What NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah Envisions for the Giants in the Second Round

With the NFL Draft less than a week away, the Giants' draft priorities teeter between defensive playmaker and offensive tackle in the first round. But what about the equally important second round?

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NFL Network Draft Analyst Daniel Jeremiah has the Giants going offensive tackle with the number-four pick in his latest mock draft, selecting Iowa's Tristan Wirfs. But according to Jeremiah, the second round presents a broader range of options for general manager Dave Gettleman. 

In a conference call on Thursday, Jeremiah was insistent on the Giants' need to take an offensive tackle with the number four pick. Jeremiah's last mock draft was published on April 7, but he admitted that since then, the complexion of the Giants' tackle choice has changed in the time since.

"They need to protect Daniel Jones, and they can get a twofer, and that you can get a player that's going to help him continue to develop, and it's also going to be a big benefit to the best player on your team in Saquon Barkley," Jeremiah said. "I've said Wirfs for a long time is what I've heard, and as we come down the home stretch here, I'm beginning to think it's going to be Jedrick Wills."

Offensive tackle remains one of the two most glaring needs on the Giants' roster ahead of the draft. The other is edge rusher, but the only defensive player that projects to be available and worthy of the number-four pick is Clemson's do-it-all linebacker, Isaiah Simmons. 

While Simmons tallied seven sacks in 2019, Jeremiah doesn't believe that Simmons has the strength or build to be a designated edge rusher in the NFL and is only valuable to the pass rush as an extra blitzer. 

"[Simmons" is 238 pounds, which is unbelievable size for a safety. It's about the average size there for a linebacker. But to hold up as an edge player down in and down out, I think that would be a little bit difficult," Jeremiah said. 

Jeremiah's draft strategy for the Giants to leave their pass rush until the second round. Jeremiah's most recent mock projected the draft's five best pass rushers (Ohio State's Chase Young, LSU's K'Lavon Chaisson, Penn State's Yetur Gross-Matos, Iowa's AJ Epenesa, and Wisconsin's Zack Baun) to be gone by the time the Giants pick 36th overall at the start of the second round. 

What Pass Rushers does Jeremiah believe the Giants can still pick from with their second pick?

"When you look at edge rushers at the top of the second round that could be there, I don't feel great about that group," Jeremiah said. "I love Josh Uche from Michigan, but again, he's a unique player because he's an undersized kind of a 3-4 speed rusher."

With most of the best pass rushers projected to be gone by the 36th pick, Jeremiah hasn't ruled out the possibility of Gettleman trading back in the second round. 

"I would not be surprised at all to come right back in the second round at pick 36 and maybe make a pick there or try and do something different and try and collect some more picks in that range because you're going to have a bunch of really good defensive players that can come in and help that team in a lot of areas there in the second round," Jeremiah said. 

"In the second round maybe they come back, and they can get a corner like a Jaylon Johnson. They could go get one of the top linebackers would be there off the ball would be interesting, as well. They'll have options there in the second round."

If Jeremiah's first-round projection is incorrect, and Gettleman can't resist passing up on Simmons, then their second-round pick would all-but have to address offensive tackle. Jeremiah believes that at least one second-tier tackle option should be available for the Giants at number 36. 

"At 36, you're more than likely going to either see one of these guys, either Austin Jackson from USC, Josh Jones, Ezra Cleveland," Jeremiah said. "I know Isaiah Wilson we talked about earlier from Georgia has been mentioned in that range. That would be a little bit early for me."