New York Giants 7-Round Mock Draft: OLine, Linebacker Overhaul
By Hunter Haas
Round 5, Pick 147: Leon O’Neal Jr., DB, Texas A&M
Leon O’Neal Jr. is not a perfect prospect by any means, but he loves to fly around the football field and bring energy to the sideline. He has a motor that never runs low, and a nose for the football. O’Neal is not particularly fast, so that will limit his upside, but the intangibles he brings to the table in terms of leadership and a hard work mentality is something that can be infectious to an entire locker room. Simply put, he can provide help at safety and bring another layer to the team as a guy that holds everyone accountable in practice.
Round 5, Pick 173: Ja’Tyre Carter, OL, Southern
Ja’Tyre Carter and the New York Giants are a favorite pairing of mine this offseason. Carter has worked for everything he’s ever gotten, paving a path from the little-known HBCU — Southern University. During his time at Southern, Carter displayed athleticism that you don’t see often on the offensive line. Carter is far more of a finesse blocker, utilizing his quick feet to gain an upper hand on defenders. Brian Daboll mixed in different schemes in Buffalo, but zone runs were the go-to. Carter can pull and is able to get to the next level relatively easy. I love this marriage of prospect to team.
Round 6, Pick 182: Christopher Hinton, DL, Michigan
Wink Martindale has been name dropped a few times in this article and I’m going to do it one more time. Martindale spent a decade in Baltimore with Jon Harbaugh, brother of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Knowing what the Harbaugh’s like, the Giants bring in a former Michigan Wolverine — Christopher Hinton. Hinton is a run-stuffer, but with Martindale there is a chance that he finds more success at getting to the quarterback. More likely, he will serve as a player that creates gaps for the top pass rushers on the team. He appeared in 13 games in 2021, playing in the middle of star edge rushers — Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo.