Getty The New York Giants are scheduled to meet with top edge rusher prospect Aidan Hutchinson on April 13, per ESPN.
The New York Giants have two premium picks at No. 5 and No. 7 overall in the 2022 NFL draft.
Barring a decision to trade back, the Giants are expected to land two of the best prospects in the draft given their multiple selections in the top 10.
Among these names, who the team could potentially select is University of Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Hutchinson is scheduled to meet with the Giants on April 13.
Potential top pick Aiden Hutchinson is scheduled to visit today with the Giants, per source. The Michigan edge rusher had 14 sacks this past season. If Giants have any real hopes of landing Hutchinson they will likely have to trade up. #NFLDraft
But Raanan cautioned that the Giants will likely have to trade up in order to draft Hutchinson, who is expected to be off the board before the fifth pick.
Hutchinson posted 14 sacks in 2021 on the Wolverines’ defense. The 21-year-old earned several accolades last season, but none more impressive than the Ted Hendricks Award. This honor is given out to the best defensive end in college football.
If general manager Joe Schoen finds a way to move up to grab Hutchinson, this could quickly turn the Giants’ defensive line into one of the best units in the NFL.
Why it’s Unlikely
While It’s fun to envision Hutchinson joining the Giants and evolving into an immediate impact player, here’s why you should pump the brakes on this dream.
NFL Insider Peter King is predicting that Schoen will trade back in his first draft as GM of the Giants.
“I believe Schoen of the Giants, for instance, wants to come out of this draft with an extra first-round pick next year, even if it costs him this year’s seventh overall pick. So maybe he makes a deal for slightly less than the market rate, just to be in a pole position to take a quarterback if he needs to in 2023.”
Quarterback Daniel Jones is entering the final year of his rookie contract and the Giants must make a decision by May 2 on whether they intend to exercise his fifth-year option for 2023 or not. Should they choose the latter, Jones will be playing for his next deal in 2022. And if the fourth-year signal caller falters, the Giants will likely be in the hunt for a new quarterback in next year’s draft.
So, instead of trading up to land Hutchinson, the Giants appear more likely to move back in order to acquire another first-round pick in 2023.
King’s Prediction
As King went onto predict in his Football Morning in America column last week, the Giants will select North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu at No. 5 and swap the No. 7 pick with the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 17, adding another first-rounder in 2023 as well.
By adding Ekwonu, the Giants would be hoping to address the right tackle position for the foreseeable future. Matt Peart, a third-round pick in 2020, started five games at right tackle a season ago, but tore his ACL in December.
New York drafted Andrew Thomas with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. And despite some turbulence in the first half of his rookie season, Thomas has emerged as a promising blindside protecter at left tackle.
If King’s prediction comes to fruition, the Giants would still have several holes to fill at No. 17. Among the positions the team may look to upgrade at this spot include center, guard, edge rusher, tight end and linebacker.
The latest Giants news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Giants newsletter here!