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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Dan Benton

Giants trade up in Lance Zierlein’s first 2022 mock draft

The New York Giants have nine selections in the 2022 NFL draft and general manager Joe Schoen would like to use all of them (if not acquire even more). But that’s not the approach Lance Zierlein took for the Giants in his first mock draft of the year.

Instead of staying put at No. 5 overall or even potentially trading back, Zierlein actually has the Giants surrendering picks to trade up in order to select NC State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu at No. 3 overall.

PROJECTED TRADE WITH TEXANS

The Giants move up in a deal with the Texans to ensure they land Ekwonu. He would give the team a tackle/guard option with a nasty playing demeanor and huge upside.

Zierlein does not outline how much the Giants surrender to move up two spots, but it’s undoubtedly too much. They could have just as easily kept the additional selection and landed someone like Charles Cross with their first of two first-round picks.

With their second pick in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL draft, Zierlein has the Giants staying put and landing Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

New Giants GM Joe Schoen was previously with a Bills team that spent its first two 2021 draft picks at DE and its first pick of 2020 at DE. It’s key to get the rush right, and Thibodeaux is a raw but explosive option.

Thibodeaux seems to be sliding a bit as the draft draws near, but would be a solid addition to a needy Giants defense at No. 7 overall.

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