MI_Buckeye
05-23-2011, 01:22 AM
New York Giants
Where did the franchise stand before the draft?
It wasn't long ago at all that the New York Giants were viewed as on of the up-and-coming model franchises in the NFL.
After spoiling the Patriots' perfect 2011 season and winning the Super Bowl, The Giants responded by finishing the best record in the NFC during the regular season. With a dominant defensive front, perhaps a more dominant ground game and a rapidly maturing QB in Eli Manning who was apparently on the cusp of taking his seat at the table of elite, Hall of Fame worthy signal callers, it seemed the Giants were destined to compete year-in, year-out for Super Bowl championships.
That was then.
It hardly seems real that the Giants were so highly thought of given how ordinary they appear now. Following a crushing loss to the Eagles in that early 2009 divisional playoff game at the Meadowlands, the G-Men have gone two straight seasons without making the playoffs. Perhaps even less forgivable, they have lost the back pages to the traditionally second-fiddle Jets.
Their defense isn't as intimidating, their running game isn't as forceful, and their franchise QB has yet to live up to his billing or his contract. Sure the Giants ranked in the top ten in passing and rushing offense as well as passing and rushing defense in 2010, but they often melted under the glare of the game's brightest stages, such as when they blew a 21-point fourth quarter lead against the Eagles in December and subsequently got blown out in Green Bay the following week. Sure the Giants are a good team, but in this town; good is not good enough.
There is still a lot of hope for New York moving forward. As maddeningly inconsistent as Eli has been throughout his career, he remains a legitimate starting QB in the NFL with a very young and very talented array of weapons. The team has invested a lot over recent years to maintain their trademark defensive pressure, and very few organizations are as committed to running the ball as the Giants -- an attitude that could serve them well as defenses get smaller to adjust to the increasingly pass-happy nature of the game.
This is one of the few organizations that has a true identity with core fundamental beliefs. GM Jerry Reese retained Tom Coughlin as his head coach despite nationwide outcries for a change, because he knows few other coaches can bring the type of discipline this team needs to be successful. With a talented roster, this season will go a long way in determining whether or not the Giants' blue-collar approach will be maintained, tweaked or scrapped all together.
In the near term, the G-Men could have used help at linebacker, both inside and outside, but that was not a position of strength in this year's class. Also, the Giants are without an elite LT and could use help all along the O line.
The Picks
Round One, Pick 19: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Not many people had the Giants taking a CB in the first couple rounds, but not many expected the Prince to fall this far either.
Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas and Aaron Ross comprise a solid but not elite corps of CBs, so the need here is suspect. However, Amukamara was viewed as a top ten pick throughout most of the draft process, and you can never have too many quality cover guys, especially on a defense like the Giants, which like to get creative in its pass rush.
Amukamara was probably always viewed higher in the media than he was in scouting circles, but he still profiles as an eventual No. 1 CB. Coming from Carl Pelini's highly-sophisticated defense at Nebraska, Amukamara is adept in a number of coverage techniques. I personally think he is best playing 7-10 yards off the line of scrimmage in man coverage, which the Giants primarily run.
Amukamara has average ball skills and probably won't be much of a playmaker at the position, but he is solid in all aspects of the game. He is good enough against the run to play a little free safety as well.
I look for Amukamara to challenge the top three cornerbacks in training camp and eventually win a starting job. He should, at some point, become their top cover corner. Although, it wasn't one of the most pressing concerns, the long-term upside of this pick makes it a good one.
Round Two, Pick 52: Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina
Obviously an elite talent, Austin is one of the more enigmatic prospects in recent years.
There are tons of questions about Austin both on and off the field. He went to Chapel Hill as one of the most coveted prospects in the nation in 2007, and occasionally showed the elite skill set that was responsible for all his hype.
Austin has an absolutely devastating, Sappian first step. For a 6'2", 310 pound man, his lateral movement skills are absolutely breathtaking.
However, for all his immense gifts, Austin never developed into a truly dominant force in his three years playing for the Tar Heels. He showed signs of getting close towards end of his junior season, but illegal activities with an agent wiped out a crucial senior season for Austin.
