1- Tennessee Titans: Laremy Tunsil OT

Looking to protect their franchise QB, the Titans take Laremy Tunsil first overall.

2- Cleveland Browns: Carson Wentz QB

The Browns take Carson Wentz, the best QB in the draft.

3- San Diego Chargers:  Jalen Ramsey DB

The Chargers select a potential shutdown corner in Jalen Ramsey.

4- Dallas Cowboys: Joey Bosa DE

With an urgency to add to the pass rush, the Cowboys take Joey Bosa

5- Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Jack LB

The Jags simply take the best prospect in the draft, Myles Jack.

6- Baltimore Ravens: DeForest Buckner DE

Looking to improve the pass rush, the Ravens add DeForest Buckner to their defense.

7- San Francisco 49ers: Jared Goff QB

With Colin Kaepernick on his way out of San Fran, the 49ers select Jared Goff.

8- Philadelphia Eagles: Ronnie Stanley OT

Needing to fix their offensive line, the Eagles select Ronnie Stanley.

9- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vernon Hargreaves III CB

With a huge gap to fill in the secondary, the Bucs take Vernon Hargreaves, one of the best prospects in the draft.

10- New York Giants: Ezekiel Elliott RB

The Giants have other needs, but if Ezekiel Elliott is still on the board at ten, they have to take him. Elliott is, after Myles Jack, my best rated prospect in the draft. Elliott is an excellent rusher, and is an unbelievable receiver as well. Elliott is as complete of a running back as they come, so, the Giants add Elliott to their already explosive, and incredible offense.

11- Chicago Bears: Shaq Lawson DE

Improving on their poor pass rush, the Bears take Shaq Lawson.

12- New Orleans Saints: Eli Apple CB

Coming off a horrible defensive season, the Saints fix their secondary by taking Eli Apple.

13- Miami Dolphins: Mackensie Alexander CB

With no notable cornerbacks on the roster, the Dolphins select Mackensie Alexander

14- Oakland Raiders: Noah Spence DE

Having lost Justin Tuck in the offseason, the Raiders take the best pass rusher in the draft, Noah Spence.

15- Los Angeles Rams: Paxton Lynch QB

Although the Rams announced Case Keenum as the starter, they still need a QB and will take Paxton Lynch.

16- Detroit Lions: Laquon Treadwell WR

After Calvin Johnson’s retirement, the Lions need a receiver and they’ll take one by selecting the best receiver in the draft, Laquon Treadwell.

17- Atlanta Falcons: Emmanuel Ogbah DE

The Falcons add Emmanuel Ogbah to their pass rush.

18- Indianapolis Colts: Jack Conklin OT

With a major need on the offensive line, the Colts select Jack Conklin.

19- Buffalo Bills: Robert Nkemdiche DT

Ignoring his off-field issues, the Bills take the stud, Robert Nkemdiche.

20- New York Jets: Leonard Floyd LB

With a major need at linebacker, the Jets take Leonard Floyd.

21- Washington Redskins: Jarran Reed DT

With the departure of Terrance Knighton, the Redskins replace him with Jarran Reed.

22- Houston Texans: Corey Coleman WR

Giving Brock Osweiler another target besides DeAndre Hopkins, the Texans take Corey Coleman.

23- Minnesota Vikings: Reggie Ragland LB

Needing a linebacker, the Vikings select Raggie Ragland.

24- Cincinnati Bengals: Josh Doctson WR

Looking to pair a receiver with AJ Green, the Bengals select Josh Doctson

25- Pittsburgh Steelers: William Jackson III CB

Desperately needing a cornerback, the Steelers reach for William Jackson III

26- Seattle Seahawks: Darron Lee LB

Needing a linebacker, the Seahawks select the versatile Darron Lee.

27- Green Bay Packers: A’Shawn Robinson DT

With the retirement of BJ Raji, the Packers replace him with A’Shawn Robinson

28- Kansas City Chiefs: Will Fuller WR

In need of a receiver, the Chiefs select the speedy Will Fuller.

