NFL in multiple receiver sets.

Felton is a smaller player at 5-foot-8 and played both running back and receiver in college.

“He demonstrates good catching skills on screens and on check-downs,” said The Draft Network, adding that he’s “a good route-runner out of the backfield and linebackers have a difficult time covering him in space.”