Giants mock draft: What if the first-round WRs, CBs they like are gone?

The entire NFL knows that the New York Giants' biggest need is wide receiver. They've all watched as general manager Joe Schoen has shown up at the Pro Days for all the top prospects at that position, and made sure he took them to dinner, too. The need is so obvious that Schoen isn't even bothering to hide his intentions.

It's also not a secret that the Giants have a pretty huge need at cornerback, too.

But drafting 25th offers the Giants no guarantees, not even in a draft that's pretty deep in first-round talent at both positions. Yes, it seems pretty likely that they'll go in one of those directions when they're on the clock on next Thursday night.

But what if all the receivers and cornerbacks they like in the first round are gone?

It's not inconceivable. It might even force Schoen to try and trade up. But if he doesn't, if he stays put and the top players at those positions are gone, then what would the Giants do?

That's the scenario explored in this Giants seven-round mock draft, version 2.0:

First round, No. 25 overall: Pittsburgh DT Calijah Kancey

The Giants have so many needs that if the receivers and corners they'd want here are off the board it almost opens up a mythical "best player available" scenario. Almost. Because they do still have two big needs — the interiors on each side of the line.

There's a bigger need on the offensive side, and I could see the Giants grabbing a center here in this scenario. They really like Minnesota's John Michael-Schmitz, according to a team source. I just don't know yet if they would take him here. Scouts generally aren't high on the centers in this draft and some question whether any should (or will) go in the first round.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of first-round worthy defensive tackles and Schoen has made it clear he's not happy with his depth at that position. He didn't really address it in free agency either, except to add Rakeem Nunez-Roches. And don't forget, both Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams are entering the final years of their contract. Lawrence is going to get an extension at some point. Williams probably won't.

Kancey is a fascinating prospect. He's a bit undersized at 6-1, 281 (though the 6-1, 280-pound Aaron Donald might quibble with that being "undersized"). He is an explosive, productive pass-rusher who had 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss the last two seasons. Pair him with Lawrence in the middle and they could be a dominant force for years.

Second round, No. 57 overall: North Carolina WR Josh Downs

If the Giants don't take a receiver in the first round, you can bet they'll be taking one in the second round. They're not going to wait longer than this to fill this glaring need. And honestly, a second-rounder is fine. Receivers always drop farther than expected in NFL drafts, which is why so many good ones are found on Day 2.

And the 5-9, 171-pound Downs is a good one. His size is worrisome, especially since the Giants already have two 5-8 guys (Wan'Dale Robinson, Jamison Crowder) and a 5-10 guy (Sterling Shepard) in their theoretical plans. But I don't think size matters to Giants coach Brian Daboll. He wants receivers who can get open, and that's something the speedy (4.48) and elusive Downs does extremely well.

His stats are eye-popping (195 catches, 2,364 yards, 19 touchdowns in 24 games the last two seasons). He looks dynamic on film. If he were an inch or two taller he might be a top-20 pick, so this would be incredible value here.

Third round, No. 89 overall: Michigan CB D.J. Turner

This is another position that I don't think the Giants will wait until Day 3 of the draft to address. They could because they do have some promising young players who could fill the gap across from top corner Adoree' Jackson. But so far those look more like depth players. They'll need an eventual starter.

Projecting Turner to the third round is dangerous because of his speed. His 4.26 time in the 40 was the fastest at the combine this year and one of the fastest in the entire history of the combine. That certainly got the attention of some NFL GMs. His size (5-11, 178) isn't great and he can be out-muscled by bigger receivers. But oh, that speed …

Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is going to love that. Turner is quick and good enough to play inside or outside and be an effective blitzer. If he lasts this long, he'll be impossible to pass up.

Fourth round, No. 128 overall: Alabama G Emil Ekiyor Jr.

Interior offensive line is a big enough need that the Giants are going to consider addressing it in the first round and on Day 2, too. And they might jump early if there's a pure center prospect available that they like, but again, scouts are not high on this center group overall, so if the Giants don't get one of the top two or three, there's really no reason not to wait.

Ekiyor is a 6-2, 314-pounder who played guard for the Tide and was one of the best in the SEC, which says a lot. It's also worth noting that he practiced at center during the Senior Bowl, even though it was a position he hadn't played since high school. Several NFL scouts said he did well. They still think he's more of a guard in the NFL, but he showed some versatility in case anyone needs him to switch.

Fifth round, No. 160 overall: Oklahoma RB Eric Gray

Running back is a sneaky need for the Giants because there is real uncertainty about Saquon Barkley's future in New York. He's playing this season under the $10.1 million franchise tag and the Giants don't currently have an extension offer on the table. They'd give him one at the right price. But if he has a good season, he'll almost certainly price himself out of what they want to spend.

Regardless, they need to hedge their bets just in case, which means taking a running back somewhere in this draft. Ideally, they'd do it sooner than this, but the way NFL teams value the position these days means some decent running backs will drop. The 5-9, 207 could be one of them, especially because of his size.

He's not particularly explosive or strong. He does have some good open-field moves. But he averaged 6.4 yards per carry for the Sooners (1,366 yards, 11 touchdowns) and was a decent receiver (33-229). He could be very productive in a backup role for now.

Fifth round, 172nd overall: LSU S/CB Jay Ward

The Giants will like everything about this versatile defensive back. He's got the instincts to play safety, though his size (6-1, 188) makes him more of a corner. He's got the speed (4.55) to play inside or outside at corner, too. That versatility would play well in the Martindale defensive scheme. He's also smart and was a leader on the Tigers' defense. And he's terrific at special teams. His talent and skills don't jump out, but everything else about him does.

Sixth round, 209th overall: Indiana LB Cam Jones

The Giants filled a big hole in the middle of their defense when they signed free agent Bobby Okereke, but the new regime doesn't like the depth they inherited at inside linebacker. So they're going to start growing their own. The 6-1, 226-pound Jones probably needs to get a little bigger to become an every-down player, but he's smart and has decent speed (4.69) which could make him effective in certain situations. He'll probably make his mark on special teams at first, but can compete for depth spots on defense.

Seventh round, 240th overall: Ball State CB Nic Jones

The more young corners, the better when teams are trying to figure out the top of their rotation. Jones is long (6-foot, 189 pounds) and fast (4.51). The speed will help him on special teams at the start. Scouts consider him to be a little over-aggressive, but otherwise sound. They need young bodies at this position so they can have a robust competition in camp.

Seventh round, 243rd overall: UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson

The Giants only have two quarterbacks on their roster, and obviously they'll add one or two more before they get to the meat of their offseason workout programs. They could definitely wait until after the draft, but with this many picks there's really no reason. Most teams like to have one developmental quarterback to run the scout team and be the third-stringer. In fact, the Bills used a Day 3 pick on a QB twice in Schoen's five years as the assistant GM with the Bills.

Thompson-Robinson started an amazing 48 games over five seasons at UCLA. He's a mobile quarterback who wasn't always the most effective passer, but showed improvement as a senior when he completed 69.6% of his passes. There's potential there for him to grow into a good backup that would fit right into the Giants' offensive scheme.

Seventh round, 254th overall: Oregon G T.J. Bass

The offensive line remains enough of a worry for the Giants that they're probably a lock to add multiple bodies to the position in this draft, especially late. Bass has good size (6-4, 317) and has shown the flexibility to play both guard and tackle, though he projects as more of a guard in the pros. He's considered to be tough and feisty, too, which the Giants are going to like.

Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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