The Giants took a huge step forward in Year One under head coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen, winning a playoff game and proving that they’re an ascending team.
With quarterback Daniel Jones signed to a long-time deal and Saquon Barkley back on the franchise tag, the Giants still have work to do when it comes to building the roster.
Here’s what the experts have the Giants doing in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft…
G/C Joe Tippmann (Wisconsin)
The Giants did a nice job adding some much-needed speed to the skill positions in free agency. Tippmann would team up with two young, talented offensive tackles to protect Daniel Jones for the foreseeable future.
LB Trenton Simpson (Clemson)
Signing Bobby Okereke was a nice start for the Giants as they fortify their linebacker corps. Simpson can play in the middle or step outside. He offers excellent quickness and is a tenacious tackler.
James Fragoza, Pro Football Network
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State)
Is Jaxon Smith-Njigba an elite athlete? No. Is he a vertical threat? Not really. But is he a first-round-caliber receiver? A resounding YES. Separation is king for WRs, and JSN just knows how to get open. He’s technically savvy and wise beyond his years at the position.
Smith-Njigba gives Daniel Jones a pass catcher whose reliability rivals that of early 2000s Nokia phones.
S Brian Branch (Alabama)
The Giants have done a lot of work in free agency but could still use more help in the secondary. Branch is the best safety in this class and has proven over his time at Alabama he can work in the slot. In other words, the Giants may be able to address two needs at once with this pick.
WR Jordan Addison (USC)
Quarterback Daniel Jones is back on a four-year deal, and the Giants’ front office has prioritized playmakers around him. New York has given the franchise tag to running back Saquon Barkley, re-signed wideouts Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard, traded for tight end Darren Waller and added receiver Parris Campbell on a one-year deal. That’s an upgraded depth chart, which also includes promising 2022 second-rounder Wan’Dale Robinson. How about one more?
Addison put up huge numbers for Pitt and USC over the past three seasons, and he could be a plug-and-play starter, getting reps in the slot and outside. This is how the Giants’ passing offense can take a big step forward.
WR Quentin Johnson (TCU)
The Giants re-upped the contracts of Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton while inking Parris Campbell in free agency, but that doesn’t mean they’re done upgrading the receiver group. Johnston gives the team some size and YAC ability on the outside and should make Daniel Jones’s life a little bit easier.
