Quarterback, followed by addressing the trenches
Mock drafts that go three or four rounds can be educational, and Chad Reuter of NFL.com came out with a new one over the weekend. Let’s see who he chose for the New York Giants over four full rounds.
Round 1 (No. 3) — Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Reuter gives quarterback Cam Ward to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1 and edge defender Abdul Carter to the Cleveland Browns at No. 2. That leaves the Giants choosing between the Colorado stars, Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.
Reuter chooses the quarterback. He writes:
Sanders might not be the biggest, strongest or fastest passer, but he throws with anticipation from the pocket and can test defenses with his feet when facing man coverage. The Giants have lacked a true leader at the quarterback position for years; Sanders works to make his teammates better and knows what it means to play under the spotlight.
I don’t truly know how the Giants feel about Sanders. Picking him here, though, seems like a realistic scenario.
Round 2 (No. 34) — Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Reuter’s final three rounds are done without explanation, so I will add some scouting report information and my own thoughts.
One of the things I truly enjoy about multi-round mock drafts is they tell me which analysts truly understand the Giants’ roster and its needs, and which don’t. Reuter clearly understands the Giants.
With his second pick for New York, Reuter gives the defense a versatile, 6-foot-4½, 313-pound defensive linemen who can play a variety of spots to support Dexter Lawrence along the front.
The NFL.com scouting report says:
Position-versatile building block that makes moving the football a much tougher task. Harmon is wide, long and naturally powerful at the point of attack. He can create traffic jams inside as a two-gapper or stunt and power his way into the backfield. He’s unlikely to be a primary sack man, but he can be part of a swarm unit that batters the pocket. He’s high-cut and tight-hipped, which limits his agility and reactive athleticism to finish. Harmon can play up and down the line in both odd and even fronts. He will bring an instant dose of stinginess and toughness to any defense he joins.
Round 3 (No. 65) — Marcus Mbow, G, Purdue
Another pick that shows Reuter understood the assignment. Get the Giants an interior offensive lineman somewhere in the first two days of the draft who can compete to start at right guard.
From the NFL.com scouting report:
What Mbow lacks in desired size and mass, he makes up for with athleticism, hustle and elite instincts. He is likely to head back home to guard after two years manning right tackle for Purdue. He’s a free-flowing athlete with the ability to create chunk-run opportunities with blocks on the second level or in space, but he’s also willing to swap paint with aggressive first contact. His tendency to let his hands drift outside and a lack of mass could be early stumbling blocks in both blocking phases. Mbow’s smarts and athleticism should help upgrade an offensive line-needy team that utilizes a move-blocking scheme.
Round 3 (No. 99) — Kyle Kennard, edge, South Carolina
When we looked at the Giants’ post-free agency depth chart it was apparent that help is still needed on the edge.
From the NFL.com scouting report on the 6-foot-4, 254-pound Kennard:
Edge defender with reams of 2024 production to sift through. Kennard keeps his long frame clean with well-timed punches and has plus range as a playmaker. He can be slippery when he finds edges in either phase. He is frequently knocked off-balance at contact points, though. He will create pressure with his get-off and length alone but needs less predictable rush patterns and more hand skill to beat NFL tackles. He fits as a wide nine-technique, where he can avoid early contact and create rush momentum. He profiles as a Day 2 pick, but the tape creates enough concerns to lower the floor for his projection.
Round 4 (No 105) — Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
Ayomanor, 6-foot-2, 206 pounds, is not a player I have studied, but I can’t kick about adding another option to the wide receiver room.
The NFL.com scouting report on Ayomanor says:
Canadian-born wide receiver with pro size and traits who is still in the early stages of his development. Ayomanor lacks suddenness and burst from his break points, leading to heavier contested-catch totals, but he does a nice job with stemming coverage out of corner routes and slants. He has good build-up speed to work vertically and the strength to handle possession targets from the slot, but his ball-tracking and catch technique need a major upgrade. Ayomanor has a good work ethic and the upside to continue developing. He could become a much more consistent player within three years.
Ayomanor sounds like a player with physical traits and upside worth trying to develop.
