Richard in California: If Okudah and Simmons are both available at four, who is the better pick? Is Okudah good enough for a team to trade up with the Giants such as the Jaguars?
John Schmeelk: More often than not, teams trade up for quarterbacks. The Jaguars would be moving a long way from nine to five to acquire a cornerback. They could also get another very talented player at that position with their second first round pick (20th overall). The Jaguars might instead try to move down to acquire more picks for next year's draft.
The consensus of analysts is that Okudah and Simmons are two of the top three defenders, along with Derrick Brown, after Chase Young. The difference is that Okudah would have a more obvious role as an outside cornerback. Simmons, as we have discussed here previously, played in so many different spots at Clemson that the coaching staff of whatever team that drafts him will have to figure out where he fits best in its scheme to take advantage of his advanced skill set.
Chris in Maryland: Wasn't Peppers supposed to be a swiss-army knife of defense? Does it make sense to pair Isaiah Simmons with him?
John Schmeelk: It's interesting to consider, since both are good enough athletes to do things at safety and linebacker. The difference is that Peppers weighed 20 pounds less than Simmons and ran .7 seconds slower than Simmons in the 40-yard dash at the combine. Peppers also covered less frequently than Simmons did in college. Their skillsets do overlap a bit and there is a world where the superior physical talents of the two players could be used in tandem in interesting ways.
View photos of every player projected to the Giants in mock drafts one week ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Clemson LB/S Isaiah Simmons
(AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs
(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Ohio State EDGE Chase Young
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri).
Alabama OT Jedrick Wills
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
Louisville OT Mekhi Becton
(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Georgia OT Andrew Thomas
(AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Wisconsin EDGE Zack Baun
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Iowa EDGE A.J. Epenesa
(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Boise State OT Ezra Cleveland
(AP Photo/Steve Conner)
Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murray
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Alabama S Xavier McKinney
(AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
Baylor WR Denzel Mims
(AP Photo/Jerry Larson)
Notre Dame EDGE Julian Okwara
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
LSU S Grant Delpit
(Logan Bowles via AP)
Alabama EDGE Terrell Lewis
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Utah CB Jaylon Johnson
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Michigan C Cesar Ruiz
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
LSU C Lloyd Cushenberry III
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
USC OT Austin Jackson
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Boise State EDGE Curtis Weaver
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
TCU OT Lucas Niang
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia OT Isaiah Wilson
(AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)
Michigan EDGE Josh Uche
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
California S Ashtyn Davis
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Wisconsin C Tyler Biadasz
(AP Photo/Mark Lomoglio)
Oregon LB Troy Dye
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Florida EDGE Jabari Zuniga
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Louisiana Tech CB Amik Robertson
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Missouri DT Jordan Elliott
(AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
LSU OT Saahdiq Charles
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Utah EDGE Bradlee Anae
(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Wyoming LB Logan Wilson
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Texas S Brandon Jones
(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Auburn OT Prince Tega Wanogho
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Notre Dame EDGE Khalid Kareem
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Central Florida WR Gabriel Davis
(AP Photo/Mike Stone)
Syracuse EDGE Alton Robinson
(AP Photo/Will Newton)
Liberty WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
(AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
South Carolina WR Bryan Edwards
(AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
Georgia S J.R. Reed
(AP Photo/John Amis)
Utah S Julian Blackmon
(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
XFL S Kenny Robinson
(AP Photo/Raymond Thompson)
UCLA TE Devin Asiasi
(AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Washington C Nick Harris
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Florida WR Van Jefferson
(AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser)
Utah S Terrell Burgess
(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Arizona State RB Eno Benjamin
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Texas WR Devin Duvernay
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Clemson S K'Von Wallace
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri).
