Seven rounds. Every single pick in the 2017 NFL Draft...mocked. Let's do this.

Every year, I've churned out my annual 250+ pick mock draft. This year is no different. Is this an exercise in futility? You bet. Do I think this is actually going to happen? Probably not, especially given the fact that I do not project trades into this behemoth of an undertaking.

So why do it? Well, for one, it forces us to look at who the Giants select relative to everybody else. It forces us to learn the weaknesses and strengths of each team. It would behoove us to look at what every other team needs and the types of players they may target. It's difficult to project a "Giants only seven-rounder" because you don't really know if the other players will be available when the Giants pick. So I think this really enriches our understanding of the draft in general. The best part about this, is now, if you disagree with on one or some or all (a near certainty!), you can come up with who you'd prefer instead.

A disclaimer. I've been able to watch (to some degree) almost everybody listed here up through the end of the fourth round. My knowledge of these players in general started to wane closer to the end of the fifth. Does that make the sixth and seventh round choices useless? I don't think so. I won't insult your intelligence by telling you that I've watched every single prospect I've mocked here. That's impossible. I will, however, say that I spent a great deal of time reading up on reports done by other trusted names in the draft business. Lance Zierlein at NFL.com, Dane Brugler and CBSSports, NFLDraftScout, Great Blue North and a few others gave me the resources to complete the end of this. I have seen every single NYG pick in this mock.

Methodology: I simulated this like an actual draft. I completed this over three days. The first day I focused just on round one, looking at each teams' needs and depth charts intensely, looking at scheme fits, and picking them one by one in order (no skipping ahead!). The next day, I did rounds two and three. The final day was an exhausting rounds four through seven. Everything was done without prior knowledge of who would be picked next so I could not set myself up, so to speak.

Alright, that's enough blabbering. Let's get on with this!

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Explaining the Giants' Choices

Round 1 -- Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State University

If Dalvin Cook showed up to the combine and met expectations based on his film work, he'd be on par with Ezekiel Elliot as a prospect. He may still be, but I do think the poor showing will drop him a little. He, quite frankly, when the Giants came up during this simulation, was on a different tier than anybody else based on my rankings. He's a slashing, patient runner that can explode through holes and take advantage of the tiniest of creases. He plays "greedy" and will fight for yardage.

Paul Perkins is a perfect complement to Cook's one-cut style and this running game suddenly transforms from a laughingstock to one that needs to be accounted for and has a ready made offensive rookie of the year candidate. I truly believe that with the additions of Brandon Marshall, D.J. Fluker, and Rhett Ellison, along with the a focus on a more balanced offensive attack, that a player like Cook can flourish.

I know a few of you will be upset seeing Malik McDowell left on the board. I can tell you right now that with the information out there, he's a player I'm not taking a risk on in the first round. There are games where he left me speechless with his power and burst, but there's enough smoke out there about his football character to put you at risk for lung cancer. He also blamed his coaching staff to a small degree during the combine. Add to that the fact that he was several times more effective as a base end rather than tackle (where he'd get the most playing time in NY), and it makes for not being super high on my rank list for the Giants.

Round 2 -- Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan

I went into the second round as "Jerry Reese" with the notion that I wanted an offensive lineman, but I wasn't going to force it. I had second-round grades on Dion Dawkins, Dan Feeney, Taylor Moton, and Dorian Johnson. Moton ended up falling, as Feeney was ranked higher than all of them, and Dawkins fit very well into Denver's zone scheme. Moton might as well be named 'Mountain', as he's a 6-foot-6, 320-pound pile driver with 34-inch arms.

Moton is an absolute bully in the running game and is pretty damn good in pass protection as well. Despite being massive, he gets under pads and uproots defensive ends. He's athletic too, and while his footwork is a little sloppy, I don't see it affecting him at tackle. I compare him to Houston's Chris Clark, and Moton has the potential to be a fixture on this offensive line. Do I think he's got all-pro upside? No. Do I think he's going to have a lot of games where we don't mention his name at all? Yes...and that's a good thing. Dalvin Cook up from round 1 just got a little more excited.

Round 3 -- Sidney Jones, CB, University of Washington

Oh boy. This selection might garner an 'F' grade alone from a lot of people. I can hear the angry hordes seething at the fact that Eli Manning only has a few years left and I just picked a player who will spend the vast majority of the 2017-2018 season rehabbing from a torn Achilles when there were plenty of good corners available after this selection.

