Potential Day 2 Draft Prospects to Watch for Giants

Who are some potential draft prospects that could hear their name called by the Giants on Day 2? Coach Gene Clemons has a few names to watch.

The Giants knocked Day 1 of the NFL draft out of the park with some help from the teams ahead of them and came away with two legit needs in Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal. 

As Day 2 fast approaches, the board gets reset, and New York has the chance to address three more needs in this draft, among them being inside linebacker, safety, cornerback, tight end, interior offensive line, and receiver. The board of remaining players seems to set up perfectly for them to attack some prospects that can be instant contributors.

Round 2, No. 36

The Giants could go in several ways, but the value here and the highest need seem to be at safety and linebacker. Letting Logan Ryan go is one thing, but not replacing him with young talent would be egregious. They also need a fusion of young fire at middle linebacker.

Jalen Pitre S, Baylor

We all know that defensive coordinator Wink Martindale loves bringing exotic blitzes with moveable chess pieces, especially in the secondary. There is no more versatile piece than Pitre, who has existed in every aspect of a defense.

He's been a third-level guy playing on the hash. He's played that hybrid safety/linebacker role that you see becoming more and more popular in the NFL. He's been a Nickel, blitzing off the edge, and is a sure tackler.

Pair him with Xavier McKinney, and you have a dynamic duo that could play with anyone at any time. And if he needs a little time, he will be excellent on special teams.

Chad Muma ILB, Wyoming

Muma is a prototypical three-down linebacker. He has speed, size, and instincts. He covers well, especially in zone coverage, where he can read the quarterback and react, and his size and speed allow him to man up on tight ends. He is aggressive as a tackler and simply has a nose for the football, which allows him to gobble up large amounts of tackles.

He fills rush lanes with bad intentions and explodes through ball carriers to get them on the ground. He also can be a good interior gap blitzer. His skills will also make him an instant special teams ace as he works into his role on the field. 

Round 3, Picks No. 67 and No. 81

The third round will largely depend on what the Giants do in the second round, but there are intriguing options here.

If they go safety, look for them to address inside linebacker, possibly with Montana State's Troy Anderson or Alabama's Christian Harris, both athletic linebackers who fit the new NFL middle linebacker model.

If they go linebacker, look for them to possibly take Marquise Bell from Florida A&M, who is long, rangy, and will be a Day 2 steal for some team. But cornerback, interior offensive line, and tight end make the most sense here.

Zyon McCollum CB, Sam Houston

McCollum has every measurable you would want in a starting cornerback. He's tall (6'2"), explosive (40" vertical and over 10' broad jump), agile (6.48 3-cone drill and 3.94 20-yard shuttle), and fast (4.33 forty-yard dash).

So why isn't he a first-round pick? The draft is littered with misses every season, and this will likely be another one. The only knock on McCollum is his competition level. But he was asked to cover the best receiver his team faced every week and did so with remarkable success.

He has great ball skills and constantly gets a paw on a pass. That's also a credit to his footwork and ability to pattern match when he is on his game.

Isaiah Likely TE, Coastal Carolina

Likely is probably the most explosive tight end in the draft. He can take a pop pass 80 yards or blow past a safety on a vertical up the seam and collect a deep ball. While many have discredited him as a run blocker, you can see on film that he gives effort in that area.

Besides, in today's NFL, a tight end's value is in his ability to catch the ball, not what he does in the run game. Likely can be a receiving threat at all three levels. In the quick pass or screen game, across the middle on intermediate routes and deep. If they want to find a guy who could be Kelce-like Isaiah is the "likely" candidate.

Dohnovan West C, Arizona State

West has the potential to be the last piece to the Giants offensive line rebuild. He is a guy who has played extensive snaps at center and guard but is still relatively young in his development. He has a really good upside, but he already possesses an understanding of body positioning.

What he lacks in pop, he makes up in technique. He is also good at climbing to the second level, pulling and kicking or wrapping, or leading in the open field on screens or reverses.

He's quick off the snap and does a good consistent job of bringing his hips whenever he strikes. He doesn't need to play immediately, but he does possess that ability. 

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