Brandon Olsen's New York Giants 2025 NFL Mock Draft, 2.0

The New York Giants and their fans are already looking forward to the 2025 NFL Draft. Who might they add?

Brandon Olsen | Dec 22, 2024

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) prepares to pass the ball in the third quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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New York Giants

The New York Giants are in a bad spot and need to just add quality football players that gives them a competitive roster.

The focus that I tried to have for much of this draft was to add players with potential at the premium positions–quarterback, wide receiver, offensive tackle, edge, and cornerback–while also addressing other positions of need to fix what is, in my opinion, a bottom-three roster.

So in this mock draft, done with the PFF mock draft simulator, I approached it as though head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are both returning because quite honestly, regardless if they are, the Giants still have some strong needs at the positions where I’ve selected.

Finally, I made these picks based on the Giants having the second overall pick in the draft, which was the case per Tankathon before the Week 16 game against Atlanta.

So here we go.

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

R1, No. 2: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

The Giants desperately need a quarterback. After first hitching their wagon to Daniel Jones with a contract extension and then passing up on a chance to take a flier on a signal caller later in the draft, it's probably not a stretch to say that the Giants have one of if not the worst quarterback situations in the league.

Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is the most polarizing draft prospect this year and he’s also the most cerebral of the quarterback class.

A technician with the ability to pick apart defenses at will. He takes too many sacks that should be throwaways as he’s a somewhat risk-averse quarterback but he’s got franchise quarterback tools.

Sanders may have the highest floor of all quarterbacks in the 2025 Draft. Surrounding him with talent needs to be the focus, which I’ve tried to do with the rest of this class.

Nov 9, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive lineman Princely Umanmielen (1) reacts during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

R2, No. 33: EDGE Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss

Last season, Ole Miss went out and brought in elite players through the transfer portal and one of the crown jewels of the class was edge rusher Princely Umanmielen.

Umanmielen came in and had one of the most dominant pass-rush seasons in college football with 46 pressures and 11 sacks despite missing basically two games, playing in just one snap vs LSU and missing a full game.

The Giants pass-rush has been one of the best units in the NFL this season but have struggled to consistently generate pressure without blitzing.

Given the seemingly hot-and-cold relationship with Kayvon Thibodeaux and with the Giants having to decide whether to exercise Thibodeaux’s option year on his rookie contract (which we think they will do, though we doubt the Giants will rush to extend Thibodeaux as they did with Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas before their respective rookie deals ended), it still wouldn’t be surprising if the Giants took a swing on a proven pass-rush specialist.

Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) runs the ball as Kentucky Wildcats defensive linemen Deone Walker (0) pursues during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

R3, No. 66: DL Deone Walker, Kentucky

At 6-6 and 345 pounds, Deone Walker is taller than Dexter Lawrence II and basically the same weight as him.

While some fans will be turned away by the thought of drafting someone with a similar size to Lawrence, Walker has played the 3-tech spot for most of his career.

We could envision Walker slotting in next to Lawrence and allowing the Giants to continue leaving fewer defenders in the box, which is how defensive coordinator Shane Bowen likes to play defense. And as a bonus, he’d still have a stout defensive line.

While Walker’s pass-rush production was down in 2024 compared to 2023, a large part is simply due to having almost 200 fewer pass-rush opportunities on a Kentucky team that was constantly trailing.

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius (65) against the Liberty Flames during the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

R4, No. 102: OT Ajani Cornelius, Oregon

The Giants offensive line is in a rough spot because when all of the starters were healthy, the line was performing fairly well.

Injuries have piled up multiple years in a row on the line so adding a player like Ajani Cornelius could be used to address both starter talent and depth.

Cornelius would allow the Giants to play Jermaine Eluemunor at guard as opposed to tackle. If Cornelius isn’t ready to start as a rookie then he could be the swing tackle.

In his two seasons at Oregon, Cornelius has allowed two sacks and they both came in Week 1 of this season. With 1,010 pass-blocking snaps in that time, that’s an elite number of sacks allowed and his pressure rate allowed is also elite.

Note: The Giants are projected to have a fourth-round comp pick, No. 134 thanks to the loss of safety Xavier McKinney. I was unable to make a pick here at that spot since it wasn't included in the simualtor.

Oct 12, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back O'Donnell Fortune (3) celebrates with teammates after making an interception to save a touchdown at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated South Carolina 27-25. / Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

R5, No. 153: CB O’Donnell Fortune, South Carolina

The Giants have consistently failed to address the outside cornerback position, and while using a Day 3 pick isn’t exactly spending premium capital to improve the room, we see O’Donnell Fortune as a value pick at this spot.

Fortune has NFL size at 6-1 and 185 pounds, and was a multi-year starter for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

South Carolina plays a lot of Cover 3, making the transition for Fortune practically seamless for the Giants defensive system.

Nov 9, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks running back Raheim Sanders (5) scores a touchdown against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

R7, No. 218: RB Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, South Carolina

Tyrone Tracy, Jr. has been a great Day 3 draft pick for the Giants so far, but he’s still an unfinished product and there needs to be more options in the backfield.

Raheim Sanders has three productive years as an SEC running back and is one of the most difficult running backs to bring down in this year’s NFL Draft class, boasting 3.69 yards after contact per carry.

Sanders’s skillset as a runner/receiver would allow the Giants to seamlessly rotate him with Tracy.

Colorado's Will Sheppard runs after a catch against Texas Tech in a Big 12 football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Jones AT&T Stadium. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

R7, No. 245: WR Will Sheppard, Colorado

Adding a big-bodied receiver like Will Sheppard to the Giants room would be a welcome addition to a room with plenty of quickness but sorely lacking size.

At 6-3 and 205 pounds, Sheppard has the speed to get downfield in a hurry which could make him an early candidate for playing time.

Sheppard would also already have proven chemistry with Shedeur Sanders, our pick for the Giants’ franchise quarterback in this mock draft. Sheppard has caught 47 balls for 616 yards, and 6 touchdowns this season for the Buffaloes.

Nov 23, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers offensive lineman Cooper Mays (63) runs onto the field during senior day ceremonies before a game against the UTEP Miners at Neyland Stadium. / Angelina Alcantar/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

R7, No. 256: C Cooper Mays, Tennessee

It’s not often that there’s a five-year contributor in college football but due to COVID eligibility being a thing, Cooper Mays exists.

Mays has been a starter at center for the overwhelming majority of his career, and a dang good one at that.

He doesn’t have the elite physical traits teams look for, which is why he would be available at this point.

Mays hasn’t given up a sack since 2022 and has allowed just 20 pressures through the past two seasons.

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Published Dec 22, 2024

BRANDON OLSEN

Brandon Olsen is the founder of Whole Nine Sports, specializing in NFL Draft coverage, and is the host of the Locked On Gators Podcast.