29- Arizona Cardinals: Sheldon Rankins DT

With a need on the defensive line, the Cardinals take Sheldon Rankins, a steal this late in the draft.

30- Carolina Panthers: Taylor Decker OT

Needing an offensive tackle, the Panthers select Taylor Decker.

31- Denver Broncos: Kevin Dodd DE

With Colin Kaepernick likely on his way to Denver, the Broncos don’t need a QB, so they steal Kevin Dodd with the last pick in the first round.

The post 2016 NFL Mock Draft first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

1 hour before free agency begins, sources say the Giants have agreed in principle to a deal with former Jets DT Damon Harrison. Harrison was one of, if not the leagues best defensive tackle in 2015. Harrison was certainly a factor of the Giants loss against the Jets in 2015.Harrison will fit into the Giants 4-3 scheme perfectly, lining up on the interior next to the youngster, Jonathan Hankins.

NYG now have deal w/Damon Harrison, as Jordan predicted. RT @JordanRaanan: #Giants are on verge of landing former #Jets DT Harrison.

— Kimberly Jones (@KimJonesSports) March 9, 2016

The deal is worth $46.25M over the course of 5 years. Jerry Reese is definitely making a splash in free agency. The Giants are being linked to free agent Olivier Vernon. Sources say it is between the Jaguars and Giants to grab the star defensive end. Well have to wait and see how much Reese is willing to spend on Vernon.

The post Giants Welcome Damon “Snacks” Harrison to the Good Side of NY first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

Giants and JPP reach agreement on a 1-year deal, as @RapSheet reported. JPP’s deal worth up to $10.5 million. Arizona made late push for him

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2016

It has also been reported that the Cardinals had offered more money to JPP and that JPP chose New York over more money in Arizona. This should earn him more respect from both the organization, and the fans. As I said, this is a “prove it” deal, in which the Giants don’t want to offer JPP a long-term deal until he can prove he can play on a high level with two and a half fingers missing.

The post Giants Re-Sign JPP On A 1 Year “Prove It” Deal first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

The Franchise tag can be used once per year by each team. The Franchise Tag takes the average of the top-5 contracts that year per position and uses that as a baseline. For instance, if the average salary of the top-5 quarterbacks this year is approximately 20 million, which it is, if a team elects to use the franchise tag on their quarterback, they have to pay the quarterback that amount. Each position varies how much it is worth for the franchise tag, of course, because the top-5 salaries per position varies. Also, there is a “non-exclusive” franchise tag which allows teams to negotiate with players that received the non-exclusive franchise tag, but if a team gives the franchise tagged player an offer and the original team declines to match that offer, the new team must give up two first-round picks to the original team. The transition tag is similar to the non-exclusive version of the franchise tag. With the transition tag, the player gets paid the average of the top-10 positions for his position. However, the player is allowed to sign a contract with another team after signing the transition tag. That being said, the original team then has a chance to match the offer the player has signed with a different team in which case the player is forced to sign with his original team. Now that you hopefully have a good understanding of what the franchise tag is, we’ll take a look at which teams “won” or “lost” the franchise tag.

Denver Broncos: LB Von Miller (Exclusive) $15.7M

The Broncos wisely elected to use the franchise tag on Von Miller. Miller made a case throughout the season, and especially in the playoffs, that he is the best linebacker in the NFL. Miller’s pass rushing abilities propel him to the elite status he has. This was an expected decision by the Broncos, however, that being said, it is the first time a team since 2007 has used the exclusive franchise tag on a player that is not a QB. Miller could have possibly made upwards of $20M, but he will only make $15M thanks to the franchise tag.  WINNER: Broncos

