The New York Giants hope to fill needs with talent in the upcoming NFL draft later this month. In a new mock draft from ESPN NFL analyst Field Yates, they do just that.
Big Blue is in dire need of an offensive weapon/playmaker and a shutdown corner on defense to play across from Deonte Banks.
Yates mocks LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall in the first round.
The Giants’ wide receiver corps does not have a difference-maker at the moment, but that would all change with Nabers. He’s the most explosive player in the draft and a run-after-catch nightmare for defenses; he forced 27 missed tackles in 2023 during a breakout season. While the Giants appear open to considering a first-round quarterback, there are already four off the board here, so I think the team would turn its attention to upgrading around Daniel Jones.
In Round 2, at pick No. 47, the Giants go local by taking Rutgers cornerback Max Melton.
The Giants used a first-round pick on Deonte Banks last April but must continue to pad that cornerback depth. This pick would make for an easy commute for Melton, a New Jersey native who started four seasons at Rutgers. He has an excellent trigger back to the football and great ball skills (three interceptions in 2023).
These two picks will fill some immediate holes in the Giants’ roster. Nabers will be a Day 1 starter and hopefully an impact player from the beginning.
Melton, if not an instant starter, should be in the mix early as his only competition is Nick McCloud and Tre Hawkins III.
