Pigskin’s 2023 NFL Draft Team Grades GIANTS

May 11, 2023

The reborn GIANTS, under the new leadership of GM JOE SCHOEN and Rookie Head Coach BRIAN DABOLL morphed into a Play-Off caliber team last season. And they are hoping that they will take the next step this coming season and progress through some levels of the Play-Offs. With just under 30 new players listed on their post-Draft roster they are still work in progress. But they appear to be on the rise.

So how much help will they get from their Draft efforts? Days 1 & 2 look helpful, but maybe not quite so positive on Day 3.

 

Round 1, Pick 24    DEONTE BANKS     CB    Maryland     6’/205     PP Rank 19     Probably the fastest rising CB in a very promising prospect group from last season. At slightly over 200 lbs. he still blazed a 4.35/40 at the Combine.  He has good ball skills to go along with the nice size/speed combo, notching 8 PBU and 1 Int. As it should be in Round 1 this guy has starter written all over him. The GIANTS have been working on a rebuild of their secondary for quite some time now. BANKS should be a solid block in the rebuild effort.

Round 2, Pick 57      JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ    OC   Minnesota   6’3/310    PP Rank 52    The Rock of Gibraltar of the OC prospects last year. If I heard it once, I heard it every day from folks the Senior Bowl who raved about him being a steady force and a super safe Pick. JIM NAGY was effusive, and persistent in his praise of SCHMIDT’s pro potential. With former starter Jon Feliciano leaving as a VFA the OC job is SCHMITZ’s for the taking.

Round 3, Pick 73       JALIN HYATT      WR      Tennessee      6’/175      PP Rank 41     As you can see I was quite high on the speedy HYATT. It might be safe to say that some GIANTS fans wanted WR early and often. SCHOEN waited and still got HYATT. The team had already added VFA Wideout PARRIS CAMPBELL and traded for TE DARREN WALLER. If those two vets stay healthy the addition of HYATT (4.34/40- speed) should add up to as big boost for DANIEL  JONES as primary targets.

*I want take a moment to mention one of my sleeper prospects who was not Drafted, but was signed by the Giants as Rookie Free Agent. His name is BRYCE FORD-WHEATON/WR/West Virginia. At 6’4/220, he was a star at the Combine, running a 4.38/40 with an 82″+  wingspan. He caught 62 balls last season on a marginal WVU Offense. Has potential as a Special Teams Gunner, which would buy him time to improve his catch percentage. He drops too many balls, which may be a concentration issue.

Round 5, Pick 172     ERIC GRAY    RB    Oklahoma   5’10/215    PP Rank 197     Let me be clear on my hesitancy to endorse GRAY as a pro prospect. He had an excellent 2022 season for the Sooners, rushing for 1366 yds, at 6.4 ypc, and added 33 receptions for another 229 yds. He was at the Senior Bowl and showed some of his slash and dash running ability. But he absolutely failed in his efforts to block in pass pro drills. They wan’t be able to keep on the field in obvious passing downs. Ball security is a strength for him with only 1 fumble in his last 390 touches.

Round 6, Pick 209    TRE HAWKINS     CB      Old Dominion    6’1/195    PP Rank   NA     I did not have any scouting notes on Hawkins so can’t render an opinion on his pro potential. At Pick 209it is hard to label him reach, but…

Round 7, Pick 243     JORDAN RILEY    DT      Oregon    6’5/325     PP Rank    NA      Basically a space eater, who will occupy blockers at the line-of-scrimmage. But his height works against him on the interior where it makes him an easy blocking target. I don’t see much push into the pocket. Not much of an upside that I saw in limited study.

Round 7, Pick 254      GERVARRIUS OWENS      S      Houston     6’/200      PP Rank 188    Might be their best Day 3 Pick, with certain talents that should land him roster spot as a Special Teamer. Has decent ball skills in deep coverage. Better player than athlete, but his numbers are NOT terrible, with a 4.55/40-time and 32″ arms. GIANTS roster is heavy at the CB position, but not so at S. He will get a look in Training Camp and should have a 50/50 shot at a roster spot.  Good value at this late Pick.

 

GRADE:   C+     They got some decent value at majority of their Picks and looked to address areas of  need.

Cheers

Pigskin