2022 NFL Draft's most pivotal picks
With less than two weeks to go, front offices around the NFL are finalizing their boards and simulating every possibility in preparation for the draft. But how will it play out in reality?
"The first round of the NFL draft can be like a game of dominoes," NFL Network's Rhett Lewis wrote. "We've all got it mocked out the way we think it will go, and then one team makes a certain move -- or doesn't -- that turns everything upside down. These draft decision points could define the way we look at the composition of the first 32 picks once the dust settles in Las Vegas."
In a new story on NFL.com, Lewis predicted "a few of these potential moments of draft drama."
Here is what he sees as the biggest dominoes as the Giants hold the fifth and seventh overall selections:
No. 6: Carolina Panthers
"I like Kenny Pickett in this spot, assuming he's still on the board, as he's the most pro-ready passer in this year's group. If Pickett goes to the Panthers at No. 6, then some interesting dominoes could start to fall as soon as the very next selection; a team who likes Malik Willis may look to jump in front of the Atlanta Falcons, who pick at No. 8."
No. 8: Atlanta Falcons
"Speaking of Atlanta ... Here we are with another big decision point for the Falcons, who passed on a QB at No. 4 overall last April. Does GM Terry Fontenot decide now is the time to pick a signal-caller? Meanwhile, the Jets at No. 10 sure are hoping there's a run on passers at this point, keeping more of the best non-QBs on the board for New York's second turn on the clock in Round 1.
"Here's why I don't see the Falcons going with a QB in this spot: NFL.com draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks, both former pro scouts, have talked about how all five of the QBs taken in the first round last year would grade higher than each QB in this year's class. So it doesn't totally square that the Falcons would pass on Justin Fields and Mac Jones only to take one of this year's passers. Instead, it feels like this could definitely be a spot where the first WR hears his name called, considering the team's significant need at the position. Whether Atlanta goes QB or WR here could have a ripple effect on the total number of prospects from those two position groups to go in the first round."
Nos. 16 & 19: New Orleans Saints
"Are the Saints done moving? I'm not so sure. Their recent deal with the Eagles for the 16th and 19th overall picks feels similar to when Philadelphia incrementally climbed up the board to take Carson Wentz second overall in 2016, or when Buffalo traded up twice in 2018 to select Josh Allen at No. 7.
"If this initial trade is a precursor for another move up for one of the top QBs, then we're looking at the biggest turning point in this year's draft. The Saints would likely have to get to at least No. 5 so they leapfrog the Panthers. (For what it's worth, there's been plenty of talk about the Giants potentially moving down from the fifth overall pick.) Would Carolina shift to the second QB on its board if New Orleans were to snag its preferred choice? The Saints could also wait and see who the Panthers pick at No. 6 and then swing a trade with the Giants at No. 7 to get ahead of Atlanta. There are plenty of possibilities on the table, all of them quite intriguing."
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his final edition of the top 50 prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft.
No. 50 Logan Hall, DT, Houston
No. 49 David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
No. 48 Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
No. 47 Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
No. 46 Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
No. 45 Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
No. 44 Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma
No. 43 Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
No. 42 Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
No. 41 Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor
No. 40 Matt Corral, QB, Mississippi
No. 39 Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
No. 38 Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
No. 37 Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut
No. 36 Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M
No. 35 Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
No. 34 Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
No. 33 Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
No. 32 Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
No. 31 Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota
No. 30 Zion Johnson, IOL, Boston College
No. 29 Quay Walker, LB, Georgia
No. 28 Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
No. 27 Tyler Linderbaum, IOL, Iowa
No. 26 Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
No. 25 Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
No. 24 Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
No. 23 Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia
No. 22 Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
No. 21 Dax Hill, S, Michigan
No. 20 Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
No. 19 Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
No. 18 George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
No. 17 Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
No. 16 Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
No. 15 Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
No. 14 Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
No. 13 Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
No. 12 Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
No. 11 Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
No. 10 Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
No. 9 Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, Florida State
No. 8 Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
No. 7 Drake London, WR, Southern California
No. 6 Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
No. 5 Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
No. 4 Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
No. 3 Ickey Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State
No. 2 Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
No. 1 Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
Minicamp gets underway
New York Giants football is back.
Because they have a new head coach, the Giants were allowed to open their voluntary offseason workout program on Monday, April 4, two weeks before clubs with returning coaches can do the same. The nine-week period is intended to provide training, teaching, and physical conditioning for players as a new era begins under coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
Below is a look at the Giants' schedule for spring football.
