I have been working on this for a bit, studying other mocks, reading prospect profiles and rumors circulating around the Giants, and with the draft now two weeks out decided to post my mock draft. I always just do the first three rounds when I do these, and I stuck with that for this year.
First off, here is how I see the top ten playing out...
#1 (Browns) - QB Sam Darnold
#2 (Bills *f/Giants) - QB Josh Allen
Giants trade pick #2 and a 5th round pick in 2019 to Buffalo for picks #12, #22, #53, #56, #65 and a 1st round pick in 2019.
(I think the Bills are dying to jump the Jets for either Darnold or Allen, and I also think only way Giants make this move is if the Bills make this type of offer, which I think they will on draft day.)
#3 (Jets) - QB Baker Mayfield
#4 (Browns) - RB Saquon Barkley
#5 (Broncos) - OG Quentin Nelson
#6 (Cardinals f/Colts) - QB Josh Rosen
#7 (Giants f/Bucs) - DE Bradley Chubb
Bucs trade pick #7 to Giants for pick #12, #34 and #69
(Once the Colts trade out of #6, and Chubb is there for the taking at #7, I think DG immediately picks up the phone and makes this offer. Losing an early 2nd round pick would be tough, but adding a player like Chubb would make it a no-brainer IMO).
#8 (Bears) - LB Tremaine Edwards
#9 (49ers) - S Minkah Fitzpatrick
#10 (Raiders) - S Derwin James
REST OF GIANTS SELECTIONS (THROUGH 3rd Round)
#22 - LB Leighton Vander Esch
(With the switch to a 3-4, The Giants need to strengthen their LB corp. Trading for Ogletree helped, and adding Vander Esch to pair with him on the inside would give the Giants a formidable duo. I saw a lot of James Laurinitis while watching some of the highlight reels on Youtube of Vander Esch)
#53 - RB Nick Chubb
(After taking his cousin in round 1, the Giants upgrade at RB by taking Nick Chubb here. I think by 53 players like Guice, Michel and Jones will be off the board, but I like the build on Chubb and his toughness. Saw a few Georgia games the past few seasons, and also watched some highlights on him. He's got a bit of Ahmad Bradshaw in the way he bounces off defenders, and reminded me a bit of newly acquired Giants RB Jonathan Stewart. I think a RB trio of Chubb, Stewart and Gallman would be solid)
#56 - OG Braden Smith
(Giants need to add depth to their interior OL, and Smith is a player who would come in a challenge John Jerry, Greco, and Omameh for a starting OG spot. DG loves his "hog mollies" and at 6'6 and 310lbs Smith fits the bill. If you have a chance, watch some highlights on this kid and tell me you don't see David Diehl in his body frame and quick feet.)
#66 - OL Martinas Rankins
(Now here is a player that I am really intrigued with. He can come in and battle for a starting spot at two, possibly three positions. Some scouting reports say his best spot is RT, where he could give Flowers some competition at. While others claim he'd be a solid center in this league. And there are even a few who think he should play guard in the NFL. One scout even said of the OL in this draft, Rankins may be one of the smartest. LIke I said with the Braden Smith pick, the Giants need to bolster their OL in this draft, and adding a versatile player like Rankins in the 3rd round would be a nice pick-up)
#69 - CB Anthony Averett
(Out of all the CBs in this draft, outside of Denzel Ward I think Averett is the one who can be trusted the most. He's the best senior CB in this draft class IMO. He's a durable player having not missed a game for Alabama in his last two years, one of the captains of arguably the best defense in the country last season, a state champion in both the 55-meter dash and high jump, and he's a Jersey kid, so he'll love playing for his home team. Unlike Eli Apple, you're getting a kid with great character in the 3rd round who would bolster a position where outside of Jenkins and Apple doesn't have a whole lot)
I honestly think the most likely trade partners are Cleveland and Denver.
Cleveland has the draft capital to move up and get the two best players in the draft without compromising the rest of their draft. What it really comes down to is; do they value to Barkley/Chubb much higher over the other. If so, they will want to move up. If not, they can sit tight and take whoever is left over (maybe both).
I dont think Elway is excited about picking up the 4th best QB in this draft and I think he wants to swing for the fences. They also have good draft capital to move up.
#5 guarantees us a blue chip player. Moving back to #12 and then back up to #7 would be getting too cute IMO.
The key to this draft is Cleveland selecting Darnold. If yes than the offers will be piling in.
I honestly think the most likely trade partners are Cleveland and Denver.
Cleveland has the draft capital to move up and get the two best players in the draft without compromising the rest of their draft. What it really comes down to is; do they value to Barkley/Chubb much higher over the other. If so, they will want to move up. If not, they can sit tight and take whoever is left over (maybe both).
I dont think Elway is excited about picking up the 4th best QB in this draft and I think he wants to swing for the fences. They also have good draft capital to move up.
#5 guarantees us a blue chip player. Moving back to #12 and then back up to #7 would be getting too cute IMO.