Washington Redskins: QB Kirk Cousins (Non-Exclusive) $19.5M

Cousins will make the highest base salary for a NFL quarterback in 2016. Cousins definitely showed in 2015 that he can be a $20M quarterback, however, in years passed Cousins has showed he isn’t even worthy of being a starter. In my opinion, one season will not define Cousins as a player. The quarterback position has become such an exclusive position that the Redskins didn’t have much of a choice but to tag Cousins. Had Cousins been smarter, he would have realized that chances are last year will be as good as he will ever be, which is pretty damn good considering last years numbers, thus signing a long-term contract when you are coming off of an elite season would have been the better option. Although the Redskins may not be happy they were able to secure their franchise quarterback for years to come, they are ultimately winners in my book considering chances are Cousins won’t have as miraculous of a season in 2016 and thus they will not need to pay him what they would have had to pay him had they signed a long-term deal this year. WINNER: Redskins

Carolina Panthers: CB Josh Norman (Non-Exclusive) $13.9M

The situation for Josh Norman and the Panthers is very similar to the Redskins situation with Kirk Cousins. Norman had the best season he will likely ever have. He should have been smart enough to try and realize that and get a long-term big money deal signed. The Panthers play a zone on defense so in my opinion a zone corner just isn’t worthy of money like Norman wants and probably will get. Guys like Revis who can shut down a receiver is worth big time money but when you play a zone you are responsible for your area thus teams that don’t play a zone won’t value you as highly as teams that do play a zone. The Panthers won this deal since Norman will no way no how have the season he did in 2015 again. WINNER: Panthers

Chicago Bears: WR Alshon Jeffery (Non-Exclusive) $14.6M

Alston Jeffery moved himself into the top-10 list of wide receivers this year. I questioned whether or not he would become better or worse with the departure of Brandon Marshall, but he clearly showed he can serve as the 1 option for the Bears. I like the move on both sides, but $14.5M for a receiver is remarkable considering Julio Jones, the leagues top receiver, is making $14.3M. WINNER: Alshon Jeffery

New York Jets: DE Muhammed Wilkerson (Non-Exclusive) $15.7M

Muhammed Wilkerson has emerged as one of the leagues best defensive ends. It was not a surprise to see the Jets use the franchise tag on him, but it also would not be a surprise to see the Jets trade Wilkerson at some point this offseason. The Jets have Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams who are both younger and reliable options at defensive end. They should definitely trade away Wilkerson’s rich contract for either some picks or a star at a needed position. Overall, both the Jets and Wilkerson won this deal as he will be making nearly the same as what JJ Watt is making, and the Jets have the value to trade for another 1st round pick. WINNER: BOTH

Baltimore Ravens:K  Justin Tucker (Non-Exclusive) $4.5M

Although this is a very rich contract for a kicker, Justin Tucker is a top-3 kicker right now and he is just 26 years old. This is a good move for the Ravens as Tucker was uncooperative in signing a long-term deal. The Ravens should be able to work something out with their “franchise kicker” at some point this season/offseason. WINNER: Ravens

Buffalo Bills: OT Cordy Glenn (Non-Exclusive) $13.7M

Solid move by the Bills. They cut Mario Williams in essence because of his negative work ethic as well as his talent, but also to clear up room for the franchise tag. Glenn is one of the top offensive tackles in the league making this a good move for the Bills. I don’t see much changing between now and next season in terms of the amount of a long-term contract for Glenn so there is no winner in this deal. WINNER: Both

Kansas City Chiefs: S Eric Berry (Non-Exclusive) $10.8M

Another great defensive move by the chiefs. Berry is in my opinion the leagues best safety (yes, over Kam Chancellor). Berry was fantastic in his “comeback” season earning himself the franchise tag. He deserves to be making the most money for a safety in the league so the Chiefs franchise tagging him allowing another year to work out a long-term deal was a great move. WINNER: Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams: CB Trumaine Johnson (Non-Exclusive) $13.9M

Great for Trumaine Johnson, not so much for the Rams. Johnson not worth more than $10M in my view. This was a desperation move by the Rams as their other cornerback, Janoris Jenkins, is set to hit the market. Johnson will enjoy his $13.9M and he should be able to work out a deal with the generous Rams one the course of the season. WINNER: Rams

