Mock Draft Monday 4/28 '25
Plastic Bag
Plastic Bag
- ‘25 NFL Draft Recap (Jets & Giants)
- ‘26 NFL Draft (Building A Board)
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Drake & Future’s Plastic Bag.
There’s a joke here somewhere, maybe one day…
…Maybe one day, but for now let’s get on to the sports…
Here’s a breakdown of the Giants and Jets’ 2025 draft classes…
Giants Draft
Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Round 1 (Pick 3)
A unanimous 1st Team All-American, Abdul Carter won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in ‘24. In his first season as a full-time pass rusher, Carter came up with 13 sacks last season and played through pain with one arm during the College Football Playoffs. No downside to the pick, just don’t expect the Giants to unretire Lawrence Taylor’s number so Carter can wear it. After Carter mentioned wanting to wear #56, LT shot that down, telling reporters, “I know he would love to wear that number, but hey, I think it's retired. Get another number.”
Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Round 1 (Pick 25)
The Giants traded back into the first Round to get their Quarterback of the future. Jaxson Dart’s career began at USC, where he split time as a starter before Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams took over the show. Dart transferred to Ole Miss, playing under Lane Kiffin for the past three seasons. He improved every year in Kiffin’s system, however, Ole Miss could never get over the hump to become serious National Champion contenders. Dart has some dual-threat mobility with a solid arm, but should likely spend most of his rookie season developing as a backup.
Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
Round 3 (Pick 65)
Darius Alexander is a 2-time All-MAC selection out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The small school product finished last season with 27 run stops and 7.5 TFLs. The 310 lb. defensive tackle has excellent athleticism for his size, as displayed by his Pick-6 Interception return while spying on the QB in the GIF above. Already 24 years old, Alexander will likely start right away next to Dexter Lawrence on early downs beginning this season.
Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
Round 4 (Pick 105)
Cam Skattebo is a bowling ball of a running back. Nicknamed “Nature Boy,” he’ll go out of his way to seek contact and run over defenders rather than juke by guys. Skattebo finished last season with the 2nd most broken tackles in all of College Football, behind only Ashton Jeanty. At 5’9” and 220 lbs, the 1st Team All-American may not have the same powerful effectiveness against grown men in the NFL, but he’ll still have sneaky speed. Skattebo will be a nice complement paired with the elusiveness of Tyrone Tracy.
Marcus Mbow, OG, Purdue
Round 5 (Pick 154)
In the 5th Round, the Giants selected versatile offensive lineman Marcus Mbow. After starting his career at Right Guard, Mbow moved to Right Tackle for the final two seasons with Purdue. Scouts have questions about his ability to pass block as a tackle at the next level, but he graded out as an above-average run-blocker throughout his collegiate career. Mbow will compete with Greg Van Roten, Jon Runyan, and Evan Neal for a starting guard spot this season.
Thomas Fidone, TE, Nebraska
Round 7 (Pick 219)
Thomas Fidone is the last of the four guys on Days 2 & 3 that the Giants drafted that I wish the Jets ended up with. At 6’6” and 250 lbs., Fidone impressed at the NFL Combine running a solid 4.7 40-time. As a TE2, Fidone won’t be asked to run too many races, but has some sneaky YAC ability, as 163 of his 373 receiving yards last season came after contact.
Korie Black, CB, Oklahoma State
Round 7 (Pick 246)
Korie Black was a 3-year starter for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. His best statistical season came in ‘24 as the 5th year senior recorded 3 interceptions and 9 pass breakups. At 6’ tall, Black reportedly ran a 4.35 40-time and is an aggressive tackler. He’ll likely begin his career on special teams as he has experience playing gunner during his time with OK State.
Da’Quan Felton, WR, Virginia Tech
Undrafted Free Agent
Da’Quan Felton is one of the intriguing undrafted free agent signings the Giants made once the 7th Round concluded. From Portsmouth, Virginia, his first collegiate spot was at Norfolk State, where he broke out as a sophomore with 38 catches for 568 yards and 7 TDs. He transferred to Virginia Tech in ‘23, compiling 70 catches for 1,027 receiving yards and 10 TDs the past 2 seasons for the Hokies. At 6’5”, Felton was able to make his presence as an elite run-blocker his senior season. In all likelihood, Felton will be on the Giants’ practice squad this season as a developmental red zone target, willing blocker, and special teamer.
