Thinking about draft day - what direction do we take?

[BleedinBlue]

If our record continues on this path, we should be drafting inside the top 10, and maybe as high as the 7th pick.

 

Where do we go? Do we burn a high draft pick on a center?

 

To me...I'd burn our first and second round pick on the O-line. If there is a stud left tackle available, I say we jump at him and work him back and forth with Beatty until he's ready to be starter and let Beatty play backup and left guard on occasion.

 

Centers typically go after the 3rd round, no matter how good they are. I was shocked last year when Dallas burned their first on a center (yeah, the best center in the draft), but he wasn't expected to go before the third round.

 

As for me - I'd go with two offensive linemen with our first two picks - a left tackle, a center, and a guard (take the two best of those three positions). Together with Pugh, we'd have an excellent future front line.

 

I can't see wasting any picks on any other position unless the best CB in the last ten years was sitting on the board.

 

Funny thing about this year is that we all spent months bitching about our linebackers and how poorly we targeted linebackers in the draft, and now the only part of the Giants' team that looks halfway good is our linebackers...(well, and safeties). Although, I don't know what it's going to take to get them to actually pay attention to Whitten when we play the friggin cowboys.

 

Anyway....what say you?

[Sephiroth]

This would be my "plan" as far as the draft goes, with a bit of FA mixed in:

 

1. We need a solid-to-good veteran on the O-line, since we'll likely have three new starters there. I'd take a hard look at Eric Winston from the Cardinals. The guy is a B+ player, and is a real leader who's not afraid to speak his mind.

 

2. After that, we draft the best O-lineman we can in round one. If that's a left or right tackle, we bring him in and let him compete with Winston and Beatty for one of the starting jobs. If he can't win it, we stick him on the inside with Pugh at the other Guard spot.

 

3. After that we go BPA, but look hard at the O-line again, linebacker, and wide receiver. Yes, you can basically write the same thing we've all been writing for the past five seasons, but this is shit that seriously hasn't been addressed since Reese has been our GM (barring WR... which he wastes on Jerrel Jernigan and Ramses Barden most years, but sometimes pulls a Hakeem Nicks or Ruben Randle out of his ass).

 

4. Before the end of the second day we need a tough interior lineman... a real road grater. I don't care if it's a center or a guard, but we need someone that can push back a 350lb tackle on third-and-one.

[gmenroc]

I just started considering who we'll re-sign in FA of our own team. That will have a huge impact on who we look at in FA. Only after that, can I start thinking draft. Then again, if you have a good idea a guy will be there to draft...you may take it less into account in FA...but that route is a bit risky.

 

I went through the playoff machine thing at espn.com picking winners of the remaining games. I have us in a fairly large grouping of 5-11 teams (meaning that we lose out). My initial draft order looks like this:

 

1. Houston (2-14)

2. Atlanta (3-13)

3. Minnesota (3-12-1)

4-5. Oakland & Buffalo

6-11. NYG, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Washington

 

I'll assume a #9 overall draft pick because I'm not about to figure tie breakers just yet.

 

#9 overall is too early for a G, C, or combination of both. I'm thinking stalwart offensive tackle in the first round. Yes, we have Beatty who's stuck due to his contract and Pugh, last year's #1 pick...but Pugh can move inside to RG if need be. Unfortunately, our line is banged up to the point where we may HAVE to bring back one of the following: Baas, Snee, Diehl...or bring in a different veteran who isn't a whole lot better.

 

At LT- we have to hope for a Beatty improvement. That's really all there is to be said. His contract keeps him from being cut or benched every bit as much as the lack of depth behind him.

 

At LG - we have to resign Booth.

 

At C - we have Baas under contract and I think re-signing Cordle is a good idea. I'm not huge fans of either, but you can only do so much in one offseason I think.

 

At RG - we have had Snee, but I think Pugh could move down here.

 

At RT - we have Pugh moving to RG and a draft pick taking over.

 

So for the offensive line, by the end of round 1, we should have BOTH a free agent brought in...a guy who has 3-4 QUALITY years left in him...AND a OT draft pick.

 

Second round - this depends entirely on Nicks. If Nicks stays, I think we go CB. If Nicks goes, I think we go WR.

