Giants land familiar name in Dane Brugler’s post-Combine mock draft

Brugler gives Giants the WR1 they have been searching for

In putting together an incredibly interesting post-NFL Scouting Combine mock draft, Dane Brugler of The Athletic has landed on the ‘chalk’ pick for the New York Giants.

Brugler has the Giants selecting LSU wide reciever Malik Nabers at No. 6, but not without plenty of intrigue. Brugler writes:

General manager Joe Schoen won’t be able to hide his smile if Nabers is still available at No. 6. Regardless of who’s playing quarterback for the Giants, this offense drastically needs a true X receiver who changes how defenses game plan against it. Nabers is that, and more.

Now, about that intrigue.

Quarterbacks went 1-2-3 in Brugler’s mock. The Chicago Bears took Caleb Williams at No. 1, the Washington Commanders took Drake Maye No. 2 and the Atlanta Falcons traded up from No. 8 to No. 3, swapping spots with the New England Patriots to select Jayden Daniels.

Brugler’s projected trade: Falcons send No. 8, No. 43 and a 2025 first-round pick to the Patriots for No. 3.

The Patriots, for what it’s worth, ended up with Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt.

How about what happened at No. 5 in Brugler’s mock for more intrigue. The Bears swapped spots with the Los Angeles Chargers, moving up from No. 9 to No. 5 to get in front of the Giants and select Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.

Brugler’s projected trade: Bears send No. 9, No. 75 and a 2025 fourth-rounder to the Chargers for No. 5.

Of that move, Brugler writes:

For the Bears, fortune favors the bold. None of the top three receivers are falling to No. 9, and this is a relatively low price to pay for an impact pass catcher who will help win games from Day 1. Only GM Ryan Poles knows which receiver he would prefer in this scenario, but a popular theory to emerge from combine buzz was that a Bears-Odunze pairing might be the best fit in the draft.

What about J.J. McCarthy, you ask?

McCarthy landed with the Minnesota Vikings, but not at No. 11. The Vikings moved up to No. 7, one spot behind the Giants, to grab McCarthy.

Brugler’s projected trade between the Vikings and Tennessee Titans: Vikings send No. 11, No. 109 and a 2025 second-rounder to the Titans for No. 7.

Brugler writes that the Vikings, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders and others could be in the McCarthy market.

Neither Bo Nix nor Michael Penix Jr. are selected in Round 1 of Brugler’s mock.