Tommy McCormick, S, Idaho
Undrafted Free Agent
The G-Men signed UDFA Tommy McCormick after the conclusion of the draft. McCormick was a 4-year starting safety at Idaho and a 3-time All-Big Sky Conference recipient. He finished his collegiate career with 273 tackles, 24 pass breakups, and 7 interceptions. He’ll compete for a backup safety spot on the roster and likely end up on their practice squad.
Rapid reaction draft grades are pretty silly to make right, but it pains me to give the Giants an A. They came away with a star pass rusher, didn’t reach on a Quarterback, and landed four draft targets I had circled for the Jets.
Jets Draft
Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Round 1 (Pick 7)
The Jets landed their starting Right Tackle with Armand Membou in the 1st Round. At just 21 years of age, Membou gives the Jets plenty of upside at the tackle. Between Membou and last year’s 1st Rounder, Olu Fashanu, NYJ will have the youngest starting tackle tandem in the NFL this upcoming season. Membou has the size and strength to be a mauler in the run game, but was also excellent as a pass blocker, not allowing a single sack or QB Hit last season.
Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
Round 2 (Pick 42)
Mason Taylor is the son of Jason Taylor and the nephew of Zach Thomas. Great troll job by the New York Jets to steal him away from the Miami Dolphins. A 3-year starter at LSU, Taylor was a reliable secondary pass-catching option throughout his collegiate career. Last season, Taylor caught a career-high 55 passes for 546 yards while only dropping one target. While his stats may not jump off the page, it’s important to note he played 2 seasons on an LSU offense that featured the likes of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas. Legendary ‘Bama head coach, Nick Saban, said of Mason Taylor, “He’s the biggest recruiting mistake we ever made. This guy is an outstanding player."
Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State
Round 3 (Pick 73)
In the 3rd Round, the Jets added youth to their corner position. Azareye’h Thomas doesn’t turn 21 until July and is the 6th youngest player of the ‘25 Draft Class. During his first 2 seasons at FSU, Thomas was a backup corner who saw plenty of action as a sophomore, recording 10 pass breakups as a reserve. Last season, Thomas entered the Seminole starting lineup and was highly effective in pass coverage. In ‘24, Thomas was only targeted 33 times as he allowed just 17 receptions for 141 yards. The 6’2” corner was dinged a bit in the pre-draft process as he ran a 4.58 40-time, but Aaron Glenn stated, “Awhile ago, I really started to look at play speed a little bit more than just timed speed. I had a guy [in Detroit] last year in [DB] Brian Branch. He also ran a 4.58, but his play speed was 4.3. I think everyone knows the way he plays.” Thomas played a ton of press coverage last season at FSU and should get the opportunity to start at outside corner opposite of Sauce Gardner this season.
Arian Smith, WR, Georgia
Round 4 (Pick 110)
Arian Smith was the Jets’ 1st pick on Day 3. Right before their selection, the Jets were jumped by their division rival, the Buffalo Bills, who selected DT Deone Walker, a near-perfect fit for a Jets defensive line in need of someone next to Quinnen Williams. The Georgia WR has blazing speed, running a 4.36 40-time at the NFL Combine. Smith spent 5 seasons at Georgia, with last season being his only year of starting production. From 2020 to 2023, Arian Smith only caught 20 passes. Last season, the speedster had 48 catches at 16.7 yards per catch but dropped 10 passes. You can’t teach speed, and Smith can take the time off the defense. That said, Smith must work on catching the ball. The most likely outcome for Smith is that he’s a deep threat #4 WR depth who contributes on special teams.