Miami Dolphins: DE Oliver Vernon (Transition) $12.7M

The Dolphins placed the transition tag on Oliver Vernon. This was a bad move by the Dolphins in my opinion. Vernon is worth about $14M, and the franchise tag is $15.7M. Chances are Vernon will sign a contract with another team and whether the Dolphins match or not will be seen, but if they don’t match they receive nothing in compensation and lose the transition tag for 2016. Had they placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Vernon, they would have most likely secured Vernon for 2016 and if another team decided to sign him off of the non-exclusive franchise tag, which is extremely rare, the Dolphins would be owed two first rounders. So although Oliver Vernon for $12.7M is cheap, they likely will lose him to another team of have to match a higher contract. WINNER: Neither

As for the Giants, there are three positives from all of this. First off, the Redskins owing Kirk Cousins $20M is laughable. Cousins showed he has the ABILITY to be a very good QB, but he has also showed that he has the ABILITY to be a very bad QB. Hopefully for Giants fans, Kirk Cousins will go back to his old normal self and lose games for the Redskins. Next, the signing of Muhammed Wilkerson was a positive even though the Giants were a front-runner to sign Wilkerson. Had Wilkerson hit the market, he would have made more that $15.7M per year. If the Jets do plan to trade Wilkerson, the Giants are a likely spot considering they have a highly coveted 10th overall pick and a need for a defensive end. Expect to hear the Giants linked with trade talks for Wilkerson over the next few months. Lastly, Oliver Vernon receiving the transition tag was the best news of all. I expected the Dolphins to franchise tag Vernon which would have kept him a Dolphin, but using the transition tag still keeps the possibility of Vernon being a Giant alive. The Giants would love to sign the 25 year old to a long term deal and add some pass rush to the defensive line.

The post Who Got The Franchise Tag? first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

RECAP OF JPP’s 2015 SEASON

There is a wide debate on how well JPP truly played during the 2015 season. If you ask me, I would say he played exceptional considering the circumstances. If you ask someone who may only look at the stat sheet, you will get a totally different answer. JPP only recorded 1 sack along with a mere 26 tackles. However, many fans are probably unaware of the fact that Pierre-Paul had the MOST quarterback hurries in the league from when he started playing to the end of the season. That is not just some random stat. A quarterback hurry can be almost as valuable as a sack depending on the scenario. Hurrying the quarterback can force the QB to make a bad throw and potentially throw an interception. Although sometimes the QB is able to find a receiver while being “hurried”, often times the QB will be forced to throw the ball out of bounds which can result in a punt or turnover on downs.

Jason Pierre-Paul recently had a second hand surgery to remove extra flesh that had not been removed. This should allow his hand to become more mobile and fit into a glove allowing him to have a better grasp and control of his right hand. No one will know until next season, but it would not be all that surprising to see JPP return to his once dominant self again.

Now, lets take a look at the situation from Jerry Reese’s perspective…

CONS

• JPP theoretically has one and a half hands making what could be a simple move for a normal defender a difficult move for him
• If he feels uncomfortable playing on the left side of the line since he may not be able to lean on his right hand, this will limit him and other defenders on the Giants to which side of the ball they will play
• Looking at a worst case scenario, JPP may not improve from last season and his hand could become more injured as time goes on making him worse and worse

PROS

• JPP is and has always been a leader for the Giants and they already cut there true “leader” a week ago (Jon Beason), so JPP could take on that spot and be a captain.
• If he is able to make a full return to his old self, he could potentially fix our problems at getting to the quarterback
• Because of his injury, he probably won’t ask for more than $8-9 million dollars per year
  • He also won’t want more than a 3 year contract due to the fact that if he does return to his old self, he could make way more than $8-9 million dollars per year
    • This is a good thing for the Giants: If JPP is unable to live up to his expectations, the Giants don’t need to have on him for more than 3 years

MY PREDICTION

The Giants will end up letting JPP test the market once the 2016 league year officially begins on March 9. JPP will test the market but come back to Big Blue inking a 3 year deal worth $26 million dollars. The deal will also come with a team option for a fourth year. The fourth year would be worth $10 million dollars if the Giants elected to use the team option.

