Mel Kiper, Todd McShay see Jermaine Johnson vs Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 7 pick

The New York Giants have plenty of talented players to choose from with the No. 7 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. As Mel Kiper and Todd McShay debated on ESPN’s First Draft special, two of those players are pass rushers — Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson and Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux.

First, McShay went into detail about the amount of sheer options the Giants have at their disposal.

“Yeah, they’ve got options here,” started McShay. “A bunch of really good players. We’ve got Travon Walker, and obviously Hutchinson coming off the board, the edges. Hutchinson going No. 1, Walker going No. 4 to the Jets in this situation. So, is it Kayvon Thibodeaux? Who would be a great pick. For a long time, we thought he could be the No. 2 player off the board. Maybe the No. 1 for awhile. And now you get him at No. 7. There, to me, is some value. That’s probably where I would lean.

“But again, if somehow Thibodeaux and Walker are off the board, I don’t know that it’s too high for Jermaine Johnson from Florida State. Another EDGE defender. And also keep in mind, we had Kyle Hamilton — the Notre Dame safety — off the board at No. 2 to Detroit. But he could be in-play here. If he’s still — some teams are worried, 4.59 in the forty-yard dash — he’s a safety, do we get value in the top five? Well, if he slips, he could be a really good addition for the Giants here at No. 7.

“And then finally, I’m just going to throw it in — this is where I think the wide receivers start to really legitimately come into play. Garrett Wilson, Ohio State. Drake London, USC. Kiper, a lot to choose from here. I would lean, I think, Kayvon Thibodeaux at this pick. But I’m open for some other options.”

As he states, McShay is leaning Thibodeaux for the No. 7 selection. However, Kiper has some more interesting avenues the Giants can explore.

“Yeah, what about trying to get the Jets to move-up?” questioned Kiper. “Do a little New York, New York deal here, Todd? Have the Jets try to move up to get Drake London. Entice them to go up and get Drake — who’s the big receiver that they need. They got Elijah Moore, they got Braxton Berrios.

“If I’m the Giants here, I made the pick of Evan Neal, I got Thibodeaux, you mentioned Jermaine Johnson II — who’s red hot right now. Red hot. Drake London is a guy, coming off the injury, who’s got length. Got the catch radius. Has that power forward mentality. When he’s covered, he’s open. Zach Wilson can throw it up, see it in the end-zone here, out-duel the smaller cornerback for the football, touchdown. Right? That’s Drake London. For Zach Wilson, can’t we make everything in this draft about getting Zach Wilson to a certain level.”

McShay interrupts, wondering if the Jets can simply wait for Drake London, instead of trading up: “Can’t we get him at ten?” he asks.

“Well, you got Atlanta at eight, okay? You got Atlanta at eight. Other teams that could move in there. You maybe could, you maybe could,” stated Kiper. “We all thought hey, New England, they got to move up to get Mac Jones. They said at 15 and got a quarterback. Didn’t even move to get a quarterback. Who ended up having a better rookie year than any of the guys. Okay? And they stood pat. They just were patient, and they waited it out. We would’ve been saying they’re idiots if somebody else would’ve moved up and got Mac Jones and they didn’t. Where would they be right now? But they were patient, they got lucky and everyone passed on him and they got him.

“So you’re right Todd, maybe Drake London is there at ten. But I think when you look at right now — we’re doing this pick for the New York Giants — we’re saying if no trade comes their way, no trade opportunity, who would they take at No. 7?I think it’s either Thibodeaux — it’s a pass rusher — it’s so you like Thibodeaux, do you like Jermaine Johnson? Lets go Thibodeaux, at this particular juncture.”

In the end, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay came to the agreement that between Jermaine Johnson and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Giants should select the former Oregon star at No. 7. Time will tell what the team does when they’re on the clock later this month.