The 2022 NFL draft is rapidly approaching and that means mock draft season is beginning to wind down. But before it does, there will be one last wave as everyone finalizes their predictions and projections.
On Tuesday, ESPN draft guru Todd McShay released what may be his final mock draft of the year. And in it, he has the New York Giants taking two very familiar names,
First up at No. 5 overall, NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu.
New general manager Joe Schoen would be off to a really, really good start to his tenure if he gets this lucky. A run on pass-rushers to begin the draft leaves Ekwonu for the Giants at No. 5 overall. He brings versatility, power, length and quickness, and he’d be opposite Andrew Thomas to form a solid duo to keep NFC pass-rushers in check.
What’s especially interesting about the selection of Ekwonu is that all offensive tackles remained available. McShay simply felt like Ekwonu was the best fit for the Giants.
The real trouble for New York came with the seventh overall pick. There was an early run on the top tier edge rushers, leaving them with other players to pick from. Ultimately, McShay believes, they will go with Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton over Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner.
The Giants already checked the offensive line box with Ekwonu, but Southern California wide receiver Drake London could help boost the offense. However, with some uncertainty around James Bradberry’s future in the Big Apple, Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner would make sense. And while the top three pass-rushers are off the board, Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson II fits. But the Giants’ depth chart at safety is light, and adding someone with Hamilton’s size, range and ball skills to the back end could change the way offenses game-plan for New York. Logan Ryan was released, and pairing Hamilton with Xavier McKinney (five interceptions and 10 passes defensed last season) would be an excellent last line of defense.
In terms of mock drafts, there’s nothing new, interesting or enlightening about this one. However, McShay has the Giants’ picks right based on the way the board played out. This would be a win for general manager Joe Schoen.