At the beginning of the draft process, it looked like Austin was going to have to settle for being a mid-round pick at best. Fortunately for Austin, he was dynamic at the East-West Shrine week, showing the effort that was often lacking at North Carolina. Austin showcased his athleticism at the Combine and his Pro Day, and more importantly he positively combated questions about his maturity and left a favorable impression on front office decision makers. He did such a 180, that Mike Mayock once virtually guaranteed he would be taken in the first round.
The question remains how genuine Austin's performance in the postseason was. Was this a guy who saw a big bag of money and wised up in order to secure a big signing bonus or is this a guy who truly has learned from his mistakes and is ready to make the game of football, not the lifestyle of a football player, the first or second most important thing in his life.
Round Three, Pick 83: Jerrel Jernigan, WR, Troy
Another polarizing prospect, some had him as an early second round pick, while some think he is a one-dimensional return specialist.
At 5'7", 180 pounds, Jernigan is one of the smallest players in this year's draft class and also one of the most electrifying. He is not a polished route runner, but he has the breakneck change-of-direction abilities to develop into a threatening Air Coryell-type receiver.
The Giants have pretty good depth at WR, and their long-term starters are pretty much set, providing Mario Manningham doesn't become a menace to society like some fear he might be capable of. And I'm not sure, but I think Steve Smith might be a free agent.
Regardless, Jernigan is a long way from being a steady contributor on offense. His initial value will be as a return man. Jernigan has great top-end speed to go along with his excellent quickness.
Round Four, Pick 117: James Brewer, OT, Indiana
Although he played RT for most of his college career, Brewer probably profiles more as a developmental LT.
He has great size at 6'6" 330 pounds and shockingly nimble feet for a man that size. He hasn't played a whole lot of football and must be brought along slowly. If he doesn't develop more of an attitude, he won't have great value inside or at RT.
Something about this pick makes me think the Giants aren't 100 percent confident moving forward with Will Beatty at LT.
Round Six, Pick 185: Greg Jones, LB, Michigan State
As a Michigander, I am still trying to wrap my head around the reality of Jonas Mouton going in the second round and Jones having to wait until the sixth.
Wildly active and productive at MSU, Jones probably fell this far because he doesn't have quite the physical tool set of guys like Nate Irving or Kelvin Sheppard and doesn't offer ideal versatility or special teams value.
Still, Jones is great against the run, never misses a tackle and has command calling signals. He is a liability in man coverage but is more than adequate playing zone. Jones should easily make the team, and it wouldn't be unthinkable to see him starting later in the season.
Round Six, Pick 198: Tyler Sash, S, Iowa
Another fantastic Big Ten defender who had to wait too long.
Sash has underrated athleticism and is a pure gamer. He will be excellent against the run, although you wouldn't want him covering the slot one-on-one too often.
Coming from Iowa, where star safeties do play special teams, he was one of the best in punt and kick coverage. I would suggest he will compete for time at the gunner and jammer positions.
Round Six, Pick 202: Jacquian Williams, OLB, South Florida
Williams is the third successive pick of the G-Men who was a better college player than pro prospect.
Williams is a pure weakside linebacker who is undersized and instinctive and rarely misses a tackle but doesn't make a ton of impact plays. Must become a special teams demon.
Round Seven, Pick 221: Da'Rel Scott, RB, Maryland
Scott has durability issues and never quite lived up to the potential he flashed throughout his career, but he has a phenomenal size-speed combination and is the type of late-round flyer the Giants have hit on before (see: Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs).
All in all:
Once again, Jerry Reese sticks to his game plan, doesn't move around and gets players that fit in with the personality on the team.
Reese places a premium on athleticism, and this draft has plenty of athletes, but Reese has balanced this by recognizing college production and draft value. There really weren't any reaches if you go by the general draft boards, and the class has a good mix of proven, pro-ready players with high-upside projects.
There isn't a whole of sizzle in this draft, and there are some questions at the top. Austin, as mentioned earlier, is a complete enigma, and as much capital as they earned in the media by taking Prince, he fell for a reason, and it is still a question if he is really even an elite prospect.
However, I commend the Giants for staying true to themselves. There are certainly some players in here that will surprise. Jernigan has first-class skills and at least one of the sixth round pick will stick.