First Day: April 4
Voluntary Minicamp: April 19-21
Joe Schoen & Brian Daboll Pre-Draft Pressers: April 20
OTA Offseason Workouts: May 16-17, May 19, May 23-24, May 26, May 31-June 3
Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9
View photos from the voluntary offseason workout program at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
Blake Martinez (54)
Sterling Shepard (3)
Leonard Williams (99)
Xavier McKinney (29)
Daniel Jones (8)
Adoree' Jackson (22)
Dexter Lawrence (97)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Jihad Ward
Daniel Jones (8)
Nick Gates (65)
Matt Peart (74)
Leonard Williams (99)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Darnay Holmes (30)
Blake Martinez (54)
Quincy Roche (95)
C.J. Board (18)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Shane Lemieux (66)
Leonard Williams (99)
Matt Breida
Richie James
Korey Cunningham (79)
Sterling Shepard (3)
Raymond Johnson III (91)
Saquon Barkley
Sandro Platzgummer (34)
DL Leonard Williams
WR Sterling Shepard
Jon Feliciano
Xavier McKinney (29)
Andrew Thomas (78)
Tae Crowder (48)
Dexter Lawrence (97)
Davis Webb
Sterling Shepard (3)
Casey Kreiter (58)
Cam Brown (47)
Korey Cunningham
Richie James
Omari Cobb
Ricky Seals-Jones
Julian Love (20)
Chris Myarick
Elerson Smith
Darius Slayton (86)
Aaron Robinson (33)
Rodarius Williams (25)
Leonard Williams (99)
Raymond Johnson III (91)
Oshane Ximines (53)
Carter Coughlin (52)
Jamil Douglas
Carter Coughlin (52)
Jarren Williams (34)
Sandro Platzgummer
Azeez Ojulari (51)
Jake Hausmann
Antonio Williams
Jarren Williams (34), Darnay Holmes (30)
Austin Proehl
Ben Bredeson (68)
Travis Toivonen
Matt Breida, Antonio Williams
Tyrod Taylor
Justin Hillard
Oshane Ximines (53)
Niko Lalos (57)
Ricky Seals-Jones
Shane Lemieux (66)
Niko Lalos (57)
Oshane Ximines (53)
Cam Brown (47)
Blake Martinez (54)
Darius Slayton (86)
Shane Lemieux (66)
Korey Cunningham (79)
Antonio Williams
Jamil Douglas
Rysen John
Austin Proehl
Ben Bredeson
Matt Gono
Daniel Jones (8)
Matt Gono
Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor
Leonard Williams (99)
David Sills (84)
Sterling Shepard (3)
Justin Ellis
Leonard Williams (99)
Justin Ellis
Rysen John
Adoree' Jackson (22)
Adoree' Jackson (22)
David Moa
Sterling Shepard (3)
Carter Coughlin
David Sills (84)
Saquon Barkley (26), Daniel Jones (8)
Brian Lewerke
Trent Harris
Devery Hamilton
Jihad Ward
Austin Proehl
Sandro Platzgummer (34)
David Moa
Travis Toivonen
Mark Glowinski
TJ Brunson
Jihad Ward
Jamie Gillan
Ben Bredeson (68)
Shane Lemieux (66)
Kenny Golladay (19)
Dexter Lawrence (97)
Jon Feliciano
Ricky Seals-Jones
Jamie Gillan
Sandro Platzgummer
Korey Cunningham (79)
Tyrod Taylor
Korey Cunningham (79)
Alex Bachman
Tyrod Taylor
Darnay Holmes (30)
Jamie Gillan
Tyrod Taylor
Sterling Shepard (3)
Andrew Thomas (78)
Sterling Shepard (3)
Matt Peart (74)
Kenny Golladay (19)
Matt Peart (74)
Daniel Jones (8)
Leonard Williams (99)
Ricky Seals-Jones
Collin Johnson (15)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Leonard Williams (99)
Kenny Golladay (19)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Jamie Gillan
David Moa (96)
Dexter Lawrence (97)
justin ellis
Dexter Lawrence (97)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Carter Coughlin
Oshane Ximines (53)
Elerson Smith
Rysen John
Max Garcia
Dexter Lawrence (97)
Ricky Seals-Jones
Gary Brightwell (37)
Ricky Seals-Jones
Rysen John
Saquon Barkley (26)
Saquon Barkley (26)
Jamil Douglas
Korey Cunningham
Jake Hausmann
Jake Hausmann
Max Garcia
Korey Cunningham
Korey Cunningham
Jamil Douglas
Jamil Douglas
Matt Gono
Devery Hamilton
Oshane Ximines (53)
Oshane Ximines (53)
Oshane Ximines (53)
TJ Brunson
TJ Brunson
David Moa (96)
Cam Brown (47)
Cam Brown (47)
Niko Lalos (57)
Cam Brown (47)
Blake Martinez (54)
Cam Brown (47)
Blake Martinez (54)
Carter Coughlin (52)
Tae Crowder (48)
Quincy Roche (95)
Leonard Williams (99)
Justin Ellis
Azeez Ojulari (51)
Elerson Smith
Azeez Ojulari (51)
David Moa (96)
David Moa (96)
Niko Lalos (57)
Justin Ellis
Blake Martinez (54)
Justin Ellis
Azeez Ojulari (51)
Elerson Smith
Justin Hilliard
Niko Lalos (57)
Leonard Williams (99)
Dexter Lawrence (97)
Niko Lalos (57)
Leonard Williams (99)
Jersey numbers revealed for new Giants
View jersey numbers for the newest members of the Giants. Note: jersey numbers are always subject to change.
View jersey numbers for the newest members of the Giants. Note: jersey numbers are always subject to change.
OL Mark Glowinski
LB Jihad Ward
QB Tyrod Taylor
P Jamie Gillan
OL Jamil Douglas
RB Antonio Williams
TE Ricky Seals-Jones
OL Roy Mbaeteka
WR Austin Proehl
OL Matt Gono
WR Richie James
WR Robert Foster
OL Max Garcia
OL Jon Feliciano
QB Davis Webb
DT Justin Ellis
RB Matt Breida
Giants Draft Party: Claim your free tickets now
Join Giants fans at MetLife Stadium to watch the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 28.
