2019 NFL Draft: New York Giants 7 round mock draft
By Joe Romano
Round 4 – Pick 132
Sutton Smith, EDGE, Northern Illinois
One of the more interesting names in the draft is Sutton Smith. The edge product out of Northern Illinois would be one of, if not the, smallest players at the position in the NFL. He was down in Mobile and it did not go well for him. Smith is an ultra productive player but his limited stature may doom him to a position change in the NFL. There just is no statistical equivalent to a 6-foot 225 pound defensive end.
Even if he does convert to an off-ball linebacker, he has the athleticism to produce there. Smith is an intriguing evaluation because it’s almost all projection. At his best he’s a solid athlete that can utilize good football instincts to play at the second level. For New York he could be a pass rush specialist from a stand up stance. They grabbed an oversized edge in last year’s draft pick Lorenzo Carter. He saw little action in his rookie season but New York needs Carter to be a hit. Smith would give them a bit of insurance there and provide them with some juice off the edge. Top-paid Olivier Vernon continues to decline. Edge is a priority position for this team and they may not wait until this late to address it.
Round 4 – Pick 137
Tytus Howard, T, Alabama State
A unanimous pick for the sleeper of the tackle class is Alabama State’s Tytus Howard. A Senior Bowl participant, Howard is a NFL line coaches dream. He stands at 6-foot-6 and showcases exceptional athletic ability. This is the type of player that can be molded into a book-end tackle for years. Howard has some work to do but there are tapes that show that he may be more than a dominator of small-school competition. His game against Auburn impressed, as did his time in Mobile.
For New York it would give them a player to develop at a position of need. Assuming they address their right tackle situation in free agency, they won’t need one to step in right away. Instead they can find someone to be an eventual replacement to Nate Solder or whoever they sign opposite him. The Giants have struggled to draft offensive lineman but hit big with Will Hernandez last year. Howard could be the type of prospect that makes a general manager look really smart. That is worth the risk this late in the draft.