North Carolina DE Jason Strowbridge
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Penn State LB Cam Brown
(AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
SMU WR James Proche
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
San Diego State C Keith Ismael
(AP Photo/Orlando Ramirez)
Notre Dame S Alohi Gilman
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Pittsburgh CB Dane Jackson
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Temple CB Harrison Hand
(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
LSU TE Stephen Sullivan
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
California LB Evan Weaver
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Alabama EDGE Anfernee Jennings
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Oregon IOL Shane Lemieux
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Miami EDGE Jonathan Garvin
(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Penn State CB John Reid
(AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
Oregon State WR Isaiah Hodgins
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Oklahoma State CB A.J. Green
(AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)
Wisconsin WR Quintez Cephus
(AP Photo/Bradley Leeb)
Vanderbilt RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Florida WR Tyrie Cleveland
(AP Photo/David Stephenson)
Notre Dame S Jalen Elliott
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Washington State WR Dezmon Patmon
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Clemson S Tanner Muse
(AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
North Dakota State EDGE Derrek Tuszka
(AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Miami CB Trajan Bandy
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Boise State G John Molchon
(AP Photo/Steve Conner)
Louisiana Lafayette RB Raymond Calais
(AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
Miami RB DeeJay Dallas
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Vanderbilt TE Jared Pinkney
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
South Carolina RB Rico Dowdle
(AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Washington OT Trey Adams
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
FIU CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver III
(AP Photo/Doug Murray)
Washington RB Salvon Ahmed
(AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
Nebraska LB Mohamed Barry
(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Texas Tech OT Terence Steele
(AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Florida State CB Stanford Samuels III
(Tom DiPace via AP)
Georgia WR Lawrence Cager
(Tom DiPace via AP)
Oregon G Calvin Throckmorton
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Miami WR K.J. Osborn
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Syracuse EDGE Kendall Coleman
(AP Photo/Will Newton)
Minnesota LB Kamal Martin
(AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)
South Carolina IOL Donell Stanley
(AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Cincinnati RB Mike Warren
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
TCU G Cordel Iwuagwu
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arkansas CB Kamren Curl
(AP Photo/Michael Woods)
Utah CB Javelin Guidry
(AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Michigan G Michael Onwenu
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Michigan QB Shea Patterson
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Georgia K Rodrigo Blankenship
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
South Carolina EDGE D.J. Wonnum
(AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
Colorado WR Tony Brown
(AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Alabama S Shyheim Carter
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Stanford LB Casey Toohill
(AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Illinois State S Luther Kirk
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Miami LB Shaquille Quarterman
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Texas DL Malcolm Roach
(AP Photo/Michael Thomas)
Portland State TE Charlie Taumoepeau
(AP Photo/Michael Woods)
Southern Mississippi WR Quez Watkins
(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Illinois State RB James Robinson
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Michigan State QB Brian Lewerke
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Colorado OT Arlington Hambright
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Hawaii QB Cole McDonald
(AP Photo/Steve Conner)
Ian in Pennsylvania: Do you think the Giants should draft more hybrid players to add to the defense? I believe this will help Graham move players around and disguise a lot of different coverages.
John Schmeelk: I will let Joe Judge answer your question with something he said on his conference call with the media last week. "To me," Judge said, "every player has to have a level of versatility. I don't care if you are a one-position offensive lineman or you're the quarterback. Everyone has to have versatility within their game to adjust to different game plans and schemes. If you find a player that has great impact and upside, that's a guy you want to add to your roster."
In short, whenever a player is versatile it gives his coordinator freedom to use them in different ways that can make a defense more unpredictable. The more players like this a team has, assuming they can do those multiple things well, the better.
Nathan in Pennsylvania: Which of the top four tackles would best fit the Giants with the fourth overall pick?
John Schmeelk: There are arguments to be made for any of the top four tackles in the draft. Andrew Thomas, due to his experience at Georgia, might be the most ready to step in at left tackle on day one. Jedrick Wills checks every box when it comes to measureables, athleticism, technique, and excellent game film playing in the SEC. Tristan Wirfs played right and left tackle at a high level for Iowa this season, put up ridiculous combine numbers, and was coached by noted offensive lineman developer Kirk Ferentz. Mekhi Becton has supernatural size and movement skills as a left tackle and, while raw with some of his technique, might have the most upside.
DG in New York: With so many needs, should the Giants take the best deal inside the top 10 in order to receive an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick? They could still get a top four tackle and add two defensive players who would more than likely start for them.
John Schmeelk: Your scenario appears attractive. The trick is that there has to be a team in that position that wants to move up to number four and is willing to give you what you need to make that move. There's no guarantee that team exists. Dave Gettleman says he is willing to move down, but in many ways, it is out of the Giants' control.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's best remaining prospects from his Top 150 ranking of the 2020 NFL Draft.
