The Senior Bowl will be held this coming Saturday, February 4, in Mobile, Alabama officially kicking off the NFL draft season as draft-eligible prospects face off in the annual all-star event.
The Giants’ front office has traditionally come away from the event impressed with what they saw as they have drafted three recent MVPs from the game: Davis Webb (2017), Kyle Lauretta (2018), and Daniel Jones (2019).
Who will impress them this year? Here’s a quick list of prospects they could be interested in.
Keep in mind, the Senior Bowl is for “every player eligible to participate in an all-star game as either a 2018 high school graduate or true four-year player (with five or more games played in three previous seasons). This list does not include many true or redshirt juniors who could become eligible as December 2022 (or earlier) graduates.”
Jarrett Patterson, center, Notre Dame
There will be flashier prospects for sure but flashy doesn’t win in this league. Moving the opponent out of the way does. The Giants are very suspect in the middle of their offensive line and it has hurt them dearly in recent years.
In case you haven’t been paying attention, the Giants went 1-5-1 against NFC East opponents this season and the reason for that can be directly blamed on their inability to win in the trenches.
Win in the trenches, you win in the standings. The 6-foot-4, 307-pound Jarrett Patterson was a four-year starter for the Irish and can play both center and guard. He is solid in all aspects of the game. He may not be a first-rounder but surely won’t last very long after that.
Steve Avila, center, TCU
Steve Avila has to be on the radar for all the same reasons as Patterson. He’s 6-foot-4, 334 pounds and can also play guard if needed.
He moves well for his size and, again, the Eagles aren’t going away. Jordan Davis is just a rookie and will only get better and become a dominant force on the Philly defensive front.
Another not-so-sexy pick, but again, this is football and not a beauty pageant.
Luke Musgrave, tight end, Oregon State
The Giants were right about Daniel Bellinger last year and need to be right about another tight end in this draft. That player could be Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave, a 6-foot-6, 250-pounder who, like Bellinger, had lukewarm college stats but possesses the traits to become a solid NFL contributor.
Josh Whyle, tight end, Cincinnati
Josh Whyle has decent college stats and prototypical size (6-foot-6, 245 pounds) to become a viable NFL tight end.
The Giants could use another big body in their receiving arsenal and, maybe like another former Bearcat tight end (Travis Kelce), Whyle can be a solid, reliable pair of hands in this league.
Jonathan Mingo, wide receiver, Ole Miss
The Giants are likely to land an underclassman at wideout in this draft, but Mingo is an attractive prospect from a program known for producing NFL-ready receivers.
At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Jonathan Mingo has the size but scouts will be more interested in how he can separate from corners before putting any chips on him.
Xavier Hutchinson, wide receiver, Iowa State
Another big-bodied wideout (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) with an impressive state sheet that the Giants will be eyeing this week. Again, it will be Xavier Hutchinson’s speed and ability to get open that will determine his rise as an NFL player.
Demarvion Overshown, inside linebacker, Texas
The Giants are starving at linebacker right now and may jump at the first decent prospect they see this offseason.
Demarvion Overshown is not a reach pick, however. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder is a true banger and playmaker in the middle who has a high motor and can span the field quickly.
