In his season-ending press conference, general manager Dave Gettleman talked about adding playmakers to help quarterback Daniel Jones get the Giants "over that hump." How does a 6-foot-4, 214-pound receiver sound?
That is what the Giants added over the weekend with the signing of Kenny Golladay, who led the NFL in touchdown catches in 2019 with the Lions and has two 1,000-yard seasons to his name. But will the Giants stop there?
As far as the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft goes, Mel Kiper Jr. does. The longtime ESPN draft analyst changed his pick in his latest mock draft from Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the other side of the ball with Kwity Paye, a 6-foot-4, 272-pound defensive end out of Michigan.
"I've heard that Paye is going to impress scouts at his pro day on March 26 and put up incredible testing numbers across the board," Kiper wrote of the two-time All-Big Ten honoree. "The production wasn't there at Michigan -- 11.5 sacks in four seasons -- but I would bet on his upside, and you can see his tremendous first-step ability if you turn on the tape."
While we wait to see how the major signing fits into their draft plans next month, below is a look at more projections for the Giants. The 2021 NFL Draft order was finalized last week, and the Giants hold six picks starting with No. 11 overall.
Pick: Gregory Rousseau , EDGE, Miami
Analysis: "Rousseau is an intriguing option for the Giants given his athleticism, length and sack production."
Pick: Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia
Analysis: "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."
Pick: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Analysis: "[Signing Golladay] might take them out of the receiver class and into the corner class."
Pick: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Analysis: "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."
Pick: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami
Analysis: "Gregory Rousseau went into a tunnel when he opted out. No one has seen him enough to alter his evaluation since he went into that tunnel. I have a gut feeling he comes out on the other side a much better player. He could be a special player by adding some refinement to that natural athletic ability."
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: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "There isn't a more dangerous player with the ball in his hands in the draft class, thanks to excellent top-end speed, vision and elusiveness. And I hope Nick Saban has been glued to his TV because that's four straight Alabama players off the board, including two first-round receivers for the second time in two years."
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: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
Analysis: "Vera-Tucker can play guard or tackle and immediately helps fill the void left by the release of Kevin Zeitler."
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: 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: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
Analysis: "The Giants have needs along the offensive line but they did sign TE Kyle Rudolph and WR Kenny Golladay, positions which were also on the to-do list. Meanwhile, the defense could use some upgrades too. Micah Parsons opted out of the 2020 season but he's the No. 1 LB in this class."
Pick: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
Analysis: "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."
Pick: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "QB Daniel Jones could certainly use better protection after getting sacked 45 times in 14 games last season, but giving him an electric wideout like Smith might also make teams think twice about blitzing."
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: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Pure elation for the Giants, being able to grab Smith at No. 11 overall for Danny Dimes."
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: 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: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Analysis: "Mocking an athletic tight end early for the Giants will give many pause, but whether it's WR or TE, don't get caught up in the two letters in front of Pitts' name. He's an "all of the above" player that can satisfy the roles of both a wide receiver and tight end. A serviceable blocker and unique weapon in the passing game, he has the potential to quickly turn into one of the more dangerous players at the position during the early stages of his career."
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: 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."
Pick: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "After Dane Brugler handed Jaylen Waddle to the Giants in his last mock, Dan Duggan broke out this quote from New York GM Dave Gettleman: "At the end of the day, we need to find playmakers. That's all there is to it. I'm not sugarcoating it." Staying put and having Smith and Waddle available would be a dream, then. Tough to go wrong either way."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Adding a speedy pass catcher like Waddle will make this unit more explosive -- just what Big Blue needs."