No. 150 Tulsa EDGE Trevis Gipson
(AP Photo/Tony Ding)
No. 149 Oregon State QB Jake Luton (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
No. 147 Missouri TE Albert Okwuegbunam
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
No. 146 South Carolina EDGE D.J. Wonnum
(AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
No. 145 SMU WR James Proche
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
No. 144 Kansas EDGE Azur Kamara
(Ben Liebenberg via AP)
No. 143 Notre Dame S Alohi Gilman
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
No. 142 Auburn CB Javaris Davis
(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
CB Darnay Holmes
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
No. 140 Tulane WR Darnell Mooney
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
No. 139 Minnesota WR Tyler Johnson
(AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
No. 138 UCLA RB Joshua Kelley
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Louisiana-Lafayette OL Kevin Dotson
(AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
No. 135 Washington C Nick Harris
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
No. 134 North Carolina EDGE Jason Strowbridge
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
No. 131 Michigan WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
No. 129 Michigan State LB Joe Bachie
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
No. 126 Washington TE Hunter Bryant
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
No. 125 Syracuse EDGE Alton Robinson
(AP Photo/Will Newton)
No. 124 Clemson S K'Von Wallace
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri).
Iowa S Geno Stone
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Georgia Southern CB Kindle Vildor
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
No. 120 Louisiana Tech S L'Jarius Sneed
(Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
No. 118 North Carolina OT Charlie Heck
(AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
No. 117 Notre Dame EDGE Khalid Kareem
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
No. 116 North Carolina State DT Larrell Murchison
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
No. 114 Alabama DB Jared Mayden
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
No. 113 Auburn OT Jack Driscoll
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
No. 111 Miami LB Shaquille Quarterman
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
No. 103 Baylor CB Grayland Arnold
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
No. 102 Charlotte G Cameron Clark
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
No. 100 Virginia CB Bryce Hall
(AP Photo/ Andrew Shurtleff)
No. 99 Penn State CB John Reid
(AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
No. 96 Utah DT Leki Fotu
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
No. 95 Appalachian State LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
(AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
No. 92 Kansas OL Hakeem Adeniji
(AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
No. 89 Baylor DE James Lynch
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
No. 87 Michigan State CB Josiah Scott
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
No. 85 Louisiana Tech CB Amik Robertson
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
No. 84 Tulsa CB Reggie Robinson II
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
No. 82 St. John OT Ben Bartch
(Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
No. 79 Liberty WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
(AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
No. 78 Boise State WR John Hightower
(AP Photo/Steve Conner)
No. 77 Boise State EDGE Curtis Weaver
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
No. 75 Utah EDGE Bradlee Anae
(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
No. 71 Florida Atlantic TE Harrison Bryant
(AP Photo/Paul Vernon)
No. 70 Georgia QB Jake Fromm
(AP Photo/Bill Feig)
No. 64 Washington QB Jacob Eason
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
No. 63 LSU OT Saahdiq Charles
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Tim in New Mexico: The Patriots have a ton of good draft picks, but would love, I presume, a shot at a top QB in this draft. What are the odds that Belicheck would offer a really tantalizing number of high level picks to grab a Tua or a Herbert if that option is available at #4? What are the odds that Gettleman would be willing?
John Schmeelk: I have no idea what Dave Gettleman or Bill Belichick are thinking when it comes to a trade. In any trade with the Patriots, the highest the Giants would pick in the 2020 draft would be at 23rd overall, which is a very long drop from 4th overall. The Patriots also don't own a 2nd round pick in this year's draft, so a ton of draft capital from future seasons would have to be involved, which makes a deal like this hard to put together and unlikely.
Bobby in New York: How big does this year's very different "virtual" draft impact teams' (particularly the Giant's) draft moves and picks? Does this really change things up for teams, or will their picks stay within what would be considered "normal" predictions and standards? Might we see more trading, for instance, than previous years? In other words, in your opinion, will covid-19 actually give us different moves and picks from teams than if it were just a "normal" year?
John Schmeelk: Here are the things I have heard from former executives and scouts that will impact how NFL teams will be conducting their drafts. This is not any information from inside the Giants organization.
- No Pro Days and "in facility" visits will limit in-person exposure to players that were not at the NFL Combine or Senior Bowl. This could impact smaller-school players.
- Teams might not have the same insight on what other teams' intentions are that could impact trades. Many times, teams purposely jump a rival to get a specific player they believe that rival is interested in. Will that happen as much, or more, with less information?
- Trades will be hard to negotiate completely when teams are on the clock due to technological challenges and will probably require some planning/prior communication before each day begins.
- Without pro days, there is less data on these players, which might limit the impact of analytics on draft boards.
- Coaches will have less exposure to these players, so scouts may be leaned on more due to their work on these players in the fall before travel restrictions were in place.
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