2012 NFL Mock Draft: New York Giants

The New York Giants are coming off a terrible loss to the New Orleans Saints which had me fuming and questioning whether or not Coughlin can still get this team to show up in big games. I thought I’d take some time to make a mock draft for the New York Giants, I’ll go 7 rounds. Last mock I did for the Giants I didn’t include compensatory picks and I tired to do a combination of what the Giants might do and to fill some needs as well, but this time I’m going to give the Giants a 4th and a 5th round compensatory picks (they might even get higher. They signed David Baas, but lost Barry Coefield, Steve Smith, and Kevin Boss). This mock will be the way I would attack things.

You’ll see pretty quickly that I want to get value and to continue to add talent to the defense, I trust Eli Manning and the offense to put up enough points to win consistently even though they need oline help, but I’d love to see the Giants defense play well even when they don’t get a pass rush.

To see our scouting report of the player I mocked click on the name for all of our scouting reports (more than 150) stop on over to our scouting report page

1st round: Manti Te’o, LB, Norte Dame

I am not one of these guys who thinks the Giants should draft a linebacker in the first round every year and in fact I’m often arguing with my fellow Giants fans about it (in both terms of my own preference and the Giants philosophy) , but this year is different. Why? Because this year there is some serious talent at the 43 linebacker position with not one or two decent linebacker prospects, but five legitimate talented first round linebacker prospect. When the Giants pick (probably around 18th or so) linebacker will probably be the best value.

Manti Te’o is playing through an injury this year so he might not be quite as good as he was last year, but this guy is dynamo. He’s versatile enough to play any linebacker spot (Will would not his best position though) in a 43. Teo is reminiscent of New England Patriots Jerod Mayo. Te’o can cover and play sideline to sideline. I’d love to see Te’o in Big Blue next season. With Te’o the Giants can still groom Herzlich to play MLB or SAM and Williams to play the Will behind Boley. Greg Jones has not shown the ability to play through traffic or sideline to sideline in his limited ation this year.

I also think that Luke Kuechly is a nice player (James Laurinitis type). Vontaze Burfict is having a bad year, but is uber talented and Zach Brown is fantastic but I think he could be drafted before the Giants pick. The last 43 LB prospect is Donta Hightower who is playing much better than last year and could get back into the first round.

2nd Round: Xavier Rhodes CB Florida State University

The Giants have struggled to cover man to man at times the past couple of years, but more important Aaron Ross and Terrell Thomas are both free agents after this season. Giants fans love Terrell Thomas with good reason, but he’ll becoming off of his second A.C.L. tear. Will he ever be the same player? If neither is resigned the Giants head into next season with Corey Webster, Prince Amukamara and no one else. If One of them is resigned, they will still only have three quality cornerbacks. That’s unacceptable.

Rhodes is very talented, heading into this season people were wondering if he might shoot himself up into the top five range with a huge season. He’s a redshirt Sophomore so my money is on him returning to school, but if he doesn’t and the Giants pass up on him in the second round I’ll go nuts. He’s a cornerback in a safeties body. A terrific specimen and has a chance to a unique player.

Round 3 Ricky Wagner OT Wisconsin

Mocking the Drafts offensive tackle rankings has Ricky Wagner has the 14th best offensive linemen ranking, if NFL teams view him the same way than he could be available here in the middle of the third round. The Giants have James Brewer waiting in the wings who could be the RT of the future and for next year they may need interior line help more, but Wagner has a chance to be a very good Right tackle in the N.F.L. and that’s what the Giants need. A monster run blocker, Chris Snee is not having his finest season, but he should bounce back next year (at least the Giants really, really hope so). Wagner can replace Mackenzie because the way Mackenzie is playing this year, he won’t be back with the team next year.

Round 4 Kheeston Randall, DT Texas Longhorns

This might be a pipe-dream and I’ll admit that but I don’t think it’s that big of a long shot. Randall’s had a down year so he could be available at this point. He has very, very few splash plays this season which is really going to hurt his value as well. Randall is a Barry Coefield type player (there are better comparisons, but for Giants fans here) who impacts the game more than his numbers indicate, but he’s not dynamic in any one area of the game. Next year the Giants have Linval Joseph, Chris Canty, and Marvin Austin for sure. Jimmy Kennedy and Rocky Bernard aren’t long term fixes. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if the Giants drafted DT much earlier than this point in the draft.

Round 4 Compensatory Eric Page, WR, Toledo

Page is perhaps a bit too much like JJ for the Giants to seriously consider drafting him, but Mario Manningham is going to be a free agent and unlike many of these smaller school prospects with speed I think he has a chance of being a #2 WR with time. He’s a good route runner, and is really good racking up yards after the catch. Page is also a more natural return man than Jernigan.

Round 5: Harrison Smith, S, Norte Dame

Harrison Smith is a big safety who is very smart, sound football player. He can actually tackle players in the open field, and could be a nice fit for the Giants hybrid Safety linebacker position (if they use that next year). Smith makes some plays, but more importantly knows his assignments and doesn’t give up a million big plays. Because Smith might not time well, and he’s strictly a SS in the N.F.L. his value

Round 5 compensatory Tarrance Ganaway, RB, Baylor

I don’t have a scouting report out on Ganaway yet, but will soon (it’s coming out on our Scouting report Saturday). The Giants have Bradshaw who is nice and Da’Rel Scott (whom I love as a potential change of back/third down back), but they could use someone who can beat up an opposing defense. Ganaway is having a nice year for the Baylor Bears and is a very powerful runner. He looks like Michael Turner (not as athletic as he is), but plays like a young, motivated Brandon Jacobs. It’d be a nice value pick here in the fifth round to replace Brandon Jacobs, a player I can’t imagine will be back with the Giants next year.

Round 6: Michael Williams, TE, Alabama

I really wanted to get a Tight end earlier (and would love Dwayne Allen in the second round), but sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. Since I couldn’t find the Giants a real receiving threat at tight end early in the draft I decided to give them a true blocking tight end they can use instead of the extra offensive linemen they always try to use. Williams is a 6’6 270 pound monster tight end with decent hands who could at least catch a pass or two to keep defenses honest, but more importantly he can actually block.

Round 7: Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois

The 22nd rated quarterback on mocking the draft’s quarterback rankings is ranked a little higher on our big board and would make a nice pick here. The Giants have an Iron-man at quarterback and while the backup quarterback position is an important position the Giants should consider developing one in their own system.

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