3 Prospects the Giants Should Have a Close Eye on at the NFL Scouting Combine

Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley have officially taken over as the faces of the New York Giants following Eli Manning's retirement. This symbolic shift, which really began midway through the 2019 season, means Giants fans probably aren't all that concerned with the 2020 playoffs.

This young team is in the midst of a re-build, and the priority this offseason is setting the team up for long-term success. That means the 2020 NFL Draft will be one of the most crucial parts of the Giants' offseason.

With that in mind, here are three players the Giants should have a close eye on at the NFL Scouting Combine.

1. Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama

Jedrick Wills during a game against Mississippi. / Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Offensive tackle is a major position of need in the Giants' offense, and there should be at least a couple strong options available with the fourth overall pick. Georgia's Andrew Thomas is getting plenty of hype, but Alabama's Jedrick Wills Jr. has been climbing draft boards recently, and he's the top-ranked offensive line prospect on NFL.com. Wills can capitalize on this surge with an impressive combine, and depending on how he performs he could very well lock himself in as the first lineman off the board. A stud tackle to anchor this line could be exactly what Jones and Barkley need to reach their full potential.

2. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

Tee Higgins runs after a catch against LSU in the National Championship. / Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Wide receiver isn't a big enough need that the Giants should be addressing the position at No. 4, but this class is deep enough that they could still land an exciting prospect early in the second round. Tee Higgins isn't likely to turn in the dazzling combine that Jalen Reagor might, but at 6 foot 3 5/8 inches and 216 pounds, he's got the size to be a real physical threat. If he posts solid speed and agility numbers at his size, Higgins could be a terrific addition to complement Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton as a big-bodied weapon on the outside for Jones to work with. He'd be an excellent addition if he fell to the second round.

3. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah

Jaylon Johnson intercepts a pass against Washington. / Alika Jenner/Getty Images

If the Giants go tackle with their first-round pick, meaning they either missed out on or passed on Jeff Okudah, they'll almost certainly want to address the cornerback position later in the draft. Utah's Jaylon Johnson is expected to go in the second or third round, which does put him in a tricky spot for the Giants, who don't have a third-round pick in 2020. If Johnson dazzles at the combine he could end up going in the early second round though, where the Giants may choose to forego WR for another position of need. The other side of the coin could be interesting as well, though. If Johnson has a poor showing at the combine his stock could take a big hit, which may send him into the fourth-round range. If the Giants were high enough on his film from his junior season, that could make him a great value pick early on day three.

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Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.