The 2024 NFL Draft is just a few short weeks away now. The first few waves of free agency signings are behind us. Draft strategies are starting to become clear for every single NFL team by the day. So, what should the New York Giants do with their first and second round picks this year?

There is certainly not one "right" answer right now, but we can learn a lot about the most likely outcomes just by combining all available mock draft data out there. As I always do in spring, I gather data from every mock draft in existence to help predict the future for the NFL Draft. Here's what the last 150+ NFL mock drafts over the last month are saying the Giants could or should do in the first and second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

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New York Giants First Round Targets

• Malik Nabers, WR LSU
• Rome Odunze, WR Washington
• J.J. McCarthy, QB Michigan
• Jayden Daniels, QB LSU
• Drake Maye, QB North Carolina
• Marvin Harrison, WR Ohio State
• Joe Alt, OT Notre Dame

Surprise! The two most popular positions selected in mock drafts for the Giants are wide receiver and quarterback. Darius Slayton cannot be the team's lead receiver this year. And frankly, Daniel Jones cannot be the quarterback any longer either.

Malik Nabers (LSU) and Rome Odunze (Washington) collectively account for more than half of all selections in the last several weeks of mock draft data for the Giants. Nabers is the heavy favorite, accounting for over a third of all mock draft first round picks for the Giants in recent weeks. But there might be a problem with that.

The Cardinals and the Chargers both pick in front of the the Giants and just had Malik Nabers in for private workouts this week. Both teams desperately need receiver help too.

Given that the board is projected to go QB-QB-QB with the first three picks it's highly likely at least one of Nabers or Odunze will be available when the Giants come on the clock at six. However, if only three quarterbacks are selected ahead of them that leaves the Giants with a tough choice.

Do they stick with the impossibly bad quarterback play of Daniel Jones on an affordable "team-friendly" deal? Do they grab the fourth quarterback that drops to them? It's clear given their visits that the Giants are seriously considering a quarterback in this class, but reaching at six isn't their only option.

If they do go quarterback in round one, the most heavily mocked option to them has been J.J. McCarthy, which matches up with what betting markets have been telling us for weeks as well. Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye only show up in a handful of mock drafts in recent weeks.

The true long shot picks for round one seems to be Marvin Harrison Jr. and Joe Alt. Harrison Jr. falling to them would likely only happen if four quarterbacks go ahead of them and Malik Nabers is taken first among receivers. Unlikely. Alt is the best left tackle, but not necessarily anywhere close to the team's greatest need at the moment.

New York Giants Second Round Targets

• Michael Penix Jr., QB Washington
• Braden Fiske, DL Florida State
• Adisa Isaac, EDGE Penn State
• Xavier Legette, WR South Carolina
• T.J. Tampa, CB Iowa State
• Bo Nix, QB Oregon
• Ja'Lynn Polk, WR Washington
• Ricky Pearsall, WR Florida
• Max Melton, CB Rutgers

The second round mock draft selections for the Giants are all over the place, but wide receivers and quarterbacks are still largely the theme.

Interestingly, Michael Penix Jr. (QB, Washington) is the most common selection in mock drafts, but most recent trends suggest he may not be available. However, he could certainly be a prime trade-up or trade-down target for the Giants mid-draft as I outlined earlier this week. Same story with Bo Nix, but the Giants haven't been recently tied to him at all. 

The second most commonly mock drafted player to the Giants in the second round is Braden Fiske (DL, Florida State). Since the NFL Combine he's been the fastest rising defensive tackle among analysts or scouts I've talked to and among large sample mock draft data. The Giants could certainly use one more strong defensive tackle to line up alongside Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux up front on defense.

Adisa Isaac was a bit of a surprise as the third most popular round two target, but he's from Brooklyn, NY so some mock draft writers likely wanted to send him home. He didn't have incredible sack numbers outside of his last season, but his pressure rates on pass rush attempts were always well above power conference average.

Xavier Legette (South Carolina), Ja'Lynn Polk (Washington), and Ricky Pearsall (Florida) all have mid-late second round expected draft positions and all look like solid targets for the Giants if the team goes another direction in round one. Legette posted a 99th percentile A to Z Sports Athletic Composite, Ricky Pearsall operated as a WR1 at both Arizona State and Florida, and Ja'Lynn Polk was a big-play machine for Washington during their national championship game run.

The unlikely, but still feasible position the Giants could draft in rounds one or two looks like it's cornerback. Both T.J. Tampa and Max Melton were selected in multiple mock drafts and would potentially compete for the second starting outside cornerback position opposite Deonte Banks.

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Based on the last 150+ mock drafts of data it seems the Giants have two likely options with their first round pick. They target one of the top quarterback options at pick six or make a pricy trade upwards to grab their specific guy. And two, they could snag an elite wide receiver which they desperately need. In round two it seems they'll likely either address the defensive front with some size and pass rush, or they'll grab a WR/QB depending on their first selection.

Be looking for more New York Giants coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!