The New York Giants have been busy this offseason, adding talent on both sides of the ball, including at quarterback. After deciding they were tired of waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind, the Giants signed two veteran quarterbacks, adding Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson to their roster to raise the floor of their offense.
While Rodgers may have been the sexier name, Wilson made much more sense as a target for the Giants, who can have a professional passer without all of the drama Rodgers brings with him. The addition of Wilson does also lessen the pressure on General Manager Joe Schoen to reach for a quarterback with the third overall pick, especially if both of the top prospects (Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders) are off the board already.
How will the Giants attack their needs early in the NFL Draft, where they have four picks over the first three rounds? Let's take a look at the latest mock draft for New York after their free agent splurges.
First Round: Colorado, CB/WR, Travis Hunter
With Ward all but a certainty to go the Titans, the Giants will be waiting to see what Cleveland does with the second pick. While there is some speculation that the Browns could take Sanders to add a rookie quarterback to their roster, the most logical assumption seems to be they will take Penn State's Abdul Carter, who they have scouted heavily throughout this process.
That selection would leave the Giants with a choice of Sanders and his Colorado teammate Hunter at No. 3. While Sanders would be a swing at a long-term quarterback, there are too many questions about his ceiling to make him a valid option here, while Hunter is a potential generational talent at a position of need.
Taking Hunter would allow the Giants to further strengthen their secondary by pushing Deonte Banks down to the nickel corner role, a better fit for his skill set. Head coach Brian Daboll will also have the freedom to come up with offensive packages for Hunter to contribute as a receiver, giving Wilson another playmaker to help the team try and win now.
Second Round: Louisville, QB, Tyler Shough
Holding a high second round pick is a good thing for New York, which can take a less risky swing at quarterback in order to keep their options open for future draft classes. One of the fastest risers in the class is Louisville's Shough, who is an older prospect at 25 but has the kinds of traits that can make him a successful starter in the NFL.
Shough has demonstrated strong pocket awareness at Louisville along with sufficient arm strength to fit balls into tight windows down the middle as well as hitting deep shots from the pocket. Scouts were also pleased that Shough showed good speed at the NFL combine, allowing him to extend plays and pick up first downs on the ground if necessary.
Having a veteran like Wilson around will allow the Giants to let Shough learn from the bench before taking over later in the season if New York falls out of the postseason picture. A Day 2 pick also won't burn the Giants too much if Shough isn't the guy, but if they feel strongly about one of the Day 2 prospects, there's a chance they trade back into the end of Round 1 to get their guy with an ability to use a fifth-year option on him if they're right.
Third Round: Florida State, DT, Joshua Farmer
The Giants have two picks in the third round and utilize their first to find another big body to play next to Dexter Lawrence in the middle of their defensive line. Florida State's Farmer, a 6-foot-3 defensive tackle weighing 305 pounds, has shown explosive pass-rushing ability in his years with the Seminoles.
Farmer is also a strong run defender, making him an ideal fit next to Lawrence, who draws plenty of double teams as the Giants' best defensive player. New York did secure some veteran depth in the free agent market at defensive tackle, so Farmer can rotate in as a rookie with an eye towards an expanded role at the end of the season.
Third Round: Ole Miss, Edge, Jared Ivey
This pick is the 99th overall and serves as a compensatory selection for the loss of Saquon Barkley. New York can use it to select Ivey, an intriguing edge rusher out of Ole Miss, to help fortify their pass rushing depth after Azeez Ojulari left in free agency.
Ivey, who is long at 6-foot-6, has a strong set of speed moves to help beat offensive tackles. The Giants can rotate Ivey in on specific pass rushing packages to get his feet wet in the NFL, and he will have the benefit of learning on the job alongside Brian Burns, one of the league's best edge rushers.