Yes, they are all beginning to blur
Chad Reuter of NFL.com is out with a seven-round NFL mock draft. Because we know you aren’t close to being tired of debating mock drafts yet, let’s check his haul for the New York Giants.
Round 1 (No. 3) — Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State
Reuter says:
Yes, the Giants already employ pass rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux (who, it should be noted, missed five games in 2024) — but Carter would be quite the fill-in for Azeez Ojulari after Ojulari’s departure via free agency. Carter also has the versatility to play off the ball if the team wants to get him on the field more regularly.
Valentine’s View: Increasingly, it looks like this is what will happen. I have zero issues with it. A game-changing defensive player who might be the No. 1 overall player in the draft? Yes, please.
Round 2 (No. 34) — Grey Zabel, C-G, North Dakota State
Reuter gave the Browns Jalen Milroe at No. 33. The knee-jerk reaction would be to take Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough here. Reuter resists, and takes Zabel.
I may have snagged Shough and been done with the quarterback conundrum, but it’s hard to kick about grabbing a player at a position of need many think will be selected in Round 1.
Round 3 (No. 65) — Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville
Some believe Shough could be a Round 1 pick. Others think he could fall even further than this. I would be thrilled to get a guy who has the potential to become a quality starter at this point in the draft.
Round 3 (No. 99) — Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
With all of the attention the Giants have paid to running back, selecting one somewhere in the middle of the draft won’t be a surprise. Skattebo brings toughness and attitude the Giants could use.
Round 4 (No. 105) — Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
This is just one of those guys that the more you watch, the more enamored you get. At least, that’s the case for me. He plays with power and passion. He doesn’t look like a guy who should make some of the plays he makes, but he keeps making them. I would be happy to see Robinson land with the Giants.
Round 5 (No. 154) — Andre Mukuba, S, Texas
The Giants have Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin at safety. What is backing them up, though, is nothing to get excited about. I like adding competition to that group. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Mukuba graded as a Round 3-4 selection, so by that standard this is excellent value.
Round 7 (No. 219) — Roc Taylor, WR, Memphis
Honestly, this is not a player I have studied. I do like adding competition at wide receiver, though. Taylor is 6’2, 213 pounds. Brugler has him graded as a priority free agent.
Round 7 (No. 246) — Esa Pole, OT, Washington State
Another player I have not studied. I have zero issue, though, with the selection of a developmental offensive lineman at this point. Brugler has the 6’5¼, 323-pound Pole graded as a Round 6-7 prospect. He says:
A former basketball player, Pole moves with light feet for a human his size. That talent is evident in pass protection, an area in which he took a major jump between his junior and senior seasons. He shows the basic understanding of how to use his hands in all areas, but the muscle memory is still new as he figures out how to counter or recover from compromised situations. Overall, Pole is still very much a work in progress and needs to bank valuable experience. At the end of the day, though, nimble athletes with his size and strength are tough to find. He is worth a draft pick as a developmental option and practice squad candidate.
Pole was a left tackle at Washington State.