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Giants 2023 mock draft tracker, 3.0: Jaxon Smith-Njigba top choice for second straight week

Even those making the Smith-Njigba pick for the Giants, though, don’t seem excited about it

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Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One Venture X - Ohio State v Utah
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Mock drafts continue to be focused on the wide receiver position for the New York Giants with their pick at No. 25 in the 2023 NFL Draft. In version 3.0 of our our weekly mock draft tracker, 17 of 39 mock drafters (43.6 percent) chose a wide receiver with that pick.

For the second consecutive week, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the player mocked to the Giants most often. He was the choice in nine mock drafts (23.1 pecent). USC wide receiver Jordan Addison was selected four times (10.3 percent).

SB Nation’s Mark Schofield is one of those mock drafters currently giving Smith-Njigba to the Giants. His reasoning doesn’t exactly come off as a ringing endorsement:

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is one of the more puzzling prospects this draft cycle. Entering 2022 he looked like a lock for the first round, but injuries have seen his stock crater in the media space. But opinions are varied. For example, ESPN’s Todd McShay has made the case that Smith-Njigba is not a first-round pick, while his colleague Mel Kiper Jr. has him inside the top 15 in his first mock draft.

Here, we split the difference somewhat. Smith-Njigba can carve out a role in the slot for the Giants, giving Brian Daboll and Daniel Jones another option in the passing game.

Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus is also giving Smith-Njigba to the Giants, and also offering a lukewarm endorsement of his own selection:

Though the Giants would love to get their hands on a go-to outside wide receiver, they simply need better all-around receiving talent. Smith-Njigba didn’t play much this past season due to a hamstring injury, but as a sophomore in 2021, he recorded an 91.2 elite receiving grade with more than 1,600 yards receiving. And that’s with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave also on the team. He feels like a slot exclusive player, as more than 85% of his snaps came from the slot over the past two years, but he’s one of the savviest receivers and best route runners in the class.

The non-wide receiver selected most often was Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson. He was chosen in six mock drafts (15.4 percent).

Those thinking the Giants should invest the 25th pick on an interior offensive lineman focused on Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence, who was the choice in four mocks.

2023 NFL Mock Draft Tracker

Date Mock Round 1 (No. 25)
Date Mock Round 1 (No. 25)
3/31 CBS (Stackpole) Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
3/31 The Athletic (Feldman) Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon (Trade up to No. 12 with Houston Texans)
3/31 Bleacher Report (Staff) Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin
3/30 CBS (Trapasso) Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State (Trade down to No. 31 with Kansas City Chiefs)
3/30 CBS (Edwards) Brian Branch, S, Alabama
3/30 NFL.com (Frelund) Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
3/29 FOX Sports (McIntyre) Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
3/29 DraftTek Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
3/29 NFL Trade Rumors (Ulrich) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
3/28 CBS (Brinson) Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
3/28 The Athletic (Staff) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
3/28 ESPN (Tannenbaum) Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
3/28 NFL.com (Brooks John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
3/28 Walter Football (Campbell) Jordan Addison, WR, USC
3/27 NFL.com (Edholm) Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
3/27 Dallas Morning News (Watkins) Brian Branch, S, Alabama
3/27 Draft Countdown (Bosarge) John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
3/27 Draft Network (Sanchez) Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
3/27 Pro Football Focus (Spielberger) Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin (Trade down to No. 29 w/Saints)
3/27 Walter Football (Campbell) Jordan Addison, WR, USC
3/26 CBS (Wilson) Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
3/26 Chicago Tribune (Biggs) Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
3/26 Tankathon Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
3/25 NY Post (Serby) John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
3/25 Pro Football Network (Fragoza) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
3/24 Yahoo Sports (McDonald) Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
3/24 Draft Countdown (Staff) John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
3/24 NFL.com (Reuter) Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
3/24 CBS (Fornelli) Brian Branch, S, Alabama
3/24 Pro Football Network (Garrett) Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
3/23 FOX Sports (Auman) Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
3/23 NFL.com (Davis) Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
3/23 DraftPlex (Pruett) John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
3/22 Las Vegas Review Journal (Hill) Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
3/22 Sporting News (Iyer) Brian Branch, S, Alabama
3/22 USA Today (Davis) Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
3/22 Pro Football Network (Rudell) Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
3/21 Pro Football Network (Mellor) Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah
3/21 CBS (Prisco) Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
3/21 (ESPN) Kiper Jordan Addison, WR, USC
3/21 NFL.com (Jeremiah) Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin
3/20 Touchdown Wire (Farrar) Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
3/20 33rd Team (Staff) Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin
3/20 Draft Countdown (Hallam) Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
3/20 DraftKings (Simon) Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
3/20 Draft Network (Weissman) Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
3/20 NFL Mocks (Haas) Jordan Addison, WR, USC
3/20 Draftwire (Risdon) John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota (Trade to No. 31 w/KC)
3/18 Pro Football Network (Cummings) Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin
3/17 Draftwire (Popejoy) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
3/16 Pro Football Network (Hodgkinson) O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida
3/16 Pro Football Focus (Sikkema) Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

Prior trackers

Version 2.0
Version 1.0