 

Third round - Linebacker because I see Paysinger and Rivers both being let go in free agency.

[Herc]

best o-lineman available would be my preference. i want o-linemen, pass rushers and corner depth

[BleedinBlue]

I had to listen to the game the other day on the radio because I was taking my daughter to the hospital after she was bitten very severely by a frickin cat. Anyway, it's different listening to the game than watching it and you get a lot of opinions being said during dead air time. The announcers (local guys I think) stated repeatedly, "it's hard to believe how many players on this team simply do not carry their weight...yet the team is cramped for cap space".

 

Boy ain't that the truth. It's like the hedge rows I trimmed for this old lady who hadn't had them trimmed in a decade. I trimmed ruthlessly and took several wagon loads away to make the hedge row look good again.....well, that's what needs to happen to this Giants' team. They need to be ruthlessly trimmed - starting with both offensive and defensive coordinators and then about half the players, starting with the ones pulling down a huge contract. We have to cut a ton of deadwood and start from scratch with this team. Rebuild the offensive line. If Eli still can't seem to settle in, start giving playing time to Nassib. I bet that would put a fire under Eli's ass to get him to focus rather than worry about his wife and daughters and whatever seems to have his head out of the game and wandering elsewhere.

[JMFP]

Can't wait to see Jerry's 2014 version of Adrien Robinson.

[Nas]

If our record continues on this path, we should be drafting inside the top 10, and maybe as high as the 7th pick.

 

Where do we go? Do we burn a high draft pick on a center?

 

To me...I'd burn our first and second round pick on the O-line. If there is a stud left tackle available, I say we jump at him and work him back and forth with Beatty until he's ready to be starter and let Beatty play backup and left guard on occasion.

 

Centers typically go after the 3rd round, no matter how good they are. I was shocked last year when Dallas burned their first on a center (yeah, the best center in the draft), but he wasn't expected to go before the third round.

 

As for me - I'd go with two offensive linemen with our first two picks - a left tackle, a center, and a guard (take the two best of those three positions). Together with Pugh, we'd have an excellent future front line.

 

I can't see wasting any picks on any other position unless the best CB in the last ten years was sitting on the board.

 

Funny thing about this year is that we all spent months bitching about our linebackers and how poorly we targeted linebackers in the draft, and now the only part of the Giants' team that looks halfway good is our linebackers...(well, and safeties). Although, I don't know what it's going to take to get them to actually pay attention to Whitten when we play the friggin cowboys.

 

Anyway....what say you?

Our LBers sucked donkey balls till the Beast arrived. What I think is maddening is that our stupid coaches see these guys in practice wayyyyy before the season started.,. You mean to tell me they didn't see how bad the OL is? Shit... Could it be because we have no good DEs?

[Nas]

I just started considering who we'll re-sign in FA of our own team. That will have a huge impact on who we look at in FA. Only after that, can I start thinking draft. Then again, if you have a good idea a guy will be there to draft...you may take it less into account in FA...but that route is a bit risky.

 

I went through the playoff machine thing at espn.com picking winners of the remaining games. I have us in a fairly large grouping of 5-11 teams (meaning that we lose out). My initial draft order looks like this:

 

1. Houston (2-14)

2. Atlanta (3-13)

3. Minnesota (3-12-1)

4-5. Oakland & Buffalo

6-11. NYG, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Washington

 

I'll assume a #9 overall draft pick because I'm not about to figure tie breakers just yet.

 

#9 overall is too early for a G, C, or combination of both. I'm thinking stalwart offensive tackle in the first round. Yes, we have Beatty who's stuck due to his contract and Pugh, last year's #1 pick...but Pugh can move inside to RG if need be. Unfortunately, our line is banged up to the point where we may HAVE to bring back one of the following: Baas, Snee, Diehl...or bring in a different veteran who isn't a whole lot better.

 

At LT- we have to hope for a Beatty improvement. That's really all there is to be said. His contract keeps him from being cut or benched every bit as much as the lack of depth behind him.

 

At LG - we have to resign Booth.

 

At C - we have Baas under contract and I think re-signing Cordle is a good idea. I'm not huge fans of either, but you can only do so much in one offseason I think.

