2022 NFL draft: Giants stock up in full 7-round mock
The 2022 NFL draft is still four-plus months away but with the New York Giants effectively out of the playoff hunt, we at Giants Wire have decided it’s time to look ahead.
That means mock draft season begins now.
In our very first mock of the year, which was conducted using the current draft order (pre-Week 15 games), we employed the mock draft simulator from The Draft Network.
The settings were default: TDN’s predictive board, seven rounds and fast speed. We chose only for the Giants during a single run. There were no trades used in this simulation.
Here are the results:
Round 1: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
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Evan Neal is arguably the best offensive tackle in the draft and precisely the player the Giants need. Bookend him with Andrew Thomas and perhaps, finally, the issues at tackle are resolved. There are still other O-Line concerns to address, but Neal solves the largest issue on the entire team.
Round 1: Tyler Linderbaum, OL, Iowa
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If Evan Neal is the best offensive tackle in the draft, Tyler Linderbaum is the best center. As fate would have it, the Giants could use both. With several of the top edge rushers off the board in this mock, we opted to double up and snag Linderbaum. He would allow Nick Gates — if he’s able to return — to shift back out to guard, effectively solving two problems in one motion (and three overall).
Round 2: EDGE, Drake Jackson, USC
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Although the top edge rushers were gone earlier in Round 1, Drake Jackson somehow managed to slip through the cracks and falls to the Giants in Round 2. This scenario is unlikely to play out but if it were, the Giants essentially hit a homerun. Two of the best offensive lineman and a Day 1 starter on the edge over their first three picks.
Round 3: Henry To'oto'o, LB, Alabama
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In terms of positions of need, things were pretty thinned out for this pick. However, Henry To’oto’o is an intriguing prospect at an area the Giants could use some reinforcements. Is this too early to pick him? That really depends on who you ask — and it’s something that could change in the coming weeks. For now, it was the best pick for the Giants in the moment.
Round 3: Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina
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With Evan Engram potentially leaving via free agency and Kyle Rudolph not getting any younger, the Giants will need a tight end this offseason. In an ideal situation, a starter would come in the earlier rounds. The way this shook out, Isaiah Likely was the best option with this pick. He was once considered a potential top 25 prospect by some but fell off later in the season. Still, the potential upside is very much there.
Round 4: Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
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It’s highly unlikely Breece Hall is going to be available this late in the game. Hall has skyrocketed in most mock drafts and on most big boards. But there was no sense in passing him over based on principle. Accordingly, the Giants add a talented and ascending back to their rotation of Saquon Barkley and Devontae Booker.
Round 5: Isaiah Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
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The Giants haven’t had much luck with developmental edge rushers in recent years but there’s no reason to quit trying. With several others likely on the way out the door (see: Oshane Ximines), the Giants could take a flier on Isaiah Thomas. Is it too early? Again, it depends on who you ask. Mocks are all over the place when it comes to Thomas — some have him ranked highly and others not so much.
Round 5: Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin
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It’s not even certain that Leo Chenal will declare for the NFL draft as of this writing but if he does, he’s certainly worthy of consideration late in the fifth round. Chenal may be overkill defensively when you consider the Giants are an offensively-starved team, but the board at the time of this pick wasn’t doing them any favors.
Round 6: Sevyn Banks, CB, Ohio State
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Speaking of defensive overkill, we cap off this Giants draft with a cornerback — OSU’s Sevyn Banks. Again, what was left offensively will likely be available come the post-draft signing frenzy. Banks may very well fall into that category but could be viewed as a priority free agent. Although his draft value has dropped dramatically, he was once viewed as a potential stud.
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