Giants 7-round, No-trade, Post-combine Mock Draft

Inspired by the immortal words written on a sticky note in Kevin Costner’s pocket in the movie Draft Day, “Sonny Styles, No Matter What!”

The Giants need an off-ball linebacker with elite athleticism and a desire to be the best at the position. Styles transitioned from safety to linebacker and immediately became a 100-tackle guy. From year one at the position to year two, he improved tremendously, even though his production dropped. 

He became more confident in his reads and run fits while still able to chase everything down. At the combine, he proved he was one of the best athletes in the draft. 

His combination of size at 6’5” and 244 pounds mixed with 4.46 40-yard dash speed, 43.5” broad jump, 11’2” broad jump, 7.09 3-cone drill, and 4.26 20-yard shuttle was freakish. 

Put him next to a vet as he continues to grow, and the Giants should have a linebacker who can man the middle and fill rush lanes, cover receivers, tight ends, and backs in the slot, and rush the passer. The very definition of positional value.

Pick 37. S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

The Giants have lacked a true ball-hawking safety since Xavier McKinney was allowed to walk in free agency. In steps Thieneman, an ultra-athletic, instinctive, rangy safety who can be like a coach on the field. 

He is of prototypical size at 6’ and slightly over 200 pounds. He is a three-year starter who has thrived in different systems. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein ironically compared him to Jevon Holland. 

He may not be a big hitter, but he is not afraid to stick his nose in the play constantly, which is why he has racked up 306 tackles during his collegiate career.

The Giants have missed a true third-level safety who runs the alley consistently. He has the speed and instincts to chase deep passes from hash to hash, then meet a running back on a toss sweep at the line. 

They need a third-level leader who maintains form and directs others. That presence will strengthen them up the middle.

Pick 105. WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State

The Giants desperately need an X-receiver to complement Malik Nabers. At pick 105, we had to choose between Skylar Bell from UConn and Bryce Lance from North Dakota State, but in the end, we went with Lance.

Lance is a legitimate X-receiver: at 6’3" and 205 pounds with a sub-4.4 40-yard dash, he possesses the speed, explosiveness, and length necessary to fill a role that hasn’t been filled for the Giants well since Plaxico Burress. 

He is the brother of former first-round pick and current LA Chargers quarterback, Trey Lance. The athletic genes are undeniable.

Bryce Lance had his breakout season in 2024, proving that he was more than just the brother of a North Dakota State legend. He was able to consistently win on deep passes and haul in shorter, more physical routes.

The Giants can use him as the explosive outside element that keeps defenses honest, allowing Nabers to work more in the slot, as the Bengals do with Ja’Marr Chase. If teams focus on Nabers, then leaving Lance one-on-one on the outside can be an advantage that Jaxson Dart exploits regularly.

Pick 143. OT Fa'alili Fa'amoe, Wake Forest

Regardless of whether the Giants re-sign right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, they need to improve their interior offensive line play while also preparing for life without him.

Marcus Mbow represents the answer if Eluemunor moves on in free agency, but it doesn’t answer the question of who goes on the inside. Fa’amoe would provide the Giants with another player with potential at either tackle or guard, giving the team more positional flexibility. 

At 6’5" and 311 pounds, there’s no reason why he can’t be in the mold of many of the Baltimore Ravens linemen that they have been able to find in the mid-rounds. There’s no substitute for big and athletic.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news, and send your mailbag questions to us.

Pick 185. LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh

A 6-foot, 220-pound inside linebacker is never going to wow you with his stature, but when you watch Kyle Louis play football, you can’t help but notice how explosive he is as a football player. 

He attacks downhill like his hair is on fire, has the ability to run sideline to sideline, and can cover slot receivers, tight ends, or running backs out of the backfield.

He has elite-level speed for the position and is one of the draft's most explosive players. If Louis were 6’2" or 6’3", we would likely be talking about him as a top 15-20 selection in this year’s draft.

Yes, the Giants have already taken a linebacker in Sonny Stiles, but why not grab another guy with similar explosiveness? He could be a developmental piece or even work as a weak-side linebacker in a three-linebacker set. 

He will also be a day one upgrade on special teams, where he should show high value, especially on the kickoff, kick return, punt return, and punt teams.

Pick 191. RB Le'Veon Moss, Texas A&M

The Giants will likely cut Devin Singletary to create cap space, creating a need for another capable running back while Cam Skattebo recovers from injury.

At 185, we considered a running back, but with Moss and Jamari Taylor still available, we took a chance on Lewis, expecting he wouldn’t last. At 191 we chose between Moss and Taylor, ultimately picking Moss for his home-run ability and starter upside.

Moss has quality vision and elite-level explosiveness to get through the lane and pick up quick yards. In the open field, nobody is going to catch him, regardless of how fast they are.

He doesn’t have much tread on his tires, and he’s been in situations where he’s had to share responsibility. So his role with the Giants will not be foreign to him.

Pick 192. OT Diego Pounds, Ole Miss

With the Giants’ final pick in the draft, it only made sense to dip back into the offensive line well to see if there were any talents left that could possibly help the team sooner rather than later. 

I was surprised Diego Pounds was still on the board, and it didn’t take much to run the card up and take the big offensive lineman out of Ole Miss. At 6’6” and 325 pounds, he fits the mold of the type of linemen new Giants head coach John Harbaugh has had in his fold for a long time. 

There’s also a chance that he could move inside as a guard. He could be a replacement swing tackle for Mbow if Mbow moves to the right tackle, if they can’t get a deal done with Eluemunor.

Pounds is much more of a pass protector than he is a run blocker, and that is OK. He can spend his time as a backup getting more proficient as a run blocker, learning from one of the best in the business, Andrew Thomas.