Draft season can officially begin.
Not only does the NFL season wrap up Sunday with Super Bowl LIV, but Mel Kiper Jr. released his first mock draft of 2020. The ESPN football analyst did so on the heels of the Senior Bowl, one of the major checkpoints in the NFL calendar. A month later, the football world gathers in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine, and then it's all systems go for April 23 in Las Vegas.
The New York Giants hold the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Bengals currently own the first overall selection, followed by the Redskins and Lions. The Dolphins pick directly after the Giants to round out the top five.
Giants.com will track the latest mock drafts coming in from around the country. Here's what the draftniks currently project for the Giants at No. 4.
Pick: Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson
Analysis: "An off-ball linebacker in the top five? Believe it -- Simmons is that good. He is the perfect run-and-cover linebacker for today's NFL, and he can do anything and play every down. Just look at his incredible stat line from 2019: 104 tackles, eight sacks, three interceptions and 16 total tackles for loss. The Giants have many needs, but Simmons is the type of defender who makes everyone around him better."
Pick: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Analysis: "Dave Gettleman loves big, physical football players, and they don't get any bigger than Becton (listed at 6-foot-7, 369 pounds). He is a mauler in the run game, and he's shockingly nimble in pass protection."
Pick: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Analysis: "Dave Gettleman's affinity for the "hog mollies" could lead the Giants to add an edge blocker to protect their young quarterback."
Pick: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
Analysis: "Rare height, weight, speed and versatility to be deployed in a variety of positions. He's only scratching the surface of his upside."
Pick: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Analysis: "While it's a loaded wide receiver class, chances are you won't find that No. 1 receiver on the wrap in the second round. Insert CeeDee Lamb, the do-it-all receiver who broke 26 tackles on 62 receptions this season. It's not like the Sooners were only pumping him screens, either. Lamb's average depth of target was 13.2 yards downfield this year."
Pick: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Analysis: "New head coach (and former Alabama assistant) Joe Judge will receive plenty of intel from his friends in Tuscaloosa on Wills, my top-ranked tackle in the draft."
Pick: Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama
Analysis: "New coach Joe Judge seemed to be channeling general manager Dave Gettleman when he vowed the Giants would employ an "old-school, physical mentality." That mentality might push them toward Wills, a surprisingly fleet-footed protector who erases opponents in the run game."
Pick: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Analysis: "It pains me as a Jets fan to say it, but the Giants are building something pretty impressive. They'll have two young corners, the makings of a good defensive line, and lots of skill position talent."
View photos of players listed on NFL Network's Top 50 NFL Draft prospect rankings
Pick: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "The top of the 2020 NFL draft board is becoming clearer by the day, with top underclassmen declaring for April's selection process. Ohio State's Chase Young and Jeff Okudah and Alabama's Jerry Jeudy are among the potential top-10 prospects who have already stated their intentions. Projected No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow is a senior. As is Oregon's Justin Herbert, who might be the second quarterback off the board."
Pick: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Analysis: "A two-year starter at right tackle for Alabama, Wills is a dominant run blocker who also improved significantly as a pass blocker in 2019."
View photos from the college career of Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy.
Pick: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Analysis: "While most casual fans are familiar with Tagovailoa by now, several may not be as familiar with Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. This isn't the case for fans who watched him in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day. Jeudy destroyed the Michigan defense, catching six passes for 204 yards and a touchdown. While this stat line may lead fans to believe that Jeudy is primarily a deep threat, his biggest asset may actually be his ability to generate separation with precision route-running. Even before Alabama's bowl game, Jeudy was trending as the top receiver in this draft class. He had little to gain by even playing in it, but his drive and determination should resonate with prospective NFL employers."
Pick: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Analysis: "We've usually had New York targeting an offensive tackle at this spot -- and for good reason -- but the dearth of cornerback talent could make Okudah tough to pass up. Put another way: The depth at OT is much deeper than the depth at CB in later rounds."
Pick: Tristan Wirfs, OL, Iowa
Analysis: "Curveball from Dave Gettleman? No way. Wirfs going before Andrew Thomas would be a surprise, but it's not a bad pick by the Giants. Wirfs is as strong as they come, athletic for his size and has experience at right and left tackle."
Pick: Isaiah Simmons, S, Clemson
Analysis: "Clemson's Isaiah Simmons can not be labeled as a linebacker or safety or slot cornerback. It would be unfair to his skill set. Fans witnessed his rare ability recently in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Simmons, who has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, can play a handful of positions, which is why he is so valuable to NFL teams."
Pick: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
Analysis: "Epenesa (6-6, 280 pounds) is a powerful, explosive, big-bodied player. He can push blockers out of the way to get to the quarterback and also stands up strong against the run. He confirmed his top-10 status with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble against USC in the Holiday Bowl."
Pick: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
Analysis: "Slotting Isaiah Simmons is always a rather impossible task: You don't know exactly what position he's going to play or how it's going to look when he plays it."
Pick: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Analysis: "A few years ago New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman educated us on the term "hog mollies" or giant mammoth trench players who dominate games from the point of attack. Gettleman loves his hog mollies, and Jedrick Wills is one of them."
Pick: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Analysis: "Daniel Jones showed promise as a rookie, but he was sacked on 7.6 percent of his dropbacks and fumbled a whopping 18 times in 12 starts. As he enters his sophomore season, fortifying the offensive line in front of him should be a priority for general manager Dave Gettleman and Jedrick Wills' is a prospect I can see him falling in love with. Wills is an exceptional pass blocker with the power needed to generate vertical push in the run game. He can help Jones and star running back Saquon Barkley perform at their best."
Previous Mock Drafts
View photos from the college career of Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah.
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