So, it won’t happen until at least the end of March, but Jason Pierre-Paul WILL be in blue for years to come.

The post Making A Case For The Return of JPP first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

Once a Giant, Always A Giant. Justin Tuck announced this afternoon with Big Blue Kickoff Live that he intends to sign a one-day contract at some point this year and retire as a New York Giant. Tuck, my favorite player in Giants history, had a big impact on Super Bowl XLII and XLVI against the New England Patriots. Tuck recorded 328 total tackles and 60.5 sacks as a New York Giant. He also intercepted 3 passes and returned one for a touchdown during his 9 year career with Big Blue.
You could always spot Tuck on the field with his scary looking facemask.  The defensive end spent his final two years of his career with the Oakland Raiders, although he missed 16 out of his 32 games as a Raider. Tuck’s teammate, Osi Umenyoria, retired as a Giants this past offseason by signing a one-day contract with the Giants. You can definitely be sure that Tuck will be honored at some point next season and receive a standing ovation by the fans at MetLife Stadium.

The post Justin Tuck Will Retire As A New York Giant. first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

The New York Giants have announced the hiring of former Detroit Lions GM, Martin Mayhew. Mayhew will serve as the Director of Football Operations for the Giants. Mayhew had spent the last 15 season with the Lions, and the past 8 as their General Manager.

The Giants hire Martin Mayhew as their Dir. of football operations/special projects – READ: https://t.co/nw2aRbI88b pic.twitter.com/3JggIJfC1Y

— New York Giants (@Giants) February 11, 2016

Mayhew will take the place of Matt Hariss, the former Giants Director of Football Operations. Hariss was recently hired by the Detroit Lions to serve as their Vice President of Football Administration. So in theory, the Giants swapped their Director of Football Operations with the Lions Director of Football Operations. As this follows the cuts of Jon Beason, Geoff Schwartz, and Will Beatty, the Giants have shown they are rebuilding immediately from last season. Expect more changes to come as this is just the beginning of what should be a total rebuild for the Giants.

The post Giants Hire Martin Mayhew As Director Of Football Operations first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

In the first major move of the 2016 offseason, the Giants have released LB Jon Beason, and G Geoff Schwartz (per Giants ESPN beat writer: Dan Graziano). It is also expected that the Giants will be releasing OT Will Beatty as the day progresses.

Sources also say the Giants are releasing LB Jon Beason today. Beason and Schwartz were 2 of team’s big 2014 free-agent signings.

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 10, 2016

In the beginning of the 2013 NFL season, the Giants traded a 7th Round Pick to the Carolina Panthers in order to get LB Jon Beason. When he was on the field, Beason played well, and was also a big-time leader for the team. Beason recorded 83 total tackles along with 1 interception during his 3 year stint with the Giants. The key factor in Beason’s release was his inability to stay healthy. He was off the field more than he was on the field, playing in just 21 games out of a possible 45 with the Giants. The LB hasn’t officially been released by Big Blue yet, so don’t be surprised if he decides to retire before the Giants get a chance to cut him.

Along with the expected release of Jon Beason, the Giants announced the release of G Geoff Schwartz, which definitely caught a few Giants fans off-guard. Schwartz was great when he played, but just like Jon Beason, he was unable to play during his 2 year span with the Giants. He was only on the field for 13 games out of a possible 32 games. Releasing Beason and Schwartz will give the Giants around $9 million more to spend in free agency.

Although nothing has been announced, many reporters have said that they expect the Giants to release OT Will Beatty by the end of the day. Will Beatty has spent his entire 7 years in the NFL with the Giants. Prior to this season, Will Beatty did not have any major injury problems, unlike Beason and Schwartz. Will Beatty was the ‘star’ of the Giants offensive line from 2012-2014. That being said, to associate the word ‘star’ with anyone who was on the Giants pathetic offensive line from 2012-2014 is just absurd. The reason for Beatty’s release is thanks to former teammate, and first round pick: Ereck Flowers. Although many NFL reporters and writers will say that Flowers had a bad season, which he did, Flowers showed potential to emerge into a great Left Tackle. Beatty’s position was Left Tackle, and he was certainly being paid like a Left Tackle. Scheduled to make over $18 million over the course of the next two years, the Giants knew he had to go. Left Tackles tend to make much more money than Right Tackles since they are responsible for the “Blind Side” for right handed quarterbacks, which Eli Manning is.

