GIANTS 101

The 2010 NFL Draft is upon us.  The greatest non-game days of the year for true football diehards.  Are you all as pumped up as I am? As many of you know, I have guessed the Giants last two first round picks correctly (Kenny Phillips in 2008 and Hakeem Nicks in 2009) and a second rounder last season (Clint Sintim in 2009).  It is going to be a more difficult choice than it has been ever before, because I have the feeling that Jerry Reese has the pick narrowed down to a few players, who may or may not be available.  It is time to look into the crystal ball and see who the next members of the New York Giants will be on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 

• Round 1 – Pick #15 – Rolando McClain, MLB – Alabama - Like most Giants fans, I want the pick to be one of two players, Rolando McClain or C.J. Spiller.  The more reports I hear about the draft, the more I think C.J. Spiller is gone by the time the Giants are on the clock (sorry, Dan).  He is just such a threat to score whenever he has the ball in his hands from anywhere on the field, and 21 touchdowns of 50 yards or more at Clemson with no offensive line is just a mind-blowing stat.  We also know it is just not Jerry Reese’s style to take a running back in the early rounds.  I think that McClain falls to the Giants, because most teams who are a serious threat to select him (Jags, Broncos) have other needs.  In McClain the Giants get a big, intimidating, physical leader for the middle of their defense who will be the next great Giants linebacker for an organization who has had so many great ones in the past.  If both McClain and Spiller are gone, I really think the Giants will look to trade down, but could see them grabbing an offensive lineman with the way they struggled to run the ball in 2009.  Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati and Maurkice Pouncey would all be options if Jerry Reese goes that route. 
• Round 2 – Pick #46 – Linval Joseph, DT – East Carolina - I think we can all agree that the Giants should be targeting a defensive tackle with this pick.  I am a huge fan of Lamarr Houston and Tyson Alualu as well, but the Giants lost Fred Robbins this off season and might be looking to add a massive tackle to their line.  Linval Joseph is a monster at 6’4 319lbs and shocked everyone by running his 40 yard dash in 4.93 seconds at his pro day after repping 225lbs 39 times on the bench press at the combine.  He was also productive on the field and showed flashes that he could be a great player in the NFL. 
• Round 3 – Pick #76 – Javier Arenas, CB – Alabama - The Giants have a need at cornerback and could use more solid depth at the position behind Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, Aaron Ross and Bruce Johnson.  Arenas is a smaller corner, who does all of the little things, and would provide an instant upgrade on the cornerback depth chart.  He helps right away on special teams as a gunner and return man, and although I doubt he ever develops into a starter in the NFL, he is the type of player that every team needs. 
• Round 4 – Pick #115 – Matt Tennant, C – Boston College - The Giants need to develop a center behind Shaun O’Hara, and I do not think the front office has any faith in Adam Koets developing into that guy or would feel comfortable with him in a game.  I think Tennant is the third best center in the draft, behind Maurkice Pouncey and J.D. Walton, and with the position is usually de-emphasized on draft day because only 32 centers on the planet see the field.  Tom Coughlin and the Giants organization have always loved Boston College players, and Tennant gives them their center of the future, who can also help out at guard. 
• Round 5 – Pick #147 – Kurt Coleman, S – Ohio State - A steady performer for the Buckeyes over the past three seasons, Coleman was an All-Big Ten First Teamer.  He does not have great size (5’10 193lbs) but totaled 146 tackles and 10 interceptions over the last two years, and should be able to find a way to contribute in the NFL.  With the uncertainty surrounding Kenny Phillips’ knee, the Giants will add another safety at some point during the draft, who they can develop just in case and Coleman is a nice candidate in the later rounds. 
• Round 6 – Pick #184 – Fendi Obobun, TE – Houston - An intriguing player, who played on the Arizona basketball team for four years, the Giants have shown some interest in Onobun during the draft process.  He has great size (6’6 252lbs) and wowed scouts at his workout, running a 4.45 40 yard dash at his Pro Day and showing off a 37.5″ vertical leap.  He only caught two passes at Houston and is a major work in progress, but he is the type of developmental talent coaches drool over.  It would not surprise me to see Jerry Reese take a flier on this Antonio Gates-like talent in the late rounds. 
• Round 7 – Pick #221 – Jerry Fitzgerald, DE – TCU - If we know one thing about the Giants, they are drafting a defensive end at some point, right? There was a time when Fitzgerald was a top prospect at the University of Virginia.  Now he is a late rounder or undrafted free agent out of TCU.  He still recorded 15 sacks over the last two seasons at TCU after being kicked off the Virginia team for academic issues, and if he can’t get his act together, its the seventh round and little risk to the GMen. 
• NOTE: Profootballtalk.com is reporting that the Giants have received calls from the Rams and Panthers recently to inquire about the availability of defensive end Osi Umenyiora.  According to Chris Mortensen (so take this with a grain of salt) the Giants would not even entertain offers for the disgruntled defensive end.  The Giants only owe Umenyiora $10 million over the next three seasons, and they do not seem to be shopping the pass rusher at all, according to this report.  I have said that if the Giants could land a second round pick (maybe from the Rams, pick #33) for Osi I would do it.  The Giants could then select Derrick Morgan, Brandon Graham or Jason Pierre-Paul as their third end with the #15 pick, or go in a different direction (McClain, Spiller) and grab Carlos Dunlap with the Rams pick.  It sounds like Jerry Reese is not even returning phone calls right now though, which could mean Osi is with the Giants for the foreseeable future

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