Ed’s mock draft, 5.0: A trade, and a potentially surprising result

For the second straight week I am offering a change of pace in the weekly New York Giants mock draft. This time I am using the Fanspeak mock draft simulator, and for the first time I am doing some wheeling and dealing.

Round 1 (No. 25) — TRADE!!

One of the things that has become obvious over the previous mock drafts I have done is that pick 25 is not a perfect spot to be in. Mostly, the Giants would be picking from players with Round 1-2 grades, rather than pure first-rounders.

So, I took this trade offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers, getting the first and 18th picks of Round 2 (32nd and 49th overall) in exchange for No. 25.

Now, I accepted this trade before the round started. As things worked out, USC wide receiver Jordan Addison was somehow available at pick No. 25, which honestly seems unlikely.

I could have traded UP with the Steelers to their spot at No. 17, giving up a second-round pick to do that. I would have had the option of choosing between Addison, Quentin Johnston of TCU and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had I done that, but I wanted to add a pick rather than subtract one.

Let’s see how it all panned out.

Round 2 (No. 32) — Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

Hyatt is undeniably not my favorite wide receiver in this class. I might even prefer Zay Flowers of Boston College, who is still on the board here. Using the “build it like a basketball team” theory of constructing a solid group of wide receivers, though, Flowers duplicates Wan’Dale Robinson.

Hyatt is 6-foot, 185 and brings 4.3 — maybe even 4.2 speed. In many ways, Hyatt is a projection because of his usage and his limited route tree at Tennessee. It’s hard to argue with speed, though, and Hyatt does possess good hands and the ability to catch the ball away from his body. Those are plus traits you can work with as he develops.

After trading down, I am thrilled to find Hyatt with the first pick of Round 2.

Here is Nick Falato’s breakdown:

33rd Team says:

Jalin Hyatt is a dynamic and polished receiver who is as good of a receiver as he is an athlete. Hyatt is ready to make an impact immediately for whoever drafts him due to his unique skillset and top-end speed.

NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently called Hyatt a “high floor” player who “is going to take the top off of defenses.”

Players passed on: O’Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida; Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah; Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson; Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

Round 2 (No. 49) — John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota

(From Pittsburgh)

Hooray for me! Trading down and adding the 18th pick of Round 2 lets me pick the best center in the draft without perhaps having to “overdraft” him earlier. Or missing on him a few picks later. Schmitz is No. 66 on the Fanspeak big board being used here.

NFL.com says:

Schmitz is a highly consistent zone-scheme center with decent size. He is well-schooled in all phases of the run game. He consistently uses the proper footwork and angles to find early positioning and has the tenacity to finish blocks at a high rate. He has plus football intelligence and makes the calls for his offense. His drive power is average and he can be hit-or-miss getting to second-level targets. Schmitz lacks length and his edges will get a little leaky in pass protection from time to time, but his overall technique and teamwork in the run game should create a plug-and-play opportunity in the pros.

Players passed on: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia; Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin; Gervon Dexter, DL, Florida; Matthew Bergeron, OL, Syracuse; Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College; Henry To’o To’o, LB, Alabama; Steve Avila, OL, TCU

Round 2 (No. 57) — Isaiah Foskey, Edge, Notre Dame

Now, this is a pick I did not expect to make. As much as I am enamored with Flowers, I could not justify in my mind going wide receiver with two of the first three picks. BBV’s Chris Pflum and Nick Falato will both tell you that edge is a sneaky need for the Giants despite the fact that they have Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari. I agree, though I was not expecting to address it this way.

When I looked at what was on the board and what I had already done with the selections of Hyatt and Schmitz I could not pass on the value of Foskey in this spot. I think this is too early for Alabama linebacker Henry To’o To’o, and while Hendon Hooker would be a nice insurance policy against a future without Daniel Jones at quarterback I am not ready to make that move.

33rd Team compares Foskey to Marcus Davenport, who went 14th overall to the New Orleans Saints in 2018:

Foskey is a smooth mover off the snap, quickly and effortlessly working his way up field. His speed allows him to build to power to knock blockers back or slip an edge when available. If anchored against, lacks a plethora of moves to unleash and can stall out. Against the run, Foskey shows a steady strike to engage and set the edge while peeking into the backfield to disrupt plays.

Once he reads the play, Foskey displays the strength to snatch a body off balance before pursuing with a motor that runs hot. Lean build does cause issues against double teams, struggling to sit and slow while getting moved from his post. Overall, Foskey owns the length, frame and motor that NFL teams covet and he should find success at the next level.

Players passed on: Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin; Gervon Dexter, DL, Florida; Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College; Henry To’o To’o, LB, Alabama; Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee; Khy Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford

Round 3 (No. 89) — Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane

Call this a hedge against the Giants losing Saquon Barkley. If they keep Barkley, I like this pick, anyway. You need more than one back and the Giants have not really drafted one since they took Barkley.

Here is Chris’s profile on Spears.

Players passed on: Zach Evans, RB, Mississippi; Rashee Rice, WR, SMU; Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati; Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon; Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn; Tank Dell, WR, Houston

Round 3 (No. 100) — Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State

I really wanted to get Wink Martindale some help at cornerback. Brents is one of the last cornerbacks available who I was comfortable with, and at 6-foot-4, 202 pounds with 33¾-inch arms and an 82⅞-inch wingspan he has the size and length Martindale would love. Brents was a standout at the Senior Bowl.

33rd Team says:

Julius Brents is a productive corner with above-average movement skills for his massive frame. He lacks top-end burst and speed, but he has the tools to be an effective press corner with time to develop. There is enough competitive tape for teams to convince themselves they can bring out the most of his physical advantages.

Players passed on: Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn; Tank Dell, WR, Houston; Payne Durham, TE, Purdue