 

At RG - we have had Snee, but I think Pugh could move down here.

 

At RT - we have Pugh moving to RG and a draft pick taking over.

 

So for the offensive line, by the end of round 1, we should have BOTH a free agent brought in...a guy who has 3-4 QUALITY years left in him...AND a OT draft pick.

 

Second round - this depends entirely on Nicks. If Nicks stays, I think we go CB. If Nicks goes, I think we go WR.

 

Third round - Linebacker because I see Paysinger and Rivers both being let go in free agency.

Baas needs to go... I can see Snee playing at a better level than this year

[Bigblue25]

1.Cyrus Kouandjio OT Alabama

2.LaMarcus Joyner CB Florida St

3.Anthony Steen OG Alabama

4.Carl Bradford OLB Arizona St

5.Cody Hoffman WR BYU

6.Colt Lyerla TE Oregon

Top free agents

 

Mike Pollak C/G

Alterraun Verner CB

Corey Wooten DE

[Nas]

I had to listen to the game the other day on the radio because I was taking my daughter to the hospital after she was bitten very severely by a frickin cat. Anyway, it's different listening to the game than watching it and you get a lot of opinions being said during dead air time. The announcers (local guys I think) stated repeatedly, "it's hard to believe how many players on this team simply do not carry their weight...yet the team is cramped for cap space".

 

Boy ain't that the truth. It's like the hedge rows I trimmed for this old lady who hadn't had them trimmed in a decade. I trimmed ruthlessly and took several wagon loads away to make the hedge row look good again.....well, that's what needs to happen to this Giants' team. They need to be ruthlessly trimmed - starting with both offensive and defensive coordinators and then about half the players, starting with the ones pulling down a huge contract. We have to cut a ton of deadwood and start from scratch with this team. Rebuild the offensive line. If Eli still can't seem to settle in, start giving playing time to Nassib. I bet that would put a fire under Eli's ass to get him to focus rather than worry about his wife and daughters and whatever seems to have his head out of the game and wandering elsewhere.

"It's amazing how many guys on this team don't carry their weight"... BINGO...

[Treehugger]

1.Cyrus Kouandjio OT Alabama

2.LaMarcus Joyner CB Florida St

3.Anthony Steen OG Alabama

4.Carl Bradford OLB Arizona St

5.Cody Hoffman WR BYU

6.Colt Lyerla TE Oregon

Top free agents

 

Mike Pollak C/G

Alterraun Verner CB

Corey Wooten DE

 

Kouandjio sounds more like a pass rusher to me.

[BleedinBlue]

"It's amazing how many guys on this team don't carry their weight"... BINGO...

Yup...there needs to be a major house cleaning. Too many guys resting on their laurels and enjoying the good life since they already have a couple of rings and millions to play with. We need a whole lot of new guys who are hungry for their first. Unfortunately, I don't believe it can happen unless Fewel and Gilly are gone as well.

 

I don't believe we should spend a big contract on a free agent unless it's a stud-among-studs on the offensive line, preferably LT with a history of staying healthy and has a lot of years left in his legs. If we spend a boatload of cash on a TE or Safety or RB, I'll be pissed. I believe in TC's original premise when he first came to the Giants that the real battles are won in the trenches and that was his number one priority. Defensive line is okay (has room for improvement on the wings) but the Offensive line is just that, "offensive".

[Nas]

Yup...there needs to be a major house cleaning. Too many guys resting on their laurels and enjoying the good life since they already have a couple of rings and millions to play with. We need a whole lot of new guys who are hungry for their first. Unfortunately, I don't believe it can happen unless Fewel and Gilly are gone as well.

 

I don't believe we should spend a big contract on a free agent unless it's a stud-among-studs on the offensive line, preferably LT with a history of staying healthy and has a lot of years left in his legs. If we spend a boatload of cash on a TE or Safety or RB, I'll be pissed. I believe in TC's original premise when he first came to the Giants that the real battles are won in the trenches and that was his number one priority. Defensive line is okay (has room for improvement on the wings) but the Offensive line is just that, "offensive".

I think we're set at safety and TE (giving Meyers a pass since it's his first year and Eli looking more like Geno Smith).