As others are reporting, Giants also are releasing OT Will Beatty today.

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 10, 2016

With the releases of Jon Beason, Geoff Schwartz, and Will Beatty, expect the Giants to be looking for a RG, RT, and a LB in both the NFL Draft and Free Agency.

Thanks to Will Beatty for a solid 7 year span with Big Blue, as well as Jon Beason’s outstanding leadership with the Giants.

The post Giants Release LB Jon Beason, G Geoff Schwartz, and OT Will Beatty first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

Hello Giants fans, and welcome to my first post. I thought it’d be a fun start to take a look ahead at the draft so let’s get to it!

The NFL Draft is now less than 3 months away. This is what I’d call a way too early mock draft due to the fact that there haven’t been any Pro Days yet and we are still weeks away from the NFL Combine. That being said, I do think it’d be fun to get an early look at my predictions for picks 1-12 for the 2016 NFL Draft.

The Draft

1st Overall Pick (Tennessee Titans): Laremy Tunsil OT University of Mississippi

Laremy Tunsil is a name you will see at the top of the board in almost every mock draft. The main thing that NFL scouts notice about Tunsil is his extraordinary balance. Balance is a key part in blocking with a 315 pound body. You will often see lineman on the ground seconds into the play, but a guy like Tunsil will give you the pass and run protection every team dreams of. The main criticism I can make about Tunsil is his off-the-field issues. Tunsil was charged with domestic assault against his stepfather. He also accepted benefits and was not cooperative with investigators, keeping Tunsil out for the first 7 games of the season due to a suspension. Overall, Tunsil is by far the best offensive lineman in the draft. Assuming the Titans select Tunsil, they will have the 11th overall pick out of the 2014 draft, Taylor Lewan, and the 1st overall pick out of the 2016 draft, Laremy Tunsil, playing tackle. This is not a duo that any defensive ends will look forward to playing against.

2nd Overall Pick (Cleveland Browns): Jared Goff QB University of California

Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, and Jared Goff. These are the 3 quarterbacks that are likely to be taken in the first round. I would not be shocked for the Browns to select Wentz or Lynch with their second overall pick over Goff. However, I do believe that Jared Goff has the best pure arm talent out of the three QBs. While comparing Goff vs Lynch vs Went, Goff is best for his arm talent, Went is by far the most mobile QB rushing for 6 TDs this season, and Lynch is a combination of the two having good arm talent along with the ability to run the ball. The Browns will certainly select a QB with their pick due to the fact that their QB is Josh McCown who they have made clear is not their guy, and that they recently announced they will cut Johnny Manziel in the wake of his latest off-the-field issue of domestic violence.

Jared Goff Highlights California University

3rd Overall Pick (San Diego Chargers): Ronnie Stanley OT University of Notre Dame

To put it nicely, the Chargers offensive line wasn’t good this year. To put it honestly, the chargers offensive line was pathetic this year. Phillip Rivers was hit the 3rd most times out of all QBs in the league, and was the 12th most sacked QB in the league. There needs to be a change, and that change, is Ronnie Stanley. Ronnie Stanley is a step down from Laremy Tunsil. They are the exact same size, and are very similar players. Just like Tunsil, Stanley has great balance, but his greatest attribute is his quickness off of the line. Stanley is able to match up well against quick defensive ends which makes him such a special player. Expect to hear Stanley’s name called third in the draft assuming Laremy Tunsil has already been taken.

