Dane Brugler 7-round mock draft: Giants get Jordan Addison, John Michael Schmitz

Dane Brugler of The Athletic is out with a seven-round mock draft. Let’s see what Brugler did for the New York Giants.

Round 1 (No. 25) — Jordan Addison, WR, USC

Brugler says:

The Giants’ wide receiver situation is looking up thanks to the surprising play of Isaiah Hodgins, Wan’Dale Robinson’s returning from injury and now Parris Campbell’s addition. But in no way should that stop New York from continuing to add playmakers if it has a first-round grade on a receiver here.

Valentine’s View

I agree with Brugler that the Giants shouldn’t pass on a wide receiver here if one they like is available. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zay Flowers are off the board here, and Addison would be an excellent get this late in Round 1.

Brugler lists the 5-foot-11, 173-pound Addison as the No. 2 wide receiver on his Big Board behind Smith-Njigba. In his draft guide, Brugler says:

Addison’s lack of ideal size and play strength are legitimate concerns, but he is a loose athlete with crafty routes and vertical speed to work all three levels. Projecting best in the slot, he has NFL starting talent from day one.

Among those Brugler passed on here are TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston, Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and Alabama safety Brian Branch.

Round 2 (No. 57) — John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota

Brugler doesn’t offer commentary on most picks beyond Round 1, but getting Schmitz at 57 is a home run. There is plenty of speculation that the Giants might select him in Round 1, and finding him still on the board at No. 57 doesn’t seem likely. In Brugler’s mock, the New York Jets select Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann at No. 42 and Schmitz lasts to the 57th pick.

Brugler is not as high on Schmitz as some, giving him a Round 2-3 grade. In his draft guide, Brugler says:

A physical brawler with a wrestling background, Schmitz is at his best in the run game where his aggressive hands and grip strength allow him to create displacement. However, the main concern for his NFL transition is his tendency to lose his balance, especially vs. quick interior penetrators. Overall, Schmitz must do a better job keeping his feet, hands and eyes on the same page, but he has the play strength and finishing attitude to execute at the NFL level. With improved consistency, he can be a functional pro starter.

Round 3 (No. 89) — Kendre Miller, RB, TCU

I like this player, I’m just a touch surprised by the choice of a running back in Round 3. In his prospect profile, BBV’s Chris Pflum writes:

“Miller pairs his vision with great quickness, agility, and explosiveness, which allow him to turn a sliver of daylight into an explosive play. He also has very good contact balance and the ability to run through incidental contact as well as pick his way through the trash around the line of scrimmage. He also shows the ability to run through stumbles and regain his feet if his stride disturbed around the line of scrimmage.

“Once in the open field, Miller has very good long speed and is able to out-run most defensive backs.

“He is also a capable receiving threat out of the backfield. He does a good job of presenting the quarterback with a defined target and is a good “hands” catcher. He makes good adjustments to the ball in flight and has the ability to bail out his quarterback on inaccurate passes as a check-down target.

“Miller isn’t a big running back, but he runs with very good toughness. He shows no hesitation in picking up what the defense allows him when running between the tackle. Likewise, he consistently runs behind his pads to fight for extra yardage as he’s being tackled.”

Check out my interview with Miller in the podcast below:

Round 4 (No. 128) — Riley Moss, CB, Iowa

Moss is an athletic cornerback with short arms. In his draft guide, Brugler writes:

Moss is a talented athlete who reads receivers hands/eyes to react without hesitation and challenge the catch point (one of three players in Iowa history with at least three pick sixes). Though he has natural cover instincts, he will lose his leverage at times versus sophisticated route runners, and NFL size will give him trouble on the perimeter. Overall, Moss needs to tighten up his footwork for smoother transitions, but he is a speedy and springy athlete who takes it personally when a completion is made on his watch. Some NFL scouts grade him as a safety, others as a true zone corner.

