Giants mock draft tracker: With draft closing in, things are getting serious

Things are getting serious now when it comes to the 2022 NFL Draft. We are less than three weeks away from Round 1, teams are beginning to make pre-emptive draft trades, pre-draft visits are being made, we’re hearing more about what teams are thinking and the heavy hitters are releasing their draft guides.

We will use our mock draft tracker this week to catch up on some speculation, talk about draft guides, visits and more. And, oh yeah, we will total up this week’s mock drafts.

Draft guide season!

As I said, the heavy hitters have now published their draft guides.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic is out with his annual guide, affectionately called ‘The Beast.’ There are 399 scouting reports in Brugler’s guide. Subscribe to The Athletic and it’s a free download. I hate to give away a free ad, but the guide itself is worth the subscription price.

Matt Waldman is out with his Rookie Scouting Portfolio Draft Guide, the most in-depth source you will find anywhere for information on quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends. You can get the RSP at mattwaldmanrsp.com.

I had the pleasure of holding my annual podcast chat with Waldman this week. We had a fun, informative chat and I think it’s well worth the 90 minutes it would take you to listen to the entire show.

Another of Big Blue View’s favorite, Emory Hunt, published his Football Gameplan Draft Guide this week. There are 1,000 prospects graded in Hunt’s guide. If you want info on prospects you have never heard of or guys who will end up in camps as undrafted free agents, Hunt is your guy. Get the guide at Footballgameplan.com.

I also had the please of chatting with Emory this week. Give that show a listen, too.

Draft visits

The Combine is a distant memory. Pro days have been completed. Now, teams are hosting their 30 allotted prospect visits and local pro days.

Via WalterFootball, this is the reported list of players the Giants met with or had at Quest Diagnostics for a visit. A note — I have not confirmed these. Also, ‘PRI’ means private visit.

• Nik Bonitto, Outside Linebacker, Oklahoma (PRI)
• Treylon Burks, Wide Receiver, Arkansas (COM)
• James Cook, Running Back, Georgia (PRI)
• Charles Cross, Offensive Tackle, Mississippi State (COM)
• Nakobe Dean, Outside Linebacker, Georgia (PRO)
• Ikem Ekwonu, Offensive Tackle, N.C. State (PRI)
• Ahmad Gardner^, Cornerback, Cincinnati (COM, PRO, PRI)
• Breece Hall, Running Back, Iowa State (PRI)
• Kyle Hamilton, Safety, Notre Dame (VIR)
• Aidan Hutchinson, Defensive End, Michigan (PRI)
• Zion Johnson^, Offensive Guard, Boston College (COM, SR)
• Tyler Linderbaum, Center, Iowa (COM)
• Jesse Luketa, Linebacker, Penn State (LOC)
• Trey McBride, Tight End, Colorado State (COM)
• Evan Neal, Offensive Guard, Alabama (PRI)
• Kenny Pickett, Quarterback, Pittsburgh (PRI)
• Jalen Pitre, Safety, Baylor (VIR)
• Brian Robinson Jr., Running Back, Alabama (PRI)
• Derek Stingley, Cornerback, LSU (COM)
• Cole Strange, Offensive Guard, Chattanooga (WOR)
• Kayvon Thibodeaux^, Defensive End, Oregon (COM, PRI)
• Cole Turner, Tight End, Nevada (VIR)
• Travon Walker, Defensive End, Georgia (PRI)
• Malik Willis^, Quarterback, Liberty (COM, PRI)

The Giants also held their local pro day, which does not count toward the 30-man visits, on Thursday. Art Stapleton is all over which prospects attended that.

Draft chatter

It really is time to begin focusing in earnest on what some of the most well-connected draft analysts are telling us, especially when they are saying it’s what they are hearing from NFL teams.

• Pro Football Network wrote this week that it seems increasingly possible that the top three offensive tackles — Evan Neal, Ickey Ekwonu and Charles Cross — will come off the board in the top six selections.
• Peter Schrager of NFL.com did his first mock draft, one he said is based on what he is hearing from NFL teams. He gave the Giants Ekwonu at No. 5 and, interestingly, Georgia’s Walker at No. 7. Schrager had Sauce Gardner going No. 4 to the New York Jets.
• Bruce Feldman of The Athletic gave the Giants linebacker Devin Lloyd of Utah at No. 5 and Gardner at No. 7. Neal and Ekwonu are off the board. Not only does Feldman have the Giants passing on Cross, he doesn’t have Cross going in Round 1. I find that hard to believe.

As for the players Feldman did pick for New York, one coach called Lloyd “a freaking stud.” Of Gardner, one coach told Feldman he is “imposing.”

Mock drafts

Now, for where we stand with this week’s mock draft tracker.

The slugfest for the player most often mocked to the Giant at No. 5 continues this week. Neal keeps the top spot this week, chosen in 18 of 65 mock drafts (27.7 percent). Ickey Ekwonu of NC State was chosen 17 times (26.2 percent). Cincinnati cornerback Sauce Gardner was the choice five times (7.7 percent).

At No. 7, Gardner was the choice 10 times (15.4 percent), and Florida State edge defender Jermaine Johnson II was selected nine times (13.8 percent).