The NFL Wire writers convened this week and conducted their own 2022 NFL mock draft. It began with Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux going No. 1 and No. 2 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions, respectively.
At No. 3, the Houston Texans selected offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu before the New York Jets passed on a wide receiver, instead selecting cornerback Ahmad Gardner.
With the New York Giants then on the clock, the decision was relatively easy.
5. New York Giants: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
It’s a given that the Giants will select an offensive tackle with one of their first two picks, but which one? Ekwonu appears like the early favorite but he was off the board in this mock, leaving New York to choose between Neal and Charles Cross. General manager Joe Schoen & Co. have heavily scouted Cross but there’s no denying Neal’s potential ceiling. He has the most potential of all available tackles and that’s the only reason we chose him over Cross.
What needs to be said? Neal gives the Giants two potentially dominant tackles.
The Carolina Panthers stayed in place at No. 6 overall and went with quarterback Malik Willis. That left the Giants with a choice of safety Kyle Hamilton, edge rushers Travon Walker and Jermaine Johnson, and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
There was a legitimate pause at this moment as the choices were considered but as the clock wound down, the card was handed in.
7. New York Giants: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
Travon Walker and Derek Stingley Jr. were both considered with this pick but following the release of Logan Ryan, the Giants find themselves very thin at safety. Hamilton was once considered a potential top-5 pick but his underwhelming 40-yard dash times may be causing him to slide a bit. Luckily enough for the Giants, straight-line speed doesn’t make or break players and they get a good one here.
The edge class is deep and the Giants can still land a Day 1 starter in Round 2. However, the safety class isn’t nearly as stacked and after the release of Logan Ryan, the Giants have a near-desperate need at the position.
Hamilton’s straight-line speed might be a concern, but pairing him with Xavier McKinney (and Julian Love) could give the Giants one of the best safety units in all of football.
