2017 NFL Mock Draft: Free Agency Creates Big Trade Moves
By Erik Lambert
![Sep 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10) throws as Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Davin Bellamy (17) is upended behind him during the fourth quarter of the 2016 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game at Georgia Dome. Georgia won 33-24. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports Sep 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10) throws as Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Davin Bellamy (17) is upended behind him during the fourth quarter of the 2016 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game at Georgia Dome. Georgia won 33-24. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/3233771163c6e49e971aa89bbfe12639b259b931556fcddf4f082e2ea33353d4.jpg)
23. New York Giants
player. 31. People may clamor for a running back or a tight end, but the reality is those positions are easier to find later in the draft. Especially this one. Something that the New York Giants have struggled to find in recent years are quality linebackers. Though they had a great defense in 2016, the linebacking corps was probably their biggest weak point. They need at least one legitimate playmaker in that group. Preferably in the middle so he can dictate the action. <p>Zach Cunningham may be the most underappreciated prospect in this class. Going to Vanderbilt can have that effect. He’s a tough, instinctive player who always seems to be around the football. Rarely is he caught off guard. He makes lots of tackles and can often anticipate where a play is going before the snap. To top it off he’s athletic enough to handle himself in coverage. He’ll start right away and be exactly who the Giants need him to be.</p>. ILB. Vanderbilt. Zach Cunningham . 23