2019 Mock Draft: Giants Restock Defense, Offensive Line and WRs

The 2019 NFL Draft will present the New York Giants with plenty of options to beef up their defense. They’ll also be looking to grab an offensive lineman or two to help complete their rebuild.

Finally, a mock draft that comes close to reality. With Kyler Murray going to Arizona and the rest of the Top 5 doing the sensible thing by taking the best players in front of them, the Giants at No. 6 were being fed the leftovers:

Round 1, Pick 6 – DL Ed Oliver, Houston – Simply the best player on the board here and the one player that could help the Giants regain control of the line of scrimmage on defense. Oliver is a freakish athlete who is a bit undersized but makes up for that with excellent technique and quickness a la Aaron Donald.

Round 1, Pick 17 – EDGE Montez Sweat, Mississippi State – Sweat should be off the board here but the heart condition and a run on quarterbacks in Round 1 drops him right into the Giants’ lap.  He reminds me of Michael Strahan a bit and will be used in a rotation with Lorenzo Carter and Markus Golden to help Big Blue re-establish their pass rush.

Round 2, Pick 5 – OT Andre Dillard, Washington State – The 6’5″, 315 pound Dillard was the only OT to run the 40 in under 5.00 seconds at the NFL Combine. A four-year starter at WSU, he could displace Nate Solder at LT but will likely start immediately on the right side next to Kevin Zeitler.

Round 3, Pick 31 – EDGE Christian Miller, Alabama – An NYG legacy (Corey Miller is his father), Miller is an ascending player that DC James Bettcher can cultivate and find useful. His long arms make him a potentially turnkey outside linebacker able to cover ground in all directions.

Round 4, Pick 6 – WR Emmanuel Hall, Missouri – The 6’2″, 201-pound Hall ran a 4.39 40 at the Combine and tied for the highest vertical among WRs (43.5 in). He is not destined for stardom, nor will he replace OBJ, but he’s long and fast and will help the Giants’ stretch the field in the vertical passing game.

Round 4, Pick 30 – S Mike Bell, Fresno State – The biggest safety in this draft class at 6’3″, 210, Bell can be a hybrid presence in the defensive backfield. He is known for his ball-hawking prowess and his physical play. Probably a reach here in the Fourth Round.

Round 5, Pick 4 – WR Jalen Hurd, Baylor – If you think you’ve heard this name before, you have. Hurd was a former RB at Tennessee who transferred to Baylor a became a WR. He is 6’5″, 226 and can be a big play receiver in this league. He can also be used in short yardage situations as both a wideout and a runner. The possibilities are endless with him on the field. This could be a home run of a pick for Big Blue.

Round 5, Pick 5 – CB David Long, Michigan – The only CB at the combine to run the 20-yd shuttle in under 4.00 seconds, Long is an experienced, physical corner with excellent cover skills that will make the Giants’ secondary deeper and more respectable.

Round 5, Pick 33 – OL Oli Udoh, Elon – Another massive offensive lineman for the Giants throw into the mix. Udoh may have played at a small college but he’s an NFL talent with size (6’5″, 323) who is both quick and nasty. Can play both guard and tackle if needed.

Round 6, Pick 7 – DL Kingsley Keke, Texas A&M – A pass rushing threat on the inside, Keke led the Aggies in sacks with seven in 2018. Not an every down player, he’ll fit in just fine in the Giants’ defensive line rotation with the ability to slip into opposing backfields often.

Round 7, Pick 18 – S Marquise Blair, Utah – Aggressive, versatile player who can play both safety spots and in the box. Blair has the consummate football mentality for Bettcher’s approach to defense and could find himself some reps early in in his NFL career. May be a better player than Bell.

Round 7, Pick 31 – CB Jamel Dean, Auburn – The fastest CB in the draft, even after multiple knee surgeries (4.30 40) Dean is an intriguing prospect at 6’1″, 205. If he can stay healthy and take his talents to the next level, he will be a steal here for the Giants.

Summary

GM Dave Gettleman would have nailed another draft if he takes this route. Not sure if he’ll use all 12 picks but if he does and deploys them in this fashion, the Giants will be a much better football team in 2019.

Oliver, Sweat and Miller alone will boost the defense but the addition of Keke and the four defensive backs will give the Giants some peace of mind as well. Dillard and Udoh will be a huge upgrade to the O-Line and Hall and Hurd will provide the Giants with some depth and variety at wide receiver.

Sorry, no quarterbacks, linebackers or tight ends but the Giants have plenty of those on their roster at the moment and there weren’t many worth taking when the picks came around during this simulation.

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