The Giants could desperately use an upgrade at tight end this offseason NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said they’re in luck because this year’s draft class is loaded at the position.
“This is a great tight end class,” Mayock said during a teleconference on Monday.
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The Giants have the 23rd overall selection. If they use their first-round pick on a tight end, the most likely candidates are Alabama’s O.J. Howard or Miami’s David Njoku.
“O.J. Howard is my No. 1 tight end. I don’t think he gets to the end of the first round, but he’s what they like,” Mayock said when asked about the top tight ends by a Patriots reporter. “He can block. He’s a really good pass receiver, he comes out of that Alabama program that they respect.”
It’s highly unlikely that Howard will still be available when the Patriots are on the clock with the 32nd overall pick. And there’s a good chance that the 6-foot-5, 249-pound Howard will be gone before the Giants pick.
If Howard is gone, Njoku could be a solid consolation prize. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Cedar Grove native had 43 catches for 698 yards and eight touchdowns last season as a redshirt sophomore.
“Njoku is a freaky kid that looks like a wide receiver, and you can’t believe that he’s actually as big as he is,” Mayock said. “Catches the ball well, can get vertical, and what I like is if you watch enough of his tape, he gets after some people in the run game. He’s not really a good run-blocker yet. But the key is he gets after it. And as long as you get after it and you have a willingness to do it, you can be taught. So I’m bullish on Njoku.”
TE free agency outlook
If Howard and Njoku are gone by No. 23 or the Giants choose to go in a different direction in the first round, they still could land a solid tight end in the middle rounds.
“Evan Engram (Mississippi) and Gerald Everett (South Alabama) are two guys that are kind of the move, wide receiver/tight end that can play in the slot,” Mayock said. “Jake Butt had an ACL at the end of his season for Michigan, but he’s one of those in-line blockers. Tough guy and good enough athletically to catch the ball short and immediate. You can get second-, third-round tight ends that make a lot of sense.”
Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
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