Final 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Giants get defensive at No. 11
11. New York Giants: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
There are teams every year that analysts, experts, and so on struggle to project for when it comes to mock drafts and the NFL Draft in general. One such team for me in 2021 is the New York Giants; and a big reason why is their draft position.
Prior to inking Kenny Golladay to a monster contract in free agency, my inclination would’ve been to give them DeVonta Smith in this spot. That’s no longer the case, even if he’s a much different receiver. Now my attention turns to their biggest need, which is an edge presence on the defense.
If that’s the case, general manager Dave Gettleman is going to take Kwity Paye. He’s not going to trade down unless he breaks away from everything we know about him. And in that light, we know he loves his big bodies on the defensive line and Paye fits that bill with terrific size, explosiveness and upside.
To be sure, Jaelan Phillips is my top pass-rusher in this class. But you have to think about the team and who is doing the drafting. Gettleman favors Paye over Phillips 9-out-of-10 times in my book, which is why the Michigan man comes off the board here.
Who I Would Pick: Jaelan Phillips