Malachi Moore, S, Alabama
Round 4 (Pick 130)
From the time Malachi Moore stepped onto campus, Nick Saban entrusted him with the role of “star” on ‘Bama’s defense. Moore was responsible for playing the hybrid safety-dime-linebacker position and communicating with his teammates to get everybody on the same page every play. The 5-year starter was ‘Bama’s team captain in 2023 and 2024, while also being named the 2nd Team AP All-American Safety last season. By NFL standards, Moore isn’t necessarily an elite athlete, but should be a smart and versatile piece in the Jets’ secondary. Glenn’s defense is shaping up to have plenty of interchangeable secondary pieces so Moore should see plenty of playing time whether he’s a starter or backup.
Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami
Round 5 (Pick 163)
The first of the Jets’ two 5th Round picks was Francisco Mauigoa. The linebacker began his collegiate career with Washington State before transferring to Miami for the past two seasons. Twice named 2nd Team All-ACC, Mauigoa led Miami in tackles both seasons, adding 9 sacks and 2 INTs. The downside to why Mauigoa may have fallen in the draft was that he was a star on a bad Hurricane defense. He’ll be the team’s backup linebacker behind Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood.
Tyler Baron, Edge, Miami
Round 5 (Pick 176)
The last player the Jets selected in the ‘25 NFL Draft was Tyler Baron. Like Francisco Mauigoa, Baron was one of the promising players on a struggling Miami Hurricane defense. Baron spent four years at Tennessee before transferring to the Hurricanes in ‘24. In his lone season in Miami, Baron had a career-high 10 sacks along with 10 QB Hits and 28 QB Hurries. Baron will be a depth piece competing with Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald for playing time on the edge.
Brady Cook, QB, Missouri
Undrafted Free Agent
After the draft, the Jets signed Brady Cook as an undrafted free agent. A 3-year starter and 3-year captain at Missouri, Cook threw for 9,013 passing yards and 49 TDs in 46 career games. He’s also an underrated runner of the football as he finished with 1,648 rushing yards and 20 rushing TDs. Cook’s speed also tested well at the NFL Combine, running a 4.5 forty. He’ll get plenty of action this preseason in mop-up duty with the opportunity to serve as QB3 on the Jets’ practice squad.
Fatorma Mulbah, DT, West Virginia
Undrafted Free Agent
Fatorma Mulbah was targeted as an undrafted free agent to improve the Jets’ defensive front. His collegiate career began with Penn State, where he had trouble finding the field. After two seasons with the Nittany Lions, Mulbah transferred to West Virginia in ‘23, where he eventually earned the team’s starting Nose Tackle role. As a defensive run-stuffer, Mulbah recorded 43 Run Stops in the past 2 seasons while chipping in with 1 sack. At 6’4” and 300 lbs., Mulbah will compete for a roster spot and likely will end up on the practice squad.
Jamaal Pritchett, WR, South Alabama
Undrafted Free Agent
The Jets signed Jamaal Pritchett as an UDFA out of South Alabama. The 5’8” nifty WR began his collegiate career in DII with Tuskegee University before transferring to the Jaguars. During the past 2 seasons at USA, Pritchett caught 147 passes for 1,994 receiving yards and 17 TDs. Last season, South Alabama used him primarily in the slot and as the team's punt returner (averaged 14.8 yards per return). Pritchett will get a chance to compete with Xavier Gipson for the team’s slot and punt return role.
After a lull of a free agency period, the Jets’ draft was pretty vanilla. I’ll go with a B. They’re in rebuild mode, and a positive will be that most of these guys should get playing time out of the gate.
Building A Board ‘26
The conclusion of the ‘25 NFL Draft season brings the start of the ‘26 NFL Draft. Here’s the start of the draft board of College Football prospects for next year’s April draft in Pittsburgh.
Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Drew Allar is from Medina, Ohio, where he led his Medina HS to back-to-back state finals and an undefeated season state championship as a senior. Ranked the top QB of his recruiting class, Allar chose Penn State as his top school. As a freshman in ‘22, Allar served as the team’s backup coming off the bench for mop-up duty in 10 games. During his sophomore season in ‘23, Allar won the QB1 job for PSU, throwing to a 59.9% completion percentage for 2,631 passing yards and 25 TDs while only throwing two interceptions. Although the stats were solid, his numbers could’ve been better had he not struggled in Penn State’s two Big Ten regular-season losses to Ohio State and Michigan (28 of 65 for 261 passing yards). As a junior in ‘24, Penn State leaned a bit heavier on Allar’s shoulder as he threw to a 66.5% completion percentage with 3,327 passing yards and 24 TDs while throwing 8 INTs. Allar’s arm was largely responsible for the breakout season of Tyler Warren, as the QB-TE connection helped lead Penn State to the College Football Semifinal. Entering his senior season, Drew Allar is expected to take another step forward in his development if Penn State wishes to be a National Championship contender in ‘25. The 6’5” QB has the intangibles to be a 1st Round pick and the potential to be an NFL franchise QB.
Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Kadyn Proctor is from Des Moines, Iowa. A 5-star recruit in high school, he played for Southeast Polk High School, where he also hooped. His original plan was to attend Iowa; however, on signing day, he chose Alabama. As a freshman in ‘23, Proctor was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team as he earned the ‘Bama Left Tackle job out of the gate. In 13 starts as a true freshman, Proctor took his lumps in pass protection as he allowed 12 sacks and 23 QB Hurries. With the struggles also came some highs as he generated 20 knockdown blocks. In his sophomore season in ‘24, Kadyn Proctor vastly improved his pass blocking, allowing just 3 sacks and 8 QB Hurries all season, while generating an absurd 54 total knockdown blocks. With Kadyn Proctor’s size at 6’7” and 365+ lbs, he produces tremendous power behind his punch with quick feet for a big man. With another jump in improvement in ‘25, Proctor will no doubt be a surefire 1st Round pick as a tackle in the next level.
Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
Francis Mauigoa is from Ili'ili, American Samoa. The younger brother of the new Jets linebacker, Francisco Mauigoa, played high school football at IMG Academy in Florida. A 5-star recruit out of high school, Mauigoa chose to play alongside his brother with the Hurricanes instead of many other top school options. As a true freshman in ‘23, Mauigoa earned a starting role at Right Tackle, where he made 13 starts and allowed just 5 sacks with 15 QB Hurries. He earned a spot on the All-ACC Honorable Mention and was named an AP Freshman All-American. During his sophomore season in ‘24, Mauigoa again made 13 starts at Right Tackle for the Canes as he allowed just 1 sack and 17 QB Hurries while blocking for Cam Ward. A key blocker of the #1 Offense in the Nation in ‘24, Mauigoa will play a major role in Miami’s offense next season. At 6’6” and 340 lbs., Francis Mauigoa has been clocked running around 20 mph in-game. With his rare combination of size and speed, expect the Hurricanes’ tackle to be a 1st Round pick.
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Caleb Downs is from Hoschton, Georgia. His family has plenty of football ties: His older brother, Josh Downs, plays WR for the Indy Colts; his father (Gary Downs) was a RB for the Giants, Broncos, and Falcons; and his uncle, Dre Bly, was a two-time Pro Bowl CB and Super Bowl Champion. Caleb Downs played both sides of the ball at Mill Creek High School, while also being on the baseball team and helping the basketball team make the state tournament. His first college stop was at Alabama, where he played for Nick Saban during the coach’s final season. As a freshman with the Tide, Downs was named the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year, even earning All-American status along with many other accolades. The star freshman safety led the SEC with 70 solo tackles while picking off two passes and averaging 21.8 yards per punt return. Once Saban decided to retire, Downs transferred to The Ohio State University in ‘24. As a member of the Buckeyes in ‘24, Downs won the Big Ten’s Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year and was a unanimous 1st Team All-American. Downs finished his season with 49 solo tackles, 8 TFLs, 2 INTs, and 6 pass breakups. He also averaged 16.3 yards per punt return and scored his 2nd career punt return. While on College Gameday last year, his former ‘Bama coach said, "This guy is one of the most complete people I've ever had the opportunity to coach. He's a great person. He's a great student. He's a phenomenal football player ... His competitive IQ, how he responds on the field and reacts instinctively, it's in the top tier of all players of all time." With another successful season as an elite defender and dangerous return man, Caleb Downs will undoubtedly be in consideration as a Top 10 pick in the NFL Draft.
Eric O’Neill, Edge, Rutgers
