Who does Mel Kiper have the Giants picking in the 2022 NFL Draft?

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has produced his 1st 2022 NFL Mock Draft.

The Giants will need aid in many spots of the roster.

The in general offensive unit involves major support right after one more putrid time although the defense wants to drastically boost in the move-hurrying division.

The good thing is, the business (which will employ a new basic supervisor incredibly soon) possesses an abundance of draft picks, such as two in the to start with round.

Who does ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper have the Giants getting with their pair of opening-spherical selections?

5. Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC Point out

Kiper’s Get: “There has been a lot of new buzz all around Ekwonu, whose stock is climbing. He dominated at remaining deal with for the Wolfpack this period immediately after actively playing some guard previously in his profession. Based mostly on the 2021 tape, there is not substantially separating Ekwonu from Evan Neal, and I would not be astonished if Ekwonu was the best deal with off the board in April. He has All-Professional prospective as a operate-blocker and as a move-blocker.

“For the Giants — who have not however changed mentor Joe Decide or common manager Dave Gettleman — this would be prime-five tackles in two of the previous a few drafts, but even though Andrew Thomas performed better this period, the proper deal with place is much from settled. They just have to get much better up entrance, and taking Ekwonu is a action towards that. Like the Jets, they have two best-10 picks, and they could go offense with the No. 7 selection.”

Our Acquire: There’s a ton of talk about the Giants needing to handle the edge rusher posture with the initial of their opening-round picks.

But amongst the fanbase, I wager deciding upon an offensive tackle will finally turn out to be the most desired transfer once April’s draft nears.

With Alabama’s Evan Neal off the board in this article, Kiper has the Giants having arguably the next-ideal offensive deal with in this draft in NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu — what would be a reliable shift at No. 5.

Irrespective of the common offensive struggles in this Large Blue workforce, the Giants at the very least have their potential still left deal with of the future. Andrew Thomas significantly enhanced in 2021 immediately after a rough 2020 campaign and was the offense’s top rated participant this previous year.

If the Giants are heading to roll the dice with quarterback Daniel Jones in 2022, they’ll will need to shore up the offensive line and provide him the required defense. Though the blindside is seemingly set, the proper tackle posture is not (as Kiper mentions), specified Nate Solder’s struggles, growing age, and agreement predicament along with Matthew Peart’s sluggish improvement.

The collection of Ekwonu would (ideally) present the Giants with each individual of their bookend tackles for decades to appear.

7. David Ojabo, OLB, Michigan

Kiper’s Choose: “It’s normally rough to task for groups that haven’t employed new standard supervisors, so here’s my considering for this decide on, which will come from the Bears in the Justin Fields trade up past year: The Giants have some sound selections on protection, but it’s good to say they underperformed as a unit in 2021. The ideal way to get greater as a entire? Strain the quarterback, which aids every degree of the protection. Rookie 2nd-round decide Azeez Ojulari had a wonderful season, primary the team with eight sacks, but they really do not have yet another best-tier edge rusher on the other side.

“Ojabo can assist the go rush right away. He experienced an unbelievably amazing season, racking up 11 sacks and 5 pressured fumbles although actively playing reverse my projected No. 1 choose, Aidan Hutchinson. He doesn’t have Hutchinson’s all-close to sport — he has to get far better versus the operate — but as a pure move-rusher, he has a very large ceiling. With these two major-seven choices, New York can get substantial-stop starters on both of those sides of the ball.”

Our Just take: I realize if you don’t usually like what Mel Kiper has to say, but it is tough to disagree with him on possibly of these Giants mock picks.

Large Blue needs great assistance on the offensive line and in the go-speeding office, and Kiper has the crew addressing each region with its prestigious first-spherical selections.

The Giants are most most likely likely to miss out on out on Michigan defensive conclude Aidan Hutchinson and Oregon defensive conclusion Kayvon Thibodeaux, the leading two edge rushers in this draft.

As a result, say howdy to Michigan outdoors linebacker David Ojabo, who could fare well alongside 2021 2nd-round outdoors linebacker Azeez Ojulari.

The Giants saw excellent production out of Ojulari but have to have extra weapons in this area of the discipline in buy to overwhelm opposing quarterbacks. This is specifically the situation when you look at the uncertain futures of both Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines.

Drastically making use of Ojabo, Ojulari, and Leonard Williams (between many others) in the pass-rushing game would consider noteworthy force off the Giants secondary.

Follow Ryan Honey on Twitter: @RyanHoneyESNY

Listen to ESNY’s Broad Appropriate Podcast on Apple below or on Spotify listed here.