Colts pick 6th, not 7th. I have the Giants trading back into the top 10 with the Bucs. But I do agree with you in that I think if the Colts stay at 6 and Chubb is on the board that he would be their pick. However, I also know they're a team with a lot of holes, so the more picks for them the better. And if a talent like Rosen falls out of the top 5, I think the Colts phones will be buzzing with teams trying to trade up to #6 to land him. And if the Colts can add more picks, including maybe a #1 in 2019, then I think they'd pull the trigger. Just my opinion of course...
The key to this draft is Cleveland selecting Darnold. If yes than the offers will be piling in.
Agree 100%. Browns selection at #1 will sway the draft one way or another IMO.
Some have said our new 3-4 scheme leaves in question whether B. Chubb would have such a good fit as to justify a really high selection. And read Sy's take on Vander Esch -- NOT worth a high pick, certainly not #22 in the whole thing. N. Chubb? We've taken RBs each of the last two drafts and added one in FA -- I'd just stand pat this year.
On the other hand, your OL guys are my faves at their positions, and if what you say about Averett is true, sign me up. We absolutely need a CB in Rds 2 or 3.
With #7, it's hard to envision Chubb being there. If he is great, but otherwise I could see the trade up from 12 being for Vea. Gettleman had Star L. in Carolina and Vea seems like a perfect piece for the DL.
For the OL in round 2, if they have that many picks I think they will end up targetting Billy Price. Shurmur just coached a similar prospect from OSU as part of a successful 1 year OL overhaul. All reports have him as a top-notch character guy. Just think he's going to be one of their top targets in round 2.
1. Nelson has a better chance of falling to 7 then Chubb does.
2. If Chubb does drop to TB they will run to the podium!
I think our best trade partner to move back in the top 10 would be Chicago at 8. I think Nelson will be there and Chicago would take the picks and the options of Tremaine Edmunds, Vita Vea or Marcus Davenport being available at 12. I can see the Giants selecting Nelson and a player like Harold Landry at 22.
I honestly think the most likely trade partners are Cleveland and Denver.
Cleveland has the draft capital to move up and get the two best players in the draft without compromising the rest of their draft. What it really comes down to is; do they value to Barkley/Chubb much higher over the other. If so, they will want to move up. If not, they can sit tight and take whoever is left over (maybe both).
I dont think Elway is excited about picking up the 4th best QB in this draft and I think he wants to swing for the fences. They also have good draft capital to move up.
#5 guarantees us a blue chip player. Moving back to #12 and then back up to #7 would be getting too cute IMO.
I think the one thing that annoys me the most about this board is the thought that Cleveland would trade up to two. It would be idiotic. Cleveland has won exactly one game the last two seasons, and they are trying to build their roster. They aren't going to part with their valuable 2nd rounders, any of them, unless it's part of a different kind of deal, such as a move up back into the first round for a third first round pick, and they aren't trading up to 2 when they are guaranteed the choice between two of the three of Barkley, Nelson, and Chubb.
And even in a hypothetical situation of Cleveland having both 1 & 2 overall, that doesn't mean they are getting the 2 best players in the draft. There is inherent risk at every pick and they could just as easily get the two best players in the draft by sitting tight at #4. Even better, they still get to use their three 2nd round picks to improve their team by sitting tight.
I think this is a really good effort. I really could see the Giants trading down with Buffalo and then back up again. However, I'm kind of against it. Keep all those picks if you are going to trade down. I think you stay at 12 and get the 2nd or 3rd best OL in the draft. Maybe go OL again at 22, or DB. I just think it would be a shame to drop all that way just to forfeit the very benefit of trading down that far in the first place. But, the 2019 1st rounder is the key. Giants have to believe that the Bills will be terrible in 2019, and they could end up with the top overall pick, or very easily back in the top 5 with that pick.
Anyway, really strong effort. I love the picks of Smith and RB Chubb. I hate the pick of Vander Esch. If you saw my discussion with Sy yesterday on him, we both don't think he's a first round talent. I think he's highly overrated, and believe there will be really strong players at 22.
Rankins I have a feeling won't be there, but it's plausible and I love going back to the well and getting another OL.
One thing I have to tell you, and again, good job on this, but if you want to be serious about doing your draft homework and research, you have to get away from the highlight videos. I very rarely watch any of them, and when I do, it is for entertainment value only. You have to watch the complete game reps of the player.
I think we can get what he proposed. Perhaps one 2nd and change the other to a third round pick, but I think Buffalo will give the Giants a lot.
Obviously alot of things would have to line-up for all this to go down but it makes sense as a possibility.
I personally am not as high on Chubb as the Giants seem to be but this is a way they could get back up in the draft to pick him even though they drop to 12.
move out of the #2 pick IMO and agree we need to rebuild the line if your gonna trade out of the top 5 do it with
Buffalo get 6 picks in the top 100 .
That said, if the guards Braden Smith and Martinas Rankinas are there at 56 and 66, they are great pick-ups.