Draft grade: B
Where did the franchise stand before the draft?
It wasn't long ago at all that the New York Giants were viewed as on of the up-and-coming model franchises in the NFL.
After spoiling the Patriots' perfect 2011 season and winning the Super Bowl, The Giants responded by finishing the best record in the NFC during the regular season. With a dominant defensive front, perhaps a more dominant ground game and a rapidly maturing QB in Eli Manning who was apparently on the cusp of taking his seat at the table of elite, Hall of Fame worthy signal callers, it seemed the Giants were destined to compete year-in, year-out for Super Bowl championships.
That was then.
It hardly seems real that the Giants were so highly thought of given how ordinary they appear now. Following a crushing loss to the Eagles in that early 2009 divisional playoff game at the Meadowlands, the G-Men have gone two straight seasons without making the playoffs. Perhaps even less forgivable, they have lost the back pages to the traditionally second-fiddle Jets.
Their defense isn't as intimidating, their running game isn't as forceful, and their franchise QB has yet to live up to his billing or his contract. Sure the Giants ranked in the top ten in passing and rushing offense as well as passing and rushing defense in 2010, but they often melted under the glare of the game's brightest stages, such as when they blew a 21-point fourth quarter lead against the Eagles in December and subsequently got blown out in Green Bay the following week. Sure the Giants are a good team, but in this town; good is not good enough.
There is still a lot of hope for New York moving forward. As maddeningly inconsistent as Eli has been throughout his career, he remains a legitimate starting QB in the NFL with a very young and very talented array of weapons. The team has invested a lot over recent years to maintain their trademark defensive pressure, and very few organizations are as committed to running the ball as the Giants -- an attitude that could serve them well as defenses get smaller to adjust to the increasingly pass-happy nature of the game.
This is one of the few organizations that has a true identity with core fundamental beliefs. GM Jerry Reese retained Tom Coughlin as his head coach despite nationwide outcries for a change, because he knows few other coaches can bring the type of discipline this team needs to be successful. With a talented roster, this season will go a long way in determining whether or not the Giants' blue-collar approach will be maintained, tweaked or scrapped all together.
In the near term, the G-Men could have used help at linebacker, both inside and outside, but that was not a position of strength in this year's class. Also, the Giants are without an elite LT and could use help all along the O line.
The Picks
Round One, Pick 19: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Not many people had the Giants taking a CB in the first couple rounds, but not many expected the Prince to fall this far either.
Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas and Aaron Ross comprise a solid but not elite corps of CBs, so the need here is suspect. However, Amukamara was viewed as a top ten pick throughout most of the draft process, and you can never have too many quality cover guys, especially on a defense like the Giants, which like to get creative in its pass rush.
Amukamara was probably always viewed higher in the media than he was in scouting circles, but he still profiles as an eventual No. 1 CB. Coming from Carl Pelini's highly-sophisticated defense at Nebraska, Amukamara is adept in a number of coverage techniques. I personally think he is best playing 7-10 yards off the line of scrimmage in man coverage, which the Giants primarily run.
Amukamara has average ball skills and probably won't be much of a playmaker at the position, but he is solid in all aspects of the game. He is good enough against the run to play a little free safety as well.
I look for Amukamara to challenge the top three cornerbacks in training camp and eventually win a starting job. He should, at some point, become their top cover corner. Although, it wasn't one of the most pressing concerns, the long-term upside of this pick makes it a good one.
Round Two, Pick 52: Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina
Obviously an elite talent, Austin is one of the more enigmatic prospects in recent years.
There are tons of questions about Austin both on and off the field. He went to Chapel Hill as one of the most coveted prospects in the nation in 2007, and occasionally showed the elite skill set that was responsible for all his hype.
Austin has an absolutely devastating, Sappian first step. For a 6'2", 310 pound man, his lateral movement skills are absolutely breathtaking.
However, for all his immense gifts, Austin never developed into a truly dominant force in his three years playing for the Tar Heels. He showed signs of getting close towards end of his junior season, but illegal activities with an agent wiped out a crucial senior season for Austin.
