Pro days begin this week around the country.
These on-campus workouts take on an even greater significance this year in the absence of the traditional NFL Scouting Combine, where the top draft prospects usually would gather to showcase their talents on and off the field. What happens in the coming days and weeks will surely shake up draft boards in NFL front offices, but for now, here is a look at where things stand according to draft experts.
The Giants hold the No. 11 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, which begins April 29 in Cleveland.
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "If they don't wade into the free-agent waters, Waddle is the best option at No. 11. He is the top deep threat in this class and is electric with the ball in his hands."
Pick: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami
Analysis: "I know GM Dave Gettleman has let it be known that he wants to add playmakers on offense. At the end of the day, though, he's not able to pass up the big, athletic edge rusher."
Pick: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Analysis: "The Giants could enjoy a fantastic duo at tight end -- Pitts is versatile enough to play with [Evan] Engram and be moved around the formation -- and provide quarterback Daniel Jones with a playmaker."
Pick: Gregory Rousseau , EDGE, Miami
Analysis: "Rousseau is an intriguing option for the Giants given his athleticism, length and sack production."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "With the Giants committed to Daniel Jones, the organization needs to continue and surround him with weapons. With his natural speed and burst, Waddle is dangerous before and after the catch, showing the separation skills to stress the defense in different ways (four receptions of 75-plus yards in his career)."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Finding another weapon for Daniel Jones is essential, and Waddle has game-breaking explosiveness on all three levels of the field with an ability to back safeties off the line of scrimmage for Saquon Barkley."
Pick: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Typically, GM Dave Gettleman would look to improve the front seven with this pick. But Smith's value is too high to ignore, despite his lean frame. Gettleman's first-round pick from two years ago, quarterback Daniel Jones, will appreciate the explosive, tough and reliable Smith."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Big Blue's offense looks a lot different with a healthy Saquon Barkley and Waddle on the field."
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah updated his ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft for the final time before the start of the draft.
No. 50 Georgia CB Eric Stokes
No. 49 Oregon S Jevon Holland
No. 48 LSU WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
No. 47 Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg
No. 46 Penn State TE Pat Freiermuth
No. 45 Wisconsin-Whitewater IOL Quinn Meinerz
No. 44 Oklahoma EDGE Ronnie Perkins
No. 43 Alabama DT Christian Barmore
No. 42 Houston EDGE Payton Turner
No. 41 Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman
No. 40 Alabama IOL Landon Dickerson
No. 39 Florida State CB Asante Samuel Jr.
No. 38 Virginia Tech OT Christian Darrisaw
No. 37 North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz
No. 36 Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins
No. 35 Michigan OT Jalen Mayfield
No. 34 Missouri LB Nick Bolton
No. 33 Washington EDGE Joe Tryon
No. 32 Alabama QB Mac Jones
No. 31 Penn State EDGE Jayson Oweh
No. 30 Georgia EDGE Azeez Ojulari
No. 29 Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike
No. 28 Florida WR Kadarius Toney
No. 27 Northwestern CB Greg Newsome II
No. 26 Mississippi WR Elijah Moore
No. 25 North Carolina RB Javonte Williams
No. 24 Tulsa LB Zaven Collins
No. 23 Kentucky LB Jamin Davis
No. 22 Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley
No. 21 Miami EDGE Jaelan Phillips
No. 20 Alabama RB Najee Harris
No. 19 Clemson RB Travis Etienne
No. 18 Miami EDGE Gregory Rousseau
No. 17 Michigan EDGE Kwity Paye
No. 16 TCU S Trevon Moehrig
No. 15 Notre Dame LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
No. 14 South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
No. 13 USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
No. 12 Penn State LB Micah Parsons
No. 11 Oregon OT Penei Sewell
No. 10 Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater
No. 9 Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
No. 8 Ohio State QB Justin Fields
No. 7 North Dakota State QB Trey Lance
No. 6 Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
No. 5 Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle
No. 4 BYU QB Zach Wilson
No. 3 LSU WR Ja'Marr Chase
No. 2 Florida TE Kyle Pitts
No. 1 Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "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."