4th Overall Pick (Dallas Cowboys): Joey Bosa Ohio State DE University

“NOOOOOOO!!!!!”- Giants fans everywhere after the Cowboys STEAL Joey Bosa at number 4. I loved watching Joey Bosa this season. He is an electrifying player who always finds a way to get to the QB. I actually had a hard time letting Bosa fall to 4 in this draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if the Titans take Bosa with their number 1 overall pick. Along with his extraordinary talent comes his size. Joey Bosa boasts a 6’6″ 276 pound frame, 1 inch and 20 pounds larger than the average defensive end. And even with his large size, he is able to get off the line quickly and is elusive at getting by offensive linemen. All I can say to Giants fans is Joey Bosa is not a guy you want Big Blue trying to block twice a year, and when the Cowboys are on the board, just hope that Jerry “old man” Jones makes another dumb decision in the draft and that they DO NOT end up with Joey Bosa.

Joey Bosa Highlights Ohio St

5th Overall Pick (Jacksonville Jaguars): Myles Jack LB UCLA

Myles Jack. Myles Jack is one of those guys who make the game so exciting to watch. He has the ability to get right off of the line of scrimmage and get to the QB immediately with his incredible lateral quickness which continues to amaze NFL scouts. Myles Jack is exactly what the Giants need, a linebacker with the athleticism and quickness to get to the QB. This could allow the Giants to possibly move Devon Kennard to MLB if we are unable to get a MLB in free agency. If Myles Jack is able to fall to the Giants pick, which doesn’t seem that unlikely when looking at other NFL Mock Drafts, I would love to hear his name called and see him holding up a Giants jersey.

Myles Jack Highlights UCLA

6th Overall Pick (Baltimore Ravens): Shaq Lawson DE Clemson University

Here is another guy that you will see going to Big Blue in many other mock drafts. If you watched the College Football Playoffs, you would have seen and heard Lawson’s name tons of times as he was a star throughout all of his college career. He meets the average size of an NFL defensive end. He is a much better run stuffer than he is a pass rusher. Coaches also can see him transforming into a LB in the NFL which is something very rare that will appeal to whichever team selects him. All in all, Lawson does lack some athleticism but is definitely a guy I would be happy to see in a Giants uniform next season.

Shaq Lawson Highlights Clemson University

7th Overall Pick (San Fransisco 49ers): Carson Wentz QB North Dakota State University

Cam Newton is my NFL comparison for Carson Wentz. Now, don’t take that the wrong way, by no means am I saying that Carson Wentz will be AS good as Cam, but he definitely shows flashes of Cam on the field. He is an incredibly mobile quarterback, finishing the year with 6 rushing touchdowns and 294 rushing yards in only 7 games!!! He was on track to finish the season with around 13 rushing touchdowns and 750 yards. That screams Cam Newton to me. Now, about the 49ers. They recently acquired ex-eagles head coach Chip Kelly who has been used to having a mobile quarterback, especially at Oregon. The main reason I think Chip Kelly didn’t get the job done in Philly is because they deprived him of a mobile quarterback, giving him Sam BADford. Another guy I could see the 49ers grabbing is wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, but like most people say, what’s the point of a great wide receiver if you don’t have anyone throwing to him, and yes, Colin Kaepernick/Blaine Gabbert is NO ONE.

Carson Wentz Highlights North Dakota State University

8th Overall Pick (Miami Dolphins): Jalen Ramsey CB Florida State University

Another guy who would put a big smile across my face if I could watch him in a Giants uniform, but that is probably not going to happen if the Dolphins have anything to say about it. Jalen Ramsey is definitely the highest rated defensive back in this years draft. The two main things I love about Ramsey is that he stands at 6’1″ making it easier for him to line up against larger receivers, and that he has played some safety throughout his career making him similar to The Honey Badger: Tyrann Mathieu. Great vertical leap, very athletic, lockdown corner. He allowed an outstandingly low completion rate of 38.5 percent. If Jalen Ramsey is able to fall to the Giants 10th overall pick, I would be in my glory hearing his name announced of the Giants!