 

I've been bitching about guys giving us a Nissan effort for a BMW effort... Baas... Rolle... Nicks (potential contract)...

 

Part of being a good player is attitude... Love of the game... Not the loudmouths like BJ & Rolle

[NeMesiS]

 

Kouandjio sounds more like a pass rusher to me.

 

 

Can he do a back-flip?

[Allstarjim]

WR Mike Evans from Texas A&M. He's 6'5", with great speed, and a highly productive receiver who has torn up the best of college defenses this year. I can hear you all groan, "We need an O-lineman, we need a linebacker!" Yep, we sure do. This team has a lot of holes that needs to be filled. But one thing you want to do in the first round is hit a homerun, get a guy who is going to give the biggest bang for the buck. That's Evans. If you need convincing, watch what Alshon Jeffery is doing for Josh McCown of all people. Look at what AJ Green does for Cincinatti. Look at what the loss of Julio Jones has done for the Falcons. A great receiver is a game-changer by himself. Forces so much attention and pressure on a defense. These kinds of players don't grow on trees. Nicks is going to be gone after this season, and everyone should know Eli needs a guy like Nicks in his heyday or Plaxico Burress in the '07 run to make this offense really work.

 

For me, not getting Mike Evans would be a bummer.

[Nas]

WR Mike Evans from Texas A&M. He's 6'5", with great speed, and a highly productive receiver who has torn up the best of college defenses this year. I can hear you all groan, "We need an O-lineman, we need a linebacker!" Yep, we sure do. This team has a lot of holes that needs to be filled. But one thing you want to do in the first round is hit a homerun, get a guy who is going to give the biggest bang for the buck. That's Evans. If you need convincing, watch what Alshon Jeffery is doing for Josh McCown of all people. Look at what AJ Green does for Cincinatti. Look at what the loss of Julio Jones has done for the Falcons. A great receiver is a game-changer by himself. Forces so much attention and pressure on a defense. These kinds of players don't grow on trees. Nicks is going to be gone after this season, and everyone should know Eli needs a guy like Nicks in his heyday or Plaxico Burress in the '07 run to make this offense really work.

 

For me, not getting Mike Evans would be a bummer.

Yep if Nicks isn't which I think shouldn't given his production, attitude, and potential contract demand, I'm totally on board here.

[UK-Giantsfan]

Its all about the Offense for me.

We need to rebuild the O Line via FA and 1st draft pick. ( and possibly 2nd pick too ) IMO.

Snee will be gone ......too old and too many multiple injuries.

Bass (is always injured ) , Cordie ( needs surgery and is mediocre anyway ) and DD ( too old and past it ) probably try to come back but none of them are the long term answer.

OK at RB with Brown and Wilson.

Nicks is gone ............we probably end up with Randle and Cruz starting and draft a WR in the 3rd round.

Myers stays.

Jesus this team is a mess !

[gmenroc]

WR Mike Evans from Texas A&M. He's 6'5", with great speed, and a highly productive receiver who has torn up the best of college defenses this year. I can hear you all groan, "We need an O-lineman, we need a linebacker!" Yep, we sure do. This team has a lot of holes that needs to be filled. But one thing you want to do in the first round is hit a homerun, get a guy who is going to give the biggest bang for the buck. That's Evans. If you need convincing, watch what Alshon Jeffery is doing for Josh McCown of all people. Look at what AJ Green does for Cincinatti. Look at what the loss of Julio Jones has done for the Falcons. A great receiver is a game-changer by himself. Forces so much attention and pressure on a defense. These kinds of players don't grow on trees. Nicks is going to be gone after this season, and everyone should know Eli needs a guy like Nicks in his heyday or Plaxico Burress in the '07 run to make this offense really work.

 

For me, not getting Mike Evans would be a bummer.

 

While I agree that Nicks is as good as gone, and that it'll sting our offense...I still think we wait on WR until the 2nd at the earliest. Offensive line is the much bigger need. Like you hearing everyone yammer for an o-lineman, I'm hearing folks cry best player available. When a team has severe holes like this one does on the offensive line, they simply can't afford to ignore them.