Pick: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami
Analysis: "New York needs to supply some edge pressure to draw some double teams away from that really talented defensive tackle rotation. Gregory Rousseau has been off the map since last season but the talent is evident."
Pick: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Smith may not be the biggest receiver, weighing in around 170 pounds, but he has very good speed, is an extremely nuanced route-runner who creates easy separation, and is a nightmare with the ball in his hands after the catch."
Pick: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
Analysis: "The Giants need pass rush help but bolstering the offensive line may take priority. Andrew Thomas got better as the year progressed, but Vera-Tucker proved in 2020 that he can play either guard or tackle and excelled while doing it."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Stylistically, Waddle is my favorite receiver in the draft — the speed is shocking. It shouldn't be legal to average 11.2 yards after the catch per reception, as Waddle did over the past two years at Alabama."
Pick: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Analysis: "Slater was a guard in high school but played both tackle spots for the Wildcats and could settle in opposite 2020 first-rounder Andrew Thomas."
Pick: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
Analysis: "The Giants struck gold last offseason with the acquisition of James Bradberry in free agency, and there was some temptation to take another corner here to fortify a strength. However, given the value proposition of elite edge players taken high in the draft relative to what they are paid as veterans at the top end, Paye is an athletic bet the Giants need to make here to secure their first elite edge defender in quite some time."
Pick: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
Analysis: "The Giants need a true playmaker at the linebacker spot, and Parsons is absolutely that."
Pick: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Analysis: "Surtain is about as NFL-ready as it gets at the position, and his 88.6 coverage grade in 2019 was the second-highest in the country. While there are numerous other needs on the roster, a corner across from James Bradberry is a big one, as well."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "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"."
Pick: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Analysis: "He's a versatile tight end that can play all over the formation and provide a mismatch for the offense with his size, length, and ball skills."
Pick: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Analysis: "First things first, the chances of Sewell actually falling this far are slim. But this mock represents what I would do and not what the NFL would do, so a generational tackle falls right in the lap of New York here at Pick 11. Sewell recorded a 95.8 PFF grade in 2019, which still stands as the highest-graded season by a Power 5 tackle since 2014. At 6-foot-6, 325-pounds, it's quite amazing watching Sewell move in space — the overall athleticism is off the charts. He earned a 95.7 grade as a run-blocker in 2019 and was also nearly perfect in pass protection, allowing just seven pressures on 491 snaps."
Pick: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Analysis: "With the additions of Jabrill Peppers, Logan Ryan, and Julian Love, the Giants have a strong secondary group. It's just another outside CB away from being elite."
Pick: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Smith adds to an already talented trio of wide receivers in Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, and Golden Tate."
Pick: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Smith's production has been off the charts over the last two years. He led all Alabama wide receivers — a group that included three other first-round talents — in receiving yardage in 2019 and is coming off an even better, Heisman-winning campaign this past season."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "The Giants take advantage of the opportunity to secure an explosive threat in the passing game."
Pick: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Analysis: "As Daniel Jones enters Year 3, the Giants have to find him a go-to weapon. Pitts is much more than a tight end. He's a versatile offensive weapon who can play outside, in the slot or in-line and is a matchup nightmare."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Waddle is arguably a better receiver prospect than Henry Ruggs III was coming out of Alabama in 2020. An explosive, dynamic athlete, Waddle ranks inside the top five in yards per route run (3.64) and yards after the catch per reception (11.5) over the past two seasons."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "I know picking a receiver isn't the Dave Gettleman way, but they need a playmaker to help Daniel Jones. Waddle can fly."
Pick: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Analysis: "While the Giants' defense surprised many in 2020, Joe Judge has continued to stress the need of adding playmakers to the offensive side of the ball. A quality tight end and running game are a quarterback's best friends. They select a dynamic offensive weapon in Pitts here. He will be a matchup problem against linebackers and safeties."
Pick: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Analysis: "An offense with Pitts, a healthy Saquon Barkley and a potential top free-agent wide receiver would be far more formidable than the unit that finished 31st in scoring last season." - Dan Duggan
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "The perfect picks for the Giants at No. 11 are Waddle and Pitts, but I don't think Pitts makes it this far. Waddle has a chance to."
Pick: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "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."