Well, I can explain. Take a gander at the third-round picks by the New York Giants under Jerry Reese: Darian Thompson, Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Jay Bromley, Damontre Moore, Jayron Hosley, Jerrel Jernigan, Chad Jones, Ramses Barden, Travis Beckum, Mario Manningham, Jay Alford. Not exactly a bunch of world beaters, especially early in their careers. Before his injury, Sidney Jones was a locked in top 20 pick and was my second-ranked CB behind Marshon Lattimore. Jones plays an intelligent and intense brand of football that I liken to one of his predecessors, Desmond Trufant. The Achilles injury will hurt his quickness, sure, but you're drafting him to be an outside corner, not a slot player. It's just a matter of whether or not your team is strong enough at corner to withstand Jones' recovery process.

The way I see it is this: in much the same vein as the Cowboys selecting Jaylon Smith in the second round last year. You're trading in a Day 2 pick in 2017 for what you hope amounts to an extra Day 1 talent in 2018. Jones' injury is not unique and it can be overcome. The Giants' corner positions are set for 2017. They have a chance to reload with top end talent in 2018 and I pulled the trigger.

Round 4 -- Jalen Reeves-Maybin, OLB, Tennessee

"JRM" has an injury history and I know, especially given that I just drafted Sidney Jones in the last round that's the last thing you want to hear. He missed a bulk of his senior season nursing a shoulder injury and that limited his time. However, before that, he was a destructive force for the Volunteers, notching 100+ tackles, 14 TFLs, 6 sacks, and 4 PBUs. He's fully healed from his shoulder injury and he made the decision to go pro after weighing his options.

He's a new wave smaller linebacker at 6-feet, 230 pounds but that doesn't stop him from being a good player. I compare him to rookie of the year candidate Deion Jones of the Atlanta Falcons. JRM's junior season was better than any of Jones'. He's instinctive, explosive, and one of the best cover linebackers in the draft. He just needs to bulk up a little and take care of that shoulder. If he can, he's got the talent to not only be a starter on the Giants, but their best linebacker by a good margin.

Round 5 -- Noble Nwachukwu, EDGE, WVU

You may not have heard of Nwachukwu, but that's okay. He's a good player. He's Olivier Vernon-sized at 6-foot-2, 270 pounds and 33-inch arms but that doesn't limit him. He's got above average burst, nasty hands, and a tremendous motor. He doesn't have quite the production (only four sacks his senior year) but it's not for lack of his ability.

He actually reminds me a lot of Romeo Okwara. He's got the same really good burst, but the weaknesses stem from hip stiffness. The Giants wouldn't mind having another Okwara and Nwachukwu could probably take Kerry Wynn's spot. He apparently has a spotless football character too. As per Lance Zierlein, his father died before his game against TCU and he went out there and played like a maniac before leaving the team to be with his family. At the tail end of the draft, you look for guys like this because you know they'll gut it out to try and make the roster.

Round 6 -- J.J. Dielman, OL, Utah

I went with Dielman because he just fits the mold of a New York Giants lineman. Four-year starter at Utah, with three years as a right tackle and one year at center. Team captain and locker room leader. Plus athleticism around a 6-foot-5, 310-pound physique.

He's got similarities to Rodney Hudson with regards to his athleticism and movement skills, especially on screens. He's got to work on functional strength and hand placement however. He's a development pick with upside and has versatility to play all five spots on the offensive line. That alone gives him a strong chance to make the roster as a rookie.

Round 7 -- Cole Hikutini, TE, Louisville

In an ideal draft, I would have taken a tight end much earlier than the seventh round, but the value never matched up appropriately. Enter Hikutini, who happens to be a physical clone of Will Tye. He was an effective move tight end and a matchup chess piece for Lamar Jackson, picking up 50 catches for 668 yards and 8 TDs.

Standing at 6-foot-4 inches and 247 pounds, he's got average athleticism but he's a terrific route runner. He's got great flexibility and can sell his routes well. Matchup issues for a lot of linebackers. He can't block all that well, similar to Tye, and drafting him would essentially give us a cheaper Will Tye replacement in the coming year.