The NFL Draft is nearly here, and it’s time to sit back and enjoy the unpredictable excitement it brings. One of the best parts? Watching fans and analysts try to forecast how everything will shake out. On Tuesday, NFL.com’s Adam Rank released his one and only mock draft—he doesn’t revise it as the draft gets closer—and he made a surprising choice for the New York Giants.
While many mock drafts focus on whether the Giants should choose Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter, Rank goes in a completely different direction.
He doesn’t project the team to take either of them—or even a quarterback. Instead, he has New York selecting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, whom he calls the best in the draft class.
During Tuesday night’s episode of “Mock Draft Live” on NFL Network, Rank described the pick as a heartwarming full-circle moment.
With Saquon Barkley now playing for the rival Eagles after leaving in free agency, selecting Jeanty would give the Giants a chance to recapture some of that excitement, even if it means passing up a more valuable position.
On NFL.com, Rank wrote that this move could reignite the fan base’s love for Big Blue: “Yes, the offensive line needs help and there are other holes, but what the Giants really need is a spark—someone who can make fans forget that Barkley just won a Super Bowl in Philly,” Rank said. “Okay, maybe not forget—but imagine an offense featuring Malik Nabers, Jeanty, and Russell Wilson. Not bad, right? Grab an offensive lineman in round two. Take Jeanty now and give your fans a reason to believe again.”
According to Rank, Carter goes to the Browns and Hunter to the Patriots—right before and after the Giants’ pick. While some might view skipping Hunter as a misstep, the idea of a Barkley-style comeback story does have its appeal.