Valentine’s View

I like Moss, but if I was going cornerback here I might have selected Garrett Williams of Syracuse or Khy Blu Kelly of Stanford, both of whom went in Round 5.

Round 5 (No. 160) — Nick Broeker, G, Ole Miss

In his draft guide, Brugler says:

A fundamentally-focused blocker, Broeker maneuvers well and competes with the play strength and demeanor required at the next level. However, his balance can be too easily disrupted in pass protection, and his lack of ideal length hurts his ability to sustain and control in the run game. Overall, Broeker doesn’t wow with his explosiveness or power, especially in recovery mode, but he is strong and understands his responsibilities, which helps him execute when his technique and leverage stay on point. He projects as a potential NFL backup on the interior, in either a zone or gap scheme.

I haven’t studied Broeker, and Chris has not profiled him. 33rd Team says he has “starter potential.” They write:

Nick Broeker is a tough, slug-it-out player that gets movement off the line of scrimmage while controlling people. Despite that, his athleticism is hindering due to it being average at best.

Round 5 (No. 172) — DJ Johnson, Edge, Oregon

In his draft guide, Brugler says:

A member of Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List,” Johnson is balanced at the point of attack and flashes the ability to leverage the edge. He is explosive through his lower body to pin his ears back and go, but he relies on speed and strength as a rusher and needs to introduce more thought and setup in his attack. Overall, Johnson has only average instincts and needs to round out his game, but he is long and explosive with a motor that runs hot. He has the physical profile of a scheme versatile NFL player and offers upside despite his age.

Sports Info Solutions says:

Johnson is a relentless pass rusher and pursuer of the ball who has the speed and hand usage to be a solid DPR early on, but will need to get stronger and improve in the run game in order to hit his ceiling as a three-down starter.

Round 6 (No. 209) — Jay Ward, CB/S, LSU

In his draft guide, Brugler says:

There is a fine line between versatile and tweener, and NFL scouts are split on which side of the fence Ward falls. He is coordinated in coverage with cornerback ball skills, but he lacks high-end athleticism and anticipation in space. Though he is more than willing in run support, his marginal strength leads to matchup opportunities for tight ends and missed tackles. Overall, Ward has strong football character and takes pride running alleys and crowding catch points, but his tweener traits create position/scheme fit questions. Despite being listed as a safety, he is more of a true nickel and special-teamer.

Here what Sports Info Solutions says about the 6-foot-1, 188-pound Ward:

Ward is the true definition of a versatile defensive back with his range, speed, and ball skills, but will need to improve his instincts if he wants to become a true three-down free safety.

Round 7 (No. 240) — Anfernee Orji, LB, Vanderbilt

In his draft guide, Brugler says:

With his active play personality, Orji trusts his run fits and does a great job scraping, mirroring and finishing in gaps at or near the line of scrimmage. He shows some awareness in coverage (including in East-West Shrine practices), but struggles to make plays because of below-average body control in his CONTENTS [230] drops. Overall, Orji is a high-effort pursuit player with short-area quickness and thump as a tackler, but he is often a half-second late working through the action, and his coverage limitations likely restrict his NFL role. He has the makings of a two-down defender and special-teamer at the next level.

Round 7 (No. 243) — Will Mallory, TE, Miami

In his draft guide, Brugler says:

Mallory isn’t the type of tight end you are going to line up inline and play smash-mouth football, but he is an athletic pass catcher on the move with long-striding speed and accessible ball skills. He has the talent to compete for F tight end duties for an NFL team.

Round 7 (No. 254) — Richard Gouraige, OT, Florida

In his draft guide, Brugler says:

Gouraige is a sound, coachable player who might not appear sudden or twitchy, but he is coordinated in his movements. However, he lacks the lower-body flexibility to leverage his blocks and can be pulled off balance too easily. Overall, Gouraige boasts NFL size and has several tools to work with, but his lack of a true distinguishing trait could restrict his path to a full-time NFL role. He is a potential NFL backup.