Ed Layout 1.0: Iki, Sauce for Giants in the first round

Sports News / By /

Now that yours truly has returned from the 2022 NFL Scouting Unity in Indianapolis, where I spoke to several NFL Draft prospects, it’s time for me to begin my weekly New York Giants tryouts leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft.

Reminder: Until the last few drafts, I’ll be presenting scripts. Sometimes it will be exactly what I would do. Sometimes they will simply represent options and possible scenarios. Another reminder: I use simulators for other peaks and there will always be some oddities. In this imitation, Purdue’s George Karlaftis was number two in the Detroit Lions. I don’t see a world where this really happens, but it happened here and I just got on with it.

In this draft, I could make trades at every pick. I decided to do a three-round basic tryout draft with no trades. I will move around the board in subsequent layouts. Let’s start.

Round 1, No. 5 – Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State

Slam dunk. If you read my post about the Ekwonu Alliance press conference, then you know that I think this young man is perfect for the Giants, both because of his talent and his personality. Ekwon’s sports testing was outstanding.

Need and value coincide here in the best choice scenario for Giants at number 5.

Others considered: Kaivon Thibodeau, Edge, Oregon; Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia; Sauce Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

Round 1, No. 7 – Sauce Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

Thibodeau is an incredibly difficult pass for me here. If Aekwonu and Evan Neil are both busted off the board at number 5, I’d be happy to see the Giants take him there. I know he’s a brand and that worries some people. However, when I listened to Thibodeau the other day, I was impressed by his intelligence and his willingness to learn the nuances of the pass rush.

This choice boils down to my belief, shared by others who are more knowledgeable in these matters than I am, that the Wink Martindale defense needs big press quarterbacks more than individually dominant cornerbacks. Right now, I’m looking at an opportunity to get the best press quarterback in this draft in a place where I would consider him worth it, and I can’t pass it up.

In its draft manual, the PFF says:

Created in a lab to play press with vast experience – 851 career press shots… Gardner wins with his unique physique, physical playing style and often flawless technique. His 2021 season was a tutorial on how to impose your will on opponent receivers without incurring penalties… If you want regular press coverage, this is your guy.

Gardner was also incredibly impressive during his press session, and when I think “smart, tough, reliable” are characteristics that general manager Joe Shawn wants, Gardner fits the description perfectly.

Others considered: Kyvon Thibodeau, Travon Walker

Round 2, No. 36 – Zion Johnson, G, Boston College

Everyone loves this child. It’s a giant problem. He’s a plug-and-play left-back, and he impressed with his testing by hitting 32 reps on the bench press. He would be a great choice here. You wonder, however, if it lasts this long.

Others considered: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington; Kingsley Enagbare, Edge, South Carolina; Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State

Round 3, No. 67 – Boy Meif, Edge, Minnesota

I’ll be honest. When I watched a few of Mayf’s performances on film, I wasn’t as impressed as I’d like. However, I have read about the child and listened to people who know more about evaluation than I do. They love the baby top. The way it was tested at the Combine was off the charts.

I will pick up a leaflet here about the potential of a child and trust the analysts who spend more time studying these children than I do.

Others considered: Drake Jackson, Edge, University of Southern California; Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame; George Pickens, WR, Georgia; Greg Dulcic, TE, UCLA; Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota

Round 3, No. 81 – George Pickens, WR, Georgia

This is a kid who could have made it to the first round had he not missed most of 2021 with an ACL tear. Pickens is 6’3″ and weighs 195 pounds and is now healthy. He ran 40 yards in 4.47 seconds and recorded a long jump of 10 feet 5 inches. Both were excellent, even if they didn’t excel in the insanely fast, insanely sporty class of wide receivers.

Pickens said on Combine that “I still have a first-round mentality.”

The Draft Network stated this after Pickens’ test in Indianapolis:

Several wide receivers will go overboard during the first three rounds, and Pickens certainly deserves to reign among this group. Pickens’ film research points to an excellent athlete who has a consistent and obsessive ability to win vertically and dribble correctly on difficult routes. Pickens has the incredibly difficult task of illuminating people. He is capable of eating grass at any moment by attacking with his shoulder, a trait that allows him to quickly eliminate the cushion displayed by opposing defenders. Pickens is a natural and fluid catcher with his hands, regularly keeping the ball away from his body, twisting his imposing body in the air as needed.

PFF says:

Butchering children at the rally point and has done so since he was a freshman.

Pickens seems to be the kind of receiver Kenny Golladay should be. Daniel Jones may need help and I’m happy to help him.

Others considered: Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State; Quay Walker, LB, Georgia; Greg Dalchich, TE, UCLA, Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State; Bernhard Reimann, OT, Central Michigan