The Giants’ draft haul could have looked very different this year.
During a recent appearance on “The Season” podcast, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said his organization and the Giants worked out a deal days in advance to set up Buffalo’s acquisition of tight end Dalton Kincaid, with the agreement falling through on the opening night of the 2023 NFL Draft in April.
Beane said he wasn’t initially sure if Kincaid — a highly-touted prospect out of Utah — would make it to the Bills’ selection at No. 27 in the first round.
But as the first round unfolded, Beane realized he had a chance to secure Kincaid by trading up to the Giants’ pick at No. 25.
“I called [Giants general manager] Joe [Schoen] and said, ‘Hey, what do you think,’ we had already nailed down what it would be so we didn’t have to argue… He’s like, ‘Listen, I’ll do it if our guy’s gone.’ Next thing I know, [Joe] texts me and goes. ‘We’re moving up,’ and Jacksonville just got on the clock.
“So before it was announced publicly, I started calling [Jaguars general manager] Trent Baalke, and said, ‘Trent, I know you’re trading here, what can we do, and he didn’t want to trade the pick, he really didn’t… He basically made me tell him who we were gonna pick, and I had to shoot him straight.”
Ultimately, the Jaguars ended up trading down twice, receiving fifth and seventh-round selections from the Giants, as well as the No. 27 and 130 overall picks from Buffalo, who secured the No. 25 spot.
The Giants selected cornerback Deonte Banks out of Maryland with the No. 24 pick, a choice that’s excited the team as Banks makes an impact at training camp.
As for Kincaid, he’s receiving considerable buzz at Bills camp for his pass-catching abilities and pedigree, already beginning to earn Josh Allen’s trust, per The Athletic.
The tight end amassed 175 receptions for 2,623 yards and 35 touchdowns over five college seasons.
