With the 2023 NFL Draft just days away, mock drafts are starting to fizzle out. And tiring. Still, there’s still value in what we can learn from them — especially when they come from insiders who tell us further that their picks are at least partially influenced by what they’re hearing from league sources.
Such is the case with the seven-round mock draft released Sunday morning by ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller. Miller says his mockery is based on what he’s been hearing from sources around the league, adding that he’s “weaved intel from scouts, executives and coaches from countless phone calls and texts over the last 10 days as we try to get a better understanding.” Trying. About how things are going to go.”
So, let’s see what Miller did for the New York Giants.
Round 1 (No. 25) — Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
Yes, Miller mimics the pick I made in the ‘with trades’ version of my most recent seven-round Giants-only simulated mock draft. The pick screams that the league believes that, yes, Forbes is a first-round pick and could land with the Giants.
Miller writes:
Two numbers come up frequently when discussing Forbes with NFL scouts: 14 and 6. The first number, 14, is how many interceptions he has accumulated over the past three years at Mississippi State. The second, 6, is how many of those interceptions he has returned for touchdowns. At 6 feet and 166 pounds, there are concerns about Forbes’ lean frame, but his play doesn’t reflect that.
“I didn’t see a lack of strength on his actual tape,” said one scout from the AFC area. “He’s lean, but so was Sauce Gardner.” The Giants are rumored to be looking at wide receiver and cornerback in Round 1, and given the Day 2 depth at receiver with Forbes available, this should be an easy decision.
Wide receiver Jay Flowers (No. 22, Baltimore Ravens) and cornerback Deonte Banks (No. 24, Jacksonville Jaguars) were off the board.
Round 2 (No. 57) — Cody Mauch, G, North Dakota State
An interesting call here by Miller, and one we may not have given enough credence to. Centers John Michael Schmitz and Joe Tippman are off the board. So, too, is guard/center Steve Avila. Gone are linebackers Jake Campbell and Drew Sanders. There are also wide receivers like Quentin Johnston, Jordan Addison, Jalin Hyatt, Josh Downs, Cedric Tillman and Jonathan Mingo. All of those wide receivers were still available at pick No. 25 for what they’re worth.
Mauch, who can convert to center or move inside to guard, is very good here. Maybe it goes to the center. Maybe the Giants will move Ben Bredesen there and let Mauch compete for the left guard spot.
Miller writes:
The Giants nab one of the toughest and most versatile offensive linemen in the entire class with Mauch. Considering his 32⅜-inch arms, some teams believe Mauch is best suited to play inside. And he proved he can play guard or center during Senior Bowl week, which would give the Giants a boost given the team’s interior need. However, adjustment from the FCS level will take time.
Round 3 (No. 89) — Tank Dale, WR, Houston
I picked Dell (with trade) in round 3 of my ‘with trades’ mock. I know that raised eyebrows, but I’m even more convinced of that choice now that I see Miller making the same one.
Miller’s thoughts about Dell are mine. He wrote:
There may not be a better receiver for the Brian Daboll-Mike Kafka offense than the explosive “Tank” Dale. At just 5-9 and 165 pounds, he’s fairly undersized, but his start-stop quickness, route running and big-play ability are perfect for a scheme that can get players in space.
Round 4 (No. 128) — Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas
The Giants must add young talent to their defensive line. The 6-foot-2, 332-pound Coburn should give the Giants the run-stuffing backup they need for Dexter Lawrence.
33rd Team says:
He is a big man of average height who is strong and strong in attack. He understands how to play technique, he doesn’t push around and can get hands and control it. Corban has an average band and is a little high on the ground and an average mover on the side. He gives good effort and works to finish plays. Coburn doesn’t offer much in the pass game and is primarily a bull rusher who takes up space. He projects as a late pick as a two-down nose and should make the roster as a back-end, run-stuffing defensive tackle.
Round 5 (No. 160) — Aseem Richards, G, North Carolina
Joe Schoen drafted two guards from North Carolina – Josh Azedu and Marcus McKethan – a year ago. Why not one more? Adding depth and competition on the offensive line is never a bad idea. Richards played left tackle for the Tar Heels, but Miller lists the 6-4, 309-pounder as an interior offensive lineman.
The 33rd team compares him to Bredesen and writes:
Richards is a left tackle who could probably play some guard if asked at the next level. He was a quality starter at UNC while being a solid player with an average streak who worked to finish blocks. He has a strong punch and can punch, but is not a natural bender. It has a tight lower body and usually moves laterally.
In the passing game, Richards is also often beaten inside due to his limited movement skills. While overall average in space, he has enough power to root against a bull rush or generate movement in the run game. Overall, he has more strength and toughness in the running game than the passing game. He is an average athlete who bends a lot at the waist. He is a borderline starter and at least a good backup in the NFL.
Round 5 (No. 172) — Tyrus Wheat, DE, Mississippi State
The Giants need edge depth behind Kevon Thibodeaux and Aziz Ojulari, and hope the 6-2, 263-pound Wheat can provide that.
Dan Brugler writes:
Wheat is a physical, full-head-of-steam rusher with the hustle to win at the edge and the propensity to find the ball in pursuit. However, his style of play is based more on strength and effort than on efficient, coordinated attacks. Overall, Wheat doesn’t have elite length or explosiveness, but he’s a physical edge setter with front-seven athleticism that will speak to a variety of schemes. With his versatile skill set and motor, his best NFL fit is standing as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 base.
Round 6 (No. 209) — Ronnie Hickman, S, Ohio State
The Giants lost Julian Love in free agency and let Landon Collins and Tony Jefferson go. Adding depth to the safeties is a good idea.
Brugler says:
Hickman takes sound angles on the ball when his eyes are in position, and his keys help him anticipate the design of the play. However, his tape did not reveal a quick-reaction player from deep, and his conservative nature left the ball production on the field. Overall, Hickman is a long, linear athlete with baseline physical attributes, but you wish he would see things a half-second earlier and make more aggressive plays on the ball. He projects as a special-teamer and rotational NFL “loobar” safety.
Round 7
I’ll present Miller’s three picks without any commentary or scouting blurbs.
No. 240 — Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State
No. 243 — Daneric Prince, RB, Tulsa
No. 254 — Keenan Isaac, CB, Alabama State
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