Todd McShay Mock Draft 4.0 second round: Jets add to O-Line, Giants boost pass rush

Todd McShay of ESPN has released his latest mock draft, and this time around, includes projected second-round picks.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay has the Jets addressing the offensive side of the ball with either of their first-round picks and the Giants taking the opposite route.

After Gang Green finished the 2020 season last in both total yards and points, McShay predicts the Jets will draft a new quarterback in BYU’s Zach Wilson along with Clemson running back Travis Etienne. The latter was a star for a number of years and would certainly provide the Jets with an upgrade at that position.

After swapping picks with the Patriots, the Giants move back from No. 11 to 15 overall and take Notre Dame inside linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. The Fighting Irish defensive standout would be a reliable talent within a Giants inside linebacking corps that’s seemingly thin ahead of the 2021 campaign.

So what does McShay have both teams doing in the second round of the same mock?

Well, the offensive and defensive trends for either organization continue.

Jets’ No. 34 Overall Pick: Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg

Drafting Zach Wilson with the second overall pick means the Jets would need to provide him with all the offensive assistance he could get. This means improving the receiving corps (which they actually did with the free-agent acquisitions of Corey Davis and Keelan Cole), the running back room (which McShay has them doing in the first round), and also, the offensive line.

2020 first-round draft pick Mekhi Becton is a star in the making at left tackle, but the long-term answer at the right tackle spot is still uncertain. George Fant is entering his age-29 season and has just two years remaining on his current three-year contract.

In order to provide clarity to the position group, the Jets would be making a great decision by acquiring an offensive tackle early in the second round, so I certainly agree with McShay when he predicts the team will take Liam Eichenberg out of Notre Dame.

Eichenberg sports great size at 6-foot-6, 305 pounds and portrayed superb on-field talent this past year en route to first-team All-ACC and consensus All-America selections.

The Jets employing their two bookend tackles (hopefully) for years to come would do wonders for whoever starts at quarterback next season and potentially beyond.

Giants’ No. 42 Overall Pick: Wake Forest DE Carlos Basham Jr.

In the second round, McShay has the Giants selecting Wake Forest defensive end Carlos Basham Jr., the cousin of former Jets edge rusher Tarell Basham.

Many believe the Giants could go with an edge rusher in the first round, but they don’t necessarily need to make such a move. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s schemes are very situational and matchup-based and he doesn’t require a star pass rusher now that the organization has locked in Leonard Williams for the next three seasons.

Instead, Graham needs a productive player who can fill a specific role and rotate in with fellow edge rushers Lorenzo Carter, Oshane Ximines, and Carter Coughlin.

Basham could be that exact type of player. The Demon Deacon is entering the NFL at 6-foot-5, 284 pounds and proved to be versatile at the collegiate level, having racked up 57 combined tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks in 2019. His efforts helped him earn a first-team All-ACC selection that year.