In his 2020 season-ending press conference, general manager Dave Gettleman said the Giants "need to find playmakers" to help third-year quarterback Daniel Jones get "over that hump."
Naturally, prognosticators clung to those words and have reflected them in mock drafts this offseason. But there is one constant with Gettleman – his affection for hog mollies. The Giants may have a choice between a lineman and playmaker when the No. 11 pick comes up in the 2021 NFL Draft, which is under 10 weeks away.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. is part of the second camp, but in his new mock draft, the draft guru switched which playmaker he projected to Big Blue from Florida tight end Kyle Pitts to Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
"If [the Giants] don't wade into the free-agent waters, Waddle is the best option at No. 11," Kiper wrote. "He is the top deep threat in this class and is electric with the ball in his hands."
Here is a look at what other draft experts think the team will ultimately do:
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: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Analysis: "The Giants could enjoy a fantastic duo at tight end -- Pitts is versatile enough to play with [Evan] Engram and be moved around the formation -- and provide quarterback Daniel Jones with a playmaker."
Pick: Gregory Rousseau , EDGE, Miami
Analysis: "Rousseau is an intriguing option for the Giants given his athleticism, length and sack production."
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: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Finding another weapon for Daniel Jones is essential, and Waddle has game-breaking explosiveness on all three levels of the field with an ability to back safeties off the line of scrimmage for Saquon Barkley."
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: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami
Analysis: "New York needs to supply some edge pressure to draw some double teams away from that really talented defensive tackle rotation. Gregory Rousseau has been off the map since last season but the talent is evident."
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: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
Analysis: "The Giants need pass rush help but bolstering the offensive line may take priority. Andrew Thomas got better as the year progressed, but Vera-Tucker proved in 2020 that he can play either guard or tackle and excelled while doing it."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Stylistically, Waddle is my favorite receiver in the draft — the speed is shocking. It shouldn't be legal to average 11.2 yards after the catch per reception, as Waddle did over the past two years at Alabama."
Pick: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Analysis: "Slater was a guard in high school but played both tackle spots for the Wildcats and could settle in opposite 2020 first-rounder Andrew Thomas."
Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Waddle is electric running routes and especially after the catch. He'll become an instant favorite of Daniel Jones."
Pick: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Analysis: "Surtain is about as NFL-ready as it gets at the position, and his 88.6 coverage grade in 2019 was the second-highest in the country. While there are numerous other needs on the roster, a corner across from James Bradberry is a big one, as well."
Pick: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami
Analysis: "The Giants are strong up the middle defensively and look much better at cornerback, but they are in desperate need of punching their old calling card on the edge under Dave Gettleman. Rousseau, who opted out of the Hurricanes season, didn't really need to play to boost his stock after posting 15.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss in his lone significant and final season under defensive-minded head coach Manny Diaz."
Pick: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Analysis: "He's a versatile tight end that can play all over the formation and provide a mismatch for the offense with his size, length, and ball skills."
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: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "Smith adds to an already talented trio of wide receivers in Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, and Golden Tate."
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: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "The Giants take advantage of the opportunity to secure an explosive threat in the passing game."
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."