 

I think, like others have posted, that we're likely without Snee, Baas, Diehl next year...with a potentially struggling Beatty given his performance this season. We will still have to re-sign Booth given he's a free agent. If any of the top 4 tackles are on the board when we pick in the first, I'm hoping we go that route. Based on CBSSports, that's Jake Matthews, Cameron Erving, Cyrus Kouandjio, and Taylor Lewan. Lewan worries me simply because of his 6'7" height, which seems a bit tall (i.e. losing leverage, having d-ends duck under outstretched arms, etc). Aside from that, I've not researched anyone just yet.

 

A rebuilt offensive line will aid the running game/pass protection and allow Randle, Cruz, Meyers to get open.

 

I still think too, there's a small chance, albeit a very small chance, that Nicks re-signs. He's been oft injured, his production is off, and he fails to get separation routinely. These things all should be taken into account by the league and he could very possibly be humbled in his contract demands, making him affordable to the Giants. That said, if he's widely looked at as a #2, he could be a #2 on any team in the league, which takes us back to his leaving for the best deal.

[Allstarjim]

Tons of guards and centers in free agency this year. In any case, I still do believe you can find high quality guards and centers after the first round. And if we don't address the glaring hole at the X-WR, whether or not the O-line is fixed isn't going to matter much. You are right, Nicks could possibly resign for a short-term, prove your healthy kind of deal. Does anyone really think that is going to happen? If you are trying to re-establish your market on a deal like that, do you really do it in Gilly's offense? Maybe Detroit, or New England, or New Orleans. Not here. I don't think Nicks wants to stay, and I'm also not convinced we're ever going to see him play like he did when he was at his best, and it's sad. He's too young to be a shadow of himself already on the field. I think the injury he sustained to both his foot and the thigh when he had that blood/muscle issue... anyone remember what that was called? That was a serious one. I just don't think he's going to be the same.

 

Randle, in my judgement, appears to be a good #2. He could still blossom into something more, sure. But I'm not seeing the explosion from him or the desire for excellence on the field that the great ones have. And that may be the reason he slid to us in the draft on the back end of the 2nd.

 

If I'm Reese, I'm not going to wait for a rookie and cross my fingers and hope they can fix my offensive line trouble. I'm going to go into free agency and address it. Then I'm going to take the guy this offense REALLY needs. That's Evans, a match-up nightmare who is going to really open up the field for Cruz and Myers.

 

I don't care who you draft, you're not going to fix that mess on the line with one guy. But you can completely change the complexion of your offense with a special talent at receiver like Evans. Take a look at what he does to Alabama -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl2OfgKbEBs

 

Hightlights -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFOGBY0jR2U

[Herc]

nicks just had 5 catches for 135 yards 4 days ago. look at the targets from year to year, they aren't throwing him the ball anymore.

 

eli has already proven this year that he can't do shit no matter how many weapons he has if they aren't protecting for him. cruz is quietly having a down year too. two wr's, the best combo in football just two years ago, are both having below average years. they are 25 and 26 years old. bad qb play is the common denominator

[CrazedDogs]

I am coming around to your way of thinking allstarjim.

 

The offensive line is a gaping hole, but the Giants are locked in at tackle (for better or worse), there are lots of free agent guards/centers, and good guards/centers can be had in the 3rd round.

[CrazedDogs]

nicks just had 5 catches for 135 yards 4 days ago. look at the targets from year to year, they aren't throwing him the ball anymore.

 

eli has already proven this year that he can't do shit no matter how many weapons he has if they aren't protecting for him. cruz is quietly having a down year too. two wr's, the best combo in football just two years ago, are both having below average years. they are 25 and 26 years old. bad qb play is the common denominator

 

so the Giants draft a QB?

[BlueInCanada]

 

so the Giants draft a QB?

 

JR in a last ditch effort to prove he's a solid GM will trade JPP for RG3.

[Herc]

 

so the Giants draft a QB?

 

nah i don't watch college so i don't pretend to be an expert on who exactly we should draft. i just think our focus for the entire offseason should be o-line, pass rushers and quality depth at cornerback.

 

if we draft a wr when nicks leaves (the giants made their mind up about this last offseason) then great, im all for it

[Bigblue25]

Not sure about Evans speed for the NFL. Plus this WR class is stocked. I think we got one later. I am still 90% on an olineman, the other 10% would be LB.