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Mel Kiper Jr's Latest Mock Draft Forecasts This Player to Giants

Kiper's latest mock projections seem to align with how general manager Joe Schoen might be thinking.

Patricia Traina

Mel Kiper Jr's Latest Mock Draft Forecasts This Player to Giants
Mel Kiper Jr's Latest Mock Draft Forecasts This Player to Giants /
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ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr is out with his latest mock draft, and with the top three quarterbacks--Caleb Williams of USC, Jayden Daniels of LSU, and Drake Maye of North Carolina--the first three picks off his board, he has the New York Giants going wide receiver.

Kiper's pick for the Giants? Washington receiver Rome Odunze, whom Kiper likes over LSU's Malik Nabers. (Ohio State's Marivn Harrison Jr was also off the board, having gone to Arizona at No. 4 in Kiper's mock.)

Of the decision to go with Odunze over Nabers, Kiper said:

The Giants are coming off a disastrous season in which they ranked 29th in points scored per game on offense (14.0), 30th in yards per play (4.5), and 32nd in sack rate per dropback (12.8%). That was with only six games from Daniel Jones, though, and the quarterback should have recovered from his knee injury by the start of the 2024 season. So what’s the best way to ensure that doesn’t happen again? Get Jones some help. They have too many Nos. 2 and 3 receivers. Odunze, who caught 92 passes for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, could be their No. 1 guy.

His logic isn't wrong; if the top three quarterbacks are off the board, it makes perfect sense for the Giants to either go receiver or trade down a few spots for more assets. Picking up a potential No. 1 receiver will help whoever ends up being the quarterback long-term, whether that's Daniel Jones or a Day 2 prospect the Giants snap up in the draft.

Speaking of quarterback, Kiper mocked Michigan's J.J. McCarthy to the Broncos at No. 12. McCarthy, with a 27-1 record as a starter and with a national title his name, has been a source of debate among draft enthusiasts when questioning if he's a first-round pick or a Day 2 prospect.

Those who argue the former point to his ability to make plays on the run and his third-and-long conversion percentage, which was widely discussed as being a feather in his cap.

McCarthy also finished last season with a 72.3 percent completion rate and has thrown 44 touchdowns to nine interceptions over the last two seasons.

The arguments against McCarthy? A lack of highlight reel throws and more of a dependence on offense on the running game--his 370 dropbacks last year puts him 19th among 99 draftable quarterbacks, well behind Williams, Daniels, Maye, Bo Nix of Oregon, and Spencer Rattler of South Carolina.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen said he has not ruled out drafting a quarterback, though he wouldn't say in what round he might be looking to do so if that's the team's plan. But there's no question that adding a potential No. 1 receiver to the mix would be a big help to whoever does end up under center for the team now and in the future.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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