At the beginning of the draft process, it looked like Austin was going to have to settle for being a mid-round pick at best. Fortunately for Austin, he was dynamic at the East-West Shrine week, showing the effort that was often lacking at North Carolina. Austin showcased his athleticism at the Combine and his Pro Day, and more importantly he positively combated questions about his maturity and left a favorable impression on front office decision makers. He did such a 180, that Mike Mayock once virtually guaranteed he would be taken in the first round.
The question remains how genuine Austin's performance in the postseason was. Was this a guy who saw a big bag of money and wised up in order to secure a big signing bonus or is this a guy who truly has learned from his mistakes and is ready to make the game of football, not the lifestyle of a football player, the first or second most important thing in his life.
Round Three, Pick 83: Jerrel Jernigan, WR, Troy
Another polarizing prospect, some had him as an early second round pick, while some think he is a one-dimensional return specialist.
At 5'7", 180 pounds, Jernigan is one of the smallest players in this year's draft class and also one of the most electrifying. He is not a polished route runner, but he has the breakneck change-of-direction abilities to develop into a threatening Air Coryell-type receiver.
The Giants have pretty good depth at WR, and their long-term starters are pretty much set, providing Mario Manningham doesn't become a menace to society like some fear he might be capable of. And I'm not sure, but I think Steve Smith might be a free agent.
Regardless, Jernigan is a long way from being a steady contributor on offense. His initial value will be as a return man. Jernigan has great top-end speed to go along with his excellent quickness.
Round Four, Pick 117: James Brewer, OT, Indiana
Although he played RT for most of his college career, Brewer probably profiles more as a developmental LT.
He has great size at 6'6" 330 pounds and shockingly nimble feet for a man that size. He hasn't played a whole lot of football and must be brought along slowly. If he doesn't develop more of an attitude, he won't have great value inside or at RT.
Something about this pick makes me think the Giants aren't 100 percent confident moving forward with Will Beatty at LT.
Round Six, Pick 185: Greg Jones, LB, Michigan State
As a Michigander, I am still trying to wrap my head around the reality of Jonas Mouton going in the second round and Jones having to wait until the sixth.
Wildly active and productive at MSU, Jones probably fell this far because he doesn't have quite the physical tool set of guys like Nate Irving or Kelvin Sheppard and doesn't offer ideal versatility or special teams value.
Still, Jones is great against the run, never misses a tackle and has command calling signals. He is a liability in man coverage but is more than adequate playing zone. Jones should easily make the team, and it wouldn't be unthinkable to see him starting later in the season.
Round Six, Pick 198: Tyler Sash, S, Iowa
Another fantastic Big Ten defender who had to wait too long.
Sash has underrated athleticism and is a pure gamer. He will be excellent against the run, although you wouldn't want him covering the slot one-on-one too often.
Coming from Iowa, where star safeties do play special teams, he was one of the best in punt and kick coverage. I would suggest he will compete for time at the gunner and jammer positions.
Round Six, Pick 202: Jacquian Williams, OLB, South Florida
Williams is the third successive pick of the G-Men who was a better college player than pro prospect.
Williams is a pure weakside linebacker who is undersized and instinctive and rarely misses a tackle but doesn't make a ton of impact plays. Must become a special teams demon.
Round Seven, Pick 221: Da'Rel Scott, RB, Maryland
Scott has durability issues and never quite lived up to the potential he flashed throughout his career, but he has a phenomenal size-speed combination and is the type of late-round flyer the Giants have hit on before (see: Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs).
All in all:
Once again, Jerry Reese sticks to his game plan, doesn't move around and gets players that fit in with the personality on the team.
Reese places a premium on athleticism, and this draft has plenty of athletes, but Reese has balanced this by recognizing college production and draft value. There really weren't any reaches if you go by the general draft boards, and the class has a good mix of proven, pro-ready players with high-upside projects.
There isn't a whole of sizzle in this draft, and there are some questions at the top. Austin, as mentioned earlier, is a complete enigma, and as much capital as they earned in the media by taking Prince, he fell for a reason, and it is still a question if he is really even an elite prospect.
However, I commend the Giants for staying true to themselves. There are certainly some players in here that will surprise. Jernigan has first-class skills and at least one of the sixth round pick will stick.
Draft grade: B