2 weeks Ago
The New York Giants are coming off their worst season in their 100-year history and are under immense pressure to get things back on track. Giants general manager Joe Schoen has been trying to do just that, actively adding talent and depth to the roster during the free agency period. But with a difficult list of opponents on the docket, the Giants will also need to produce another strong draft class as an encore to their solid Class of 2024.
While it’s anyone’s guess as to how Schoen will approach the draft, ESPN analysts Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. recently offered a three-round mock draft that shored up some key position groups on the Giants. Let’s break down what they suggested for Big Blue.
Giants go all in on their pass-rushing attack at No. 3 New York owns eight total picks this year, with four of them coming in the first three rounds. Yates takes a crack at three of those selections in this mock.
He believes the Giants will begin their draft with the top-graded player left on the board at No. 3: Penn State's Abdul Carter. The star edge rusher boasts eye-opening explosiveness and productivity, tallying 12.
0 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, and 43 solo tackles last season. Yates–and probably many others–think Carter is simply too gifted for the Giants to pass on. If Schoen scoops up Carter , the team should wield one of the most daunting pass-rushing units in the league.
Assuming defensive coordinator Shane Bowen could make it work, the unanimous All-American, two-time Pro Bowler Brian Burns, and former top-five pick Kayvon Thibodeaux would lock down the edge. Carter could move around the field. He played off-ball linebacker before becoming a full-time edge rusher at Penn State in 2024-25.
His versatility might only make him more attractive to New York. However, there are potential drawbacks to ponder. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is undersized at 6-feet-3 and 250 pounds, and he has also endured recent injury issues.
He did not work out at the NFL Scouting Combine or Penn State's Pro Day due to a stress fracture in his foot and a lingering shoulder injury. The latest medical findings reportedly have indicated that the foot is healing and the shoulder should be fine, but the Giants must still exercise caution in the lead-up to this pivotal draft. The stakes are too high, though, many might say the same about Carter's ceiling.
His arrival would solidify New York as a defense-first team, which has worked out well for the organization in the past. Joe Schoen gets his QB in second round The Giants cannot tiptoe around the woolly mammoth in the room for much longer. They should be obligated to pursue a young quarterback every year until one sticks.
Assuming Schoen passes on Colorado's Shedeur Sanders at No. 3, he must look for a hidden treasure on Day 2. Kiper sees college veteran Tyler Shough , who has “good arm strength,” as a fine choice for the No.
34 overall pick. Following constant injury problems with Texas Tech, Shough managed to log a full season with Louisville in 2024. He threw for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns while helping the Cardinals earn a 9-4 record.
But there are reasons to second-guess the idea of using an early second-rounder on him. Shough posted a modest 62.7 completion percentage last year and lacks mobility.
He will also turn 26 in September, leaving him with a shorter developmental timetable than most prospects. His questionable durability is arguably the most glaring red flag, though. With Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston occupying the No.
1 and 2 spots on the depth chart, respectively, there would be no rush to get Shough on the field. But who is to say he can stay on it once he gets there? New York cannot just settle for passing on a quarterback now and trying again next year. The No.
34 selection is too valuable to squander. Schoen needs to be sure about Shough. Fortunately, he got another look at him during a planned Saturday private workout before the draft.
Giants strengthen the trenches in the third round The front office's primary focus in free agency was finding a suitable veteran signal-caller and refurbishing the secondary, but it also added depth on both sides of the ball. Schoen must keep that up during the NFL Draft, particularly at the line of scrimmage. New York has languished in the NFC East for much of the last decade, and during that span, the offensive and defensive lines have wobbled.
In some years, the problem was health. The Giants adequately protected Daniel Jones early last season, but when injuries ravaged the O-line, they ran out of answers. Guard depth is a specific worry.
Re-signing Greg Van Roten was sensible, but he is 35 years old. Whether former top-10 pick Evan Neal switches to right guard like many anticipate, acquiring more reinforcements is essential. Field Yates feels the same way.
The draft expert projects Big Blue to pounce on Georgia guard Tate Ratledge at No. 65. "No matter who is playing quarterback for the Giants, the protection has to improve," Yates noted.
"Ratledge has really impressive footwork and toughness." This national champion started three years at right guard for the Bulldogs and enjoyed an All-American campaign as a senior. He possesses impressive athleticism and quickness, as demonstrated by the sub-five-second 40-yard dash he ran at the Combine.
Ratledge's length and technique can use some honing, but he could bring valuable experience to the Giants' trenches. Aside from the O-Line, this squad has to improve in the defensive interior . Dexter Lawrence II is excellent, but he is one man.
Yates uses the compensatory No. 99 selection to get him potential assistance, grabbing Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott. The North Highlands, California native totaled nine and a half sacks and 10 tackles for loss across the last two seasons.
He comes in at just 6-foot-2, 291 pounds, and is probably best fit for a rotational role, but perhaps that will suffice for the Giants. Norman-Lott excels more as a pass-rusher than against the run-- one of the team's weaknesses-- so this is a gamble. Rolling the dice at this point in the draft is reasonable, though, especially when gambling on a key contributor to an upper-echelon defense.
There is no telling who Schoen has high on his board, but fans should expect him to confront the areas of need that Yates, Kiper, and us here at New York Giants On SI have been highlighting for months. JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Follow and like us on Facebook and Instagram . Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel .
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