By seestyle at 2022-08-21
0 collector • 180 pageviews

The Giants are one of two teams in the 2022 NFL Draft with not only multiple first-round picks, but also two picks within the top 10 (). Tough times in New York.Still, the 2022 NFL Draft represents an opportunity for New York general manager Joe Schoen to make some much-needed improvements and build around fourth-year quarterback Daniel Jones. The Giants likely won't have their top two choices available to them with the Nos. 5 and 7 picks, but those selections will offer no shortage of top-tier talent to improve the team heading into 2022.The Giants own the No. 5 pick as a result of their 4-13 record in 2021, Tua Tagovailoa Hoodies Sweatshirts which saw them place dead last in a tremendously weak NFC East. Their seventh overall pick is a result of a trade with the Bears from last year's draft: They traded back with Chicago, sending the team the 11th overall pick for a package that included the 20th overall pick and a first- and fourth-round pick in 2022. The Bears, who used the pick to select Justin Fields, went 6-11 in 2021, netting New York the seventh overall pick.MORE: How will the Giants use those picks in 2022? It's po sible Schoen takes a similar approach to last year's draft and trades one to slide back and secure future draft capital. Or he could use both in an attempt to make immediate improvements.Until the Giants make it official, The Sporting News is here to provide insight into several enticing options for the G-men (on the a sumption there is no trading back):Combination 1No. 5: Evan Neal, OT, AlabamaNo. 7: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, OregonLet's set the record straight early: To get both Neal and Thibodeaux would take a tremendous amount of luck. But there's a chance (however small) that teams with needs for quarterbacks, receivers or defensive backs will leave them available for the Giants.New York first fills a need for a bookend tackle in Neal, who would step in immediately at right tackle opposite Andrew Thomas. The Alabama product is ma sive (6-7, 350 pounds), , and has been remarkably consistent for the Crimson Tide over three seasons. Landing Neal would represent a ma sive upgrade in protection for Daniel Jones.If Kayvon Thibodeaux somehow falls to No. 7 overall, Schoen almost certainly would take him over trading back in the draft. The Oregon defender isn't the most refined pa s-rusher, but Thibodeaux is a strong, athletic freak who's hard to stop when he gets his motor running. The 6-5, 258-pound defender would provide an additional Myles Gaskin Jersey punch to a pa s rush that produced only 34 sacks in 2021. Imagine him on a defensive line that includes Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence.2022 MOCK DRAFT WITH TRADES: Combination 2No. 5: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. StateNo. 7: Sauce Gardner, CB, CincinnatiIf Neal is unavailable at No. 5, the Giants should have little i sue taking Ikem "Ickey" Ekwonu of N.C. State. His size isn't ideal for a tackle (6-4, 310 pounds) but he surrendered only nine pre sures and three sacks in 2021. He's a better run-blocker than pa s-defender, but placing Miami Dolphins Hoodies Sweatshirts him at right tackle would allow him to improve there without the pre sure of playing on the left side. Worst-case scenario: The Giants slide him inside, he becomes a tremendous guard and Jones still has better protection.After selecting a lineman with their first pick and a suming their top edge defenders are no longer available the Giants look to shore up their secondary. Enter Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, one of the top corners in college football. The 6-3, 190-pound corner did not give up a single touchdown in his career at Cincinnati, and in 2021 allowed just 131 yards acro s 14 games. New York already has veterans at the position in James Bradberry and Adoree Jackson, but it's likely the team trades Bradberry before the start of the season for salary cap purposes.MORE: Combination 3No. 5: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre DameNo. 7: Charles Cro s, OT, Mi si sippi StateIn this scenario, the Giants elect to improve a different aspect of their secondary safety with the belief one of the top three offensive tackles will still be available at No. 7. Here, there is a clear No. 1 in the draft: "unicorn" Kyle Hamilton of Notre Dame. His run of 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard dash is enough to scare the top four teams off him, allowing the Giants to swoop in and grab a truly versatile, athletic playmaker. The 6-4, 220-pound Hamilton represents not only much-needed depth at Sam Eguavoen Jersey the position, but also a potential star alongside Xavier McKinney.By No. 7, Neal and Ekwonu could very well be off the board. Luckily for New York, Charles Cro s has also generated discu sion as the top overall tackle in this draft alongside them. The 6-5, 310-pounder is not as big or athletic as Neal, nor as dominant in the run game as Ekwonu; but he played in Mike Leach's Air Raid offense, meaning he's a fantastic pa s-blocker. He improved significantly in that area in 2021, and would represent a big plus in the pa sing game for the Giants.Combination 4No. 5: Charles Cro s, OT, Mi si sippi StateNo. 7: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSUThe Giants, seeing Neal and Ekwonu taken off the board before they can draft, waste no time in selecting Cro s with the No. 5 pick, so important is it to build around Jones heading into 2022. Even if he's not the quarterback of the future, building a solid offensive line for a much stronger 2023 quarterback cla s will pay dividends.A fascinating prospect of need at No. 7 is LSU's Derek Stingley. Had he been draft-eligible following his 2019 freshman campaign, he would have been a top-five pick following a season in which he had 21 pa ses defensed and six interceptions. But the 6-1, 194-pound corner has only played in 10 games since and not since Sept. 18, 2021. He wasn't nearly as captivating or dominant in that limited action, but his pro day shows he has the physical and technical attributes to be elite.2022 MOCK DRAFT: Combination 5No. 5: Evan Neal, OT, AlabamaNo. 7: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio StateIn this scenario, Neal is still available at No. 5, a position of need the Giants quickly hop on to provide a fantastic bookend opposite Thomas. Unlike previous scenarios in which New York attempts to make improvements on defense, Schoen goes all-in on offense at the request of first-year coach Brian Daboll (and to the delight of Jones).So, the Giants make the somewhat-surprising decision to nab Garrett Wilson, largely considered the top overall receiver of the draft. The 6-0, 183-pound receiver out of Ohio State is a top-notch route runner who not only provides another weapon for Jones, but also mitigates the limited returns of last year's first-round pick, Kadarius Toney. The Giants have made moves to make Jones succe Teddy Bridgewater Jersey sful. If he can't come through, then the pieces will still be there for another draft-eligible