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Make The Case

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Make the Case: 11 options for Giants at No. 11

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"Make the Case" is in session on Giants.com for the final time before the start of the 2021 NFL Draft.

In this series, we look at projections provided by analysts and then ask you, the fans, to weigh in on what the Giants should do in the draft.

Our final debate takes on the most important question of the draft season- who should the Giants select with the No. 11 pick?

Here are 11 options for the Giants at No. 11.

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: Jaylen Waddle - "Waddle would give them the draft's best deep threat, a speedy playmaker who will also make an impact in the return game. I thought about edge rusher here as well."

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network: DeVonta Smith - "Even after the Giants' signing of Kenny Golladay, I still get the sense Big Blue wants more weapons. Smith is the best route runner in the draft."

Todd McShay, ESPN: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - "I wouldn't be surprised to see the Giants look at USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, but they just took three linemen in the first five rounds last year, including Andrew Thomas at No. 4 overall. And while the defense was stellar last season, getting defensive coordinator Patrick Graham a versatile, rangy, fast, instinctive linebacker like Owusu-Koramoah will help keep it that way."

Peter King, NBC Sports: Micah Parsons - "Last Giants' first-round linebacker: Carl Banks, 1983. Okay, so once every 38 years a linebacker comes out who's worth it. The Giants always do a good job disguising their intentions, and this year they've been particularly good. Three things I've heard: Joe Judge loves DeVonta Smith; the organization likes cornerback Jaycee Horn a lot; and Dave Gettleman loves Parsons. If you can get past some of the immature pockmarks on his résumé, there is so much to love. Easily the best linebacker in the draft, with the ability to be a top edge player and double as a sideline-to-sideline presence. Now, he's only a one-year starter, didn't play football last year, and the Giants will have to be comfortable with the fact he's had maturity issues. Smith or Horn could easily be the pick here—Parsons is my best guess—but 4.36-in-the-40 linebackers are quite rare."

Peter Schrager, NFL Network: Jaycee Horn - "Don't be shocked if the Giants go cornerback here. Yes, they have Adoree' Jackson and James Bradberry on the roster, but you can never have enough top-level CBs. Horn is viewed as just that. Giants fans may bristle at the team taking a corner over a WR, OT or pass rusher -- but I would not be surprised at all if it's Patrick Surtain or Horn."

Adam Rank, NFL.com: Jaylen Waddle - "The smart play might be to go with one of the premier edge rushers available at this spot, because it's truly a team need. You guys have already added Kenny Golladay, Kyle Rudolph and (checks notes) John Ross to the mix on offense, so going with Waddle might be considered overkill at this point. But I'm of the mind that you give Danny Dimes every available resource to be successful in this league."

Charles Davis, NFL Media: Jaylen Waddle - "A strong case can be made for snagging an edge rusher here, but adding another talented playmaker for QB Daniel Jones makes sense, too."

Sam Monson, Pro Football Focus: Micah Parsons - "The Giants don't draft linebackers up high very often, but in those rare instances, they look like Micah Parsons. The last linebacker New York selected in Round 1 was Carl Banks in 1984, but Parsons has a chance to be a legitimate tone-setter in a modern-day defense — not just a throwback to an obsolete 1980s brand of football."

Kyle Crabbs, The Draft Network: Azeez Ojulari - "The Giants have alleviated the need to force a pick at wide receiver thanks to their mega-deal with Kenny Golladay and the additional signing of John Ross."

Michael Renner, Pro Football Focus: Rashawn Slater - "Need matches up with value too well here, with Slater being the 11th-ranked player on the PFF draft board."

Joe Marino, The Draft Network: Rashawn Slater - "New York has to be thinking offense with this pick and general manager Dave Gettleman appears focused in free agency on adding to the skill positions, opening the door for another investment on a hog molly for the offensive line, especially with the departure of Kevin Zeitler."

Josh Edwards, CBS Sports: Kwity Paye - "If the draft was ever straight forward, you likely would not be reading a mock draft to gain insight."

Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Alijah Vera-Tucker - "If the Giants want Daniel Jones to succeed, continuing to upgrade the offensive line with this pick will be attractive. There is no such thing as a "safe" prospect in the NFL Draft, but Vera-Tucker is viewed by many around the league as having low bust potential and a high floor. Personally, I would go Jaylen Waddle here, which is another realistic possibility."

Chad Reuter, NFL.com: Kwity Paye - "Paye dropped to 261 pounds for his pro day, allowing general manager Dave Gettleman to envision the former Wolverine standing up in the Giants' defense. His agility and strength are perfect for winning and setting the edge."

Charley Casserly, NFL.com: Kwity Paye - "The Giants, who desperately need an outside pass rusher, take advantage of Paye being available here."

Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus: Jaylen Waddle - "Waddle is the first Alabama wide receiver off the board in part due to the deep speed that showed up in his averaging 18.9 yards per reception over his three-year career. Waddle was actually the highest-graded Alabama receiver on their loaded 2018 team. He adds a vertical weapon for QB Daniel Jones, who was quietly one of the best downfield passers in the league a year ago."

Brentley Weissman, The Draft Network: Micah Parsons - "The Giants have had an excellent offseason adding Kenny Golladay, Adoree' Jackson, and re-signing some of their key players. I always liked the idea of the Giants taking either Waddle or DeVonta Smith here, and to be honest, I am not totally against taking a receiver even after the Golladay addition. In the end, I believe the Giants will turn to their defense and add a playmaker who can help get the ball back to their offense. Parsons is a top-seven player in this year's draft and is one of the best linebackers prospects to come out in the last few years. He has outstanding size, speed, burst, and range and is equally productive against the run and the pass. He would be a tremendous fit for Patrick Graham's multiple front defense and has the physical and tough attitude that head coach Joe Judge appreciates."

Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: DeVonta Smith - "The GM also has an affinity for big guys so WR may not be the play here -- but it should be if Smith is still available."

Seth Galina, Pro Football Focus: Kwity Paye - "They could easily go with Jaylen Waddle here, but Paye is also a playmaker — he just plays on the other side of the ball. Raw but incredibly talented, Paye would represent a significant upgrade at edge for the Giants."

View photos of every player projected to the Giants in mock drafts just days ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Ryan Fowler, The Draft Network: Micah Parsons - "The Giants defense was one of the more surprising units in 2020. As they enter 2021, an addition like Parsons, whose do-it-all skill set has denoted him as arguably the top linebacker—by far—in the class, could help the Giants' defense be elite."

Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports: DeVonta Smith - "Smith, Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton, and Sterling Shepherd represent a fine receiving quartet for Daniel Jones."

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Jaylen Waddle - "Waddle, like his Crimson Tide teammate Smith, is a highly skilled all-around receiver the Giants could use to run all the routes and get open everywhere outside for Daniel Jones. He could easily take over as the "X" go-to guy in New York, with Sterling Shepard sliding back into his best position as the "Y" in the slot and Darius Slayton settling into the big-play threat "Z"."

Benjamin Solak, The Draft Network: Azeez Ojulari - "Unless I hear something strong on Gettleman feeling confident in Miami EDGE Jaelan Phillips and his spotty history, I'll leave the pick as Ojulari for now."

Ben Linsey, Pro Football Focus: Rashawn Slater - "Slater is more than capable of beginning his NFL career at guard on a team that boasts Will Hernandez (58.1 PFF grade in 2020), Shane Lemieux (32.2) and the recently signed Zach Fulton (63.0) as its current top options at the position. Slater's athleticism and clean technique give him a real chance of having success outside at tackle despite being undersized for the position, as well."

Austin Gayle, Pro Football Focus: DeVonta Smith - "DeVonta Smith's reported weight (170 pounds) shouldn't keep the Giants from pulling the trigger on the Heisman Trophy winner if he falls into their laps at No. 11 overall."

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Jaylen Waddle - "They have to get more speed in their passing game and Waddle would be that guy. This would go against the grain for Dave Gettleman, who prefers picking big people."

Drae Harris, The Draft Network: Kwity Paye - "New York needs edge defenders and we all know how much Dave Gettleman likes to draft linemen. While this is a little rich for Kwity Paye for most, Gettleman ultimately decides the upside is too great to pass up, aligns him next to Leonard Williams, and allows the duo to go hunt quarterbacks."

Trevor Sikkema, The Draft Network: Micah Parsons - "According to reports, Giants head coach Joe Judge attended two pro days: Micah Parsons and Jaelan Phillips. I believe it's one of the two."

Cynthia Frelund, NFL.com: DeVonta Smith - "Smith is my WR1 because his consistent route running and ability to earn separation give him the highest projected floor and ceiling in this class. The Heisman Trophy winner had the highest percentage of receptions in which he had more than 3 feet of separation at the time of the catch despite a defender being within 3 feet of him on the path of the route. This vision carries over into yards after the catch; his ability to increase his speed once he had the ball in his hands was the third-best in FBS this season."

Chris Burke, The Athletic: Jaylen Waddle - "With Kenny Golladay demanding attention outside, Waddle could run wild across the middle of the field."

Maurice Jones-Drew, NFL.com: Jaylen Waddle - "Waddle gives the Giants a speedy field-stretcher who will open things up for Kenny Golladay and Evan Engram. The Alabama prospect adds return ability, as well as the juice to take a slant to the house."

Ben Standig, The Athletic: Rashawn Slater - "Though he's a tick undersized, one talent evaluator said Slater is one of the most technically sound offensive linemen he's ever scouted."

Alexis Mansanarez, The Draft Network: Jaycee Horn - "I let technology take full control using The Draft Network's Mock Draft Machine to create a mock based on what teams will do in the first round of this year's draft."

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