Jalen Ramsey Highlights Florida State University

9th Overall Pick (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Laquon Treadwell WR University of Mississippi

Many of you will definitely disagree with me when I say this or comment “Defense!”, but Laquon Treadwell is the one offensive player in this draft that I would be happy with the Giants taking as their 10th overall pick. That being said, the chances of him being available at 10 are not very likely. Treadwell is a guy who will go up and get whatever is thrown his way. He is a pretty average sized wide receiver, but he would always come down with 50/50 balls during his time at Mississippi. Again, before you say that the Giants shouldn’t draft offensively, that’s what most of you said back in 2013, and now we have one of, if not the best playmaker in the league in Odell Beckham Jr.

Laquon Treadwell Highlights University of Mississippi

10th Overall Pick (New York Giants): Deforest Buckner DE Oregon University

This was a really, really tough choice for me deciding between Deforest Buckner and Vernon Hargreaves. The main reason I ended up choosing Buckner was his size. The Giants tend to like players who are bigger than the average size of their position. Buckner stands at a whopping 6’7″, three inches taller than the positional average. Buckner also weighs about 285 pounds, 30 pounds heavier than the positional average! This would usually be a bad thing for most defensive ends, but Buckner is able to use his size to his advantage due to his wonderful athletic ability. He is a very tough worker off the line, and will get to the QB, finishing last years season with 1o.5 sacks along with an impressive 83 total tackles. Although I do feel that Buckner will be the Giants 2016 1st round draft selection, I also want to note some guys I would love to see go to the Giants if Buckner does not: Joey Bosa, Myles Jack, Shaq Lawson, Jalen Ramsey, and Vernon Hargreaves. One guy whose name you will probably not hear in picks 1-12 due to his injury is Jaylon Smith. Jaylon Smith was the highest rated linebacker in the draft before his injury which will probably keep him out for at least a few games of the 2016 season which is the main reason I don’t think the Giants will take him. So to summarize it up, based on my draft predictions and who is already taken, I do think Deforest Buckner is the guy who will go to the giants, however, as I have listed, there are a few other players who I could and would love to see in a Giants uniform next year.

Deforest Buckner College Highlights Oregon University

11th Overall Pick (Chicago Bears): Leonard Floyd LB University of Georgia

This is certainly a reach at the 11th overall pick, but the Bears showed in 2015 that they need help at LB, which Leonard Floyd would be sure to provide. Due to his extremely lean frame, Floyd would be limited to outside linebacker in the NFL which is a downside for most teams. Most teams just don’t want a guy that is limited to one linebacker position. That being said, this provides a rare specialty that Floyd could provide for many teams which would be covering a receiver when necessary. He played very well in man coverage in college, and with his lean frame could move very quickly and agile against a slot receiver when necessary. Floyd could also shift to safety when necessary, again, thanks to his lean and smaller frame. Chances are the Bears won’t reach this much for a guy who is usually seen being taken in the twenties in most mock drafts, but in my opinion, this would be the pick that would benefit the Bears most in 2016.

Leonard Floyd Highlights Georgia University

12th Overall Pick (New Orleans Saints): Vernon Hargreaves CB University of Florida

Last but certainly not least, Vernon Hargreaves. Hargreaves is a guy who again, I wouldn’t mind seeing in a Giants uniform. However, with the options that will probably be available at 10, Hargreaves most likely won’t be the best choice for Big Blue. Hargreaves meets the average height and weight for a cornerback, which would be another factor for the Giants not selecting him. The Giants tend to lean towards larger corners such as DRC (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie). The saints desperately need a cornerback. Brandon Browner was by far the most penalized player in the league this past year, and the saints secondary overall was laughed about all season. Hargreaves would definitely provide a much-needed boost to the Saints’  secondary which could take some pressure off of the struggling Brandon Browner.

Vernon Hargreaves Highlights Florida University

I hope you guys enjoyed my 2016 NFL Mock Draft Picks 1-12, and you will soon see picks 13-20 in an article to come. So for now Giants Nation, LETS GO GIANTS!

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