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Good morning, New York Giants fans!
Peter King mock draft
We have reached the point in time, just days away from the 2021 NFL Draft, where it is actually time to pay attention to mock drafts from some of the NFL’s heavy hitters. Trends from the people with the best access to inside information are often telling.
King has chosen Micah Parsons for the Giants. He writes:
Last Giants’ first-round linebacker: Carl Banks, 1983. Okay, so once every 38 years a linebacker comes out who’s worth it. The Giants always do a good job disguising their intentions, and this year they’ve been particularly good. Three things I’ve heard: Joe Judge loves DeVonta Smith; the organization likes cornerback Jaycee Horn a lot; and Dave Gettleman loves Parsons. If you can get past some of the immature pockmarks on his résumé, there is so much to love. Easily the best linebacker in the draft, with the ability to be a top edge player and double as a sideline-to-sideline presence. Now, he’s only a one-year starter, didn’t play football last year, and the Giants will have to be comfortable with the fact he’s had maturity issues. Smith or Horn could easily be the pick here—Parsons is my best guess—but 4.36-in-the-40 linebackers are quite rare.
it is worth noting that Rashawn Slater and DeVonta Smith were still on the board when King made this pick.
More headlines
Ranking all 32 NFL rosters ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF
Giants finish in the middle of the pack, which is actually pretty good news.
Meet the NFL draft's most extraordinary prospect, Kwity Paye
Incredible story. Still doesn’t make me believe he is the right edge rusher for the Giants, buit it does make me root for the young man to have a successful career.
2021 NFL draft guides for all 32 teams - Needs, prospect fits and more
New York Giants
Biggest need: Pass rush
The Giants showed defensive promise in 2020, but last year's unit was notably stronger against the run (15th in DVOA) than the pass (22nd). Ironically, given his position (defensive tackle) and size (6-foot-5 and 302 pounds), re-signed free agent Leonard Williams should help with the latter. He more than doubled the team's next-best pass-rusher with 30 hurries. Free-agent addition Ifeadi Odenigbo should help as well. He outproduced his 3.5 sacks with 22 hurries for the Vikings last season. Still, the Giants need another impact rusher for depth and to make their opponents think twice before they double-team Williams.
Prospects who might fit: Kwity Paye, Michigan; Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest
Quiet need: Offensive line
The Giants recognized last year's loud need on the offensive line and addressed it with three draft picks in the first five rounds, including left tackle Andrew Thomas at pick No. 4. But those investments have yet to pay dividends. The team finished 25th in offensive pressure rate in 2020, and Thomas struggled with a 6.5% blown pass block rate that was the highest among tackles with 300 or more snaps in pass protection, according to Sports Info Solutions charting. The team also lost guard Kevin Zeitler in free agency, and although they will regain tackle Nate Solder after his opt-out season, he was no better in pass protection (6.3% blown block rate) when he last played in 2019 than Thomas was last season.
Prospect who might fit: Rashawn Slater, Northwestern; Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC
The N.Y. Giants’ 11 most likely options with the No. 11 pick – The Athletic
New York has needs at wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker and cornerback. Who will they go after in Round 1?
2021 NFL Draft: NFC team needs - Sports Illustrated
New York Giants
Needs: offensive line, defensive end, cornerback, wide receiver
Dave Gettleman’s yearslong offensive line rebuild, which has included a No. 4 pick, the one-time highest-paid left tackle in NFL history and the trading of a onetime premier edge rusher, is still nowhere near completion. The Giants have two significant holes up front at the guard spots and are hoping that Andrew Thomas’s development timeline accelerates on the left side. This leads us to believe that they may focus on the position again in this year’s draft, with plenty of versatile tackles with guard flexibility pouring into the top end of most rankings. Gettleman hit on a fifth-round wide receiver with Darius Slayton in 2019, but is still looking at a relatively thin unit if his new acquisition, Kenny Golladay, sustains an injury. The depth of this year’s class and the overwhelming likelihood that a receiver will fall to the Giants should also merit consideration.
Everybody loves to find a draft sleeper.
Bill Barnwell has a trade idea for the Giants:
Ravens now have the 27th and 31st picks. That would be enough to move up to 11th on the Johnson chart. The Giants pick 11th. Here’s Dave Gettleman’s chance!!
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) April 23, 2021
Intriguing. the Giants would end up with two first-round picks, but I’m not sure I would be comfortable going that far down in the draft.
In case you missed it
- Ed’s 6-round Giants mock draft: A predictable first couple of rounds for New York
- Mock draft tracker: Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith top choices for Giants
- Big Blue View mailbag: Apparently, Giants fans are feeling a draft
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