T-Rock's Take: Inside the Giants

And, as you'll see in the paper and online later, the Giants filled their biggest area of need with a guy already on the roster.

Mathias Kiwanuka is their SLB, according to Jerry Reese. They want their 2006 first-rounder on the field as much as possible and they liked the way he dropped into coverage last season, so he's working the rest of the off-season as the SAM. Fourth-rounder Zak DeOssie and Reggie Torbor go in as Kiwanuka's backups, Chase Blackburn stays behind Antonio Pierce at the MIKE and Kawika Mitchell and Gerris Wilkinson will battle for the WIL.

Interesting... We still don't know what Kiwanuka thinks of all this, but we'll find out nine days from now.

Reese called his draft "solid" -- seems appropriate, with four offensive and four defensive players, no one that seemed like a real reach (except maybe for DT Jay Alford in the third round) and maybe a couple guys who might have a surprising impact right away that they found late. DeOssie is one, but TE Kevin Boss could be a find. He's got to learn to block better, but if he's got skills, he can help.

That's all for now. Send in your Giants draft grades and we'll go over them in the next few days.

Jerry Reese is leaning heavily on the west coast scouts -- Michael Johnson is 6-3, 205, so he's got some nice size, but he's a bit slow and not a terrific tackler. Must be why this is the seventh round.

One more pick to go...

Fullback? Kicker? Running back?

Perhaps another reach in taking Adam Koets, who has the size at 6-5, 298, and the smarts (three-time Academic all-Pac 10) but maybe not the heart to be an NFL left tackle.

Safe to say he'll be learning rather than playing this season.

When I said FB and OL, I meant to add TE, of course... And Kevin Boss was the second guy the Giants wanted, behind Matt Spaeth, who went to the Steelers in the third round. Delaware's Ben Patrick was also on the board, but I guess he's not what they wanted.

Boss is a big kid, 6-6 1/2, 252, but the obvious question is whether he can handle the size of NFL players after playing Div. II ball. He better be a quick study because there isn't much else behind Jeremy Shockey right now.

So NOW we'll see FB and OL... Swear.

Sorry for the lack of updates from late on Day 1 -- we're in the basement of Giants Stadium, home of dial-up internet and the world's smallest big-screen TV.

Zak DeOssie is the story right now. Yes, he's a beast -- 6-4 1/2, 250 -- and he figures to vie for the long-snapper job right away and be the sort of special-teams animal that TC will love.

He's a SLB, which means if he has as good a camp as he had a combine, Kawika Mitchell might just end up being a WLB if Gerris Wilkinson doesn't pan out. Love the debate on the comments, Rich and Ralph -- oh, and Rich, Ralph meant that Aaron Ross was third on the Giants' draft board, not Mel Kiper's.

As to the second- and third-round picks, after which I sprinted home to grab some Zs before coming back:

-- Gotta say I really like the Steve Smith pick. Not just to parrot Jerry Reese, but the kid is a gamer, he's used to not being the star of the show and he'll be a steadier presence than the other, injury-prone WRs. He's small, so he may end up being one of those injury-prone guys, since he's pretty fearless over the middle, but it seems to be a good pick.

-- Don't know much about Jay Alford, but he gets to the QB well and could be the DT who finally kicks William Joseph to the curb. Figure Alford to be behind Fred Robbins, with Barry Cofield and Marcus Bell manning the NT spot. Far cry from last off-season, when DT was the biggest hole on the defense. Still, I bet the Giants could have gotten Alford in the fourth round.

-- Just got off the conference call with Zak and Steve DeOssie. The son was trying to keep his emotions in check, but the old man was as wild and exuberant as he ever was as a player. "When I got into the Giants locker room (on my visit last week), I immediately called my Dad to see which locker was his," Zak said. "He pointed me to it, right across from LT's. He asked if I could feel the greatness coming out of it."

"We didn't emphasize trying to get to the NFL. We emphasized real life," Steve said. "He loves football, absolutely loves it. He loves learning about football, he loves the violence, loves the action, loves the challenge. That's what's similar between us. In terms of sheer athletic ability, there's very little similar."

More on the way... Maybe a FB and an OL?

Aaron Ross is 24 years old and he was more adept in college as a Cover-2 corner. But he can play man to man and, perhaps what separated him from Miami LB Jon Beason and Central Michigan OT Joe Staley, is that he's a two-position guy -- three punt returns for TDs at Texas.

Jerry Reese just joined us and said the Giants tried to move up once they saw Darrelle Revis and Leon Hall fall out of the top 10 -- the Giants had both of those CBs ranked ahead of Ross. But the price was too steep and the offers to move down were "nickel-and-dime stuff," Reese said, so "It was the right time and the right place for us to pick him."

Reese likes Ross' size (6-0, 193) a lot. "He's a big guy with long arms," Reese said. "Will he cover Terrell Owens better than Santana Moss? He will."

Tom Coughlin joined us for a few minutes too and noted the combination of value and need in picking Ross. "The punt-return ability is a big plus for us," he said. "Obviously, we have some needs to fill, this being one. There's a few things we want to get done in this draft."

Doubt TC would have been upset if Joe Staley had been the pick. Barring a trade, the Giants will be hard-pressed to pick up a quality LT today.

The Giants still won't have made their first pick. Ugh.

But the run-up to the draft has been fun, and I'll wrap it up here today with a whip-around look at some skill position possibilities and my first-round pick for the Giants:

WIDE RECEIVERS

Who they'd like: Dwayne Bowe, LSU. Seems to have the sort of all-around game -- good hands (thanks to LASIK surgery last summer), good size, decent speed and good downfield blocking ability. He'd be a reliable No. 2 in a couple years, which means Amani Toomer can ride off into the sunset and/or the Giants could finally grow weary of Plaxico Burress and seek out a new No. 1 via free agency.

Who they'll get: Steve Smith, USC. Maybe a third- or fourth-rounder, Smith wasn't as flashy as fellow Trojan WR Dwayne Jarrett, but he's played big games and is a consistent pass-catcher.

Who I thought they'd take before I started paying attention: Jarrett. Everyone loves his size and even a casual fan knows who he is, but he might be a bit too slow for the NFL's quick corners.

RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK

Who they'd like: Antonio Pittman, Ohio St.; Le"Ron McClain, Alabama. McClain should last well into day 2, so if the Giants really feel like they need a FB -- and they felt that way when they signed Vonta Leach to an offer sheet -- he could be the guy. Pittman might also be a day 2 pick, and that wouldn't seem like a wasted choice on a guy who instantly becomes the No. 3 back on the depth chart.

Who they'll get: I'm betting McClain ends up a Giant, but if they miss on drafting a RB, I doubt there would be much disappointment in the war room.

Who I thought they'd take: Brian Leonard, Rutgers. Semi-local kid, nice story and he's going to have an impact in the NFL. But the Giants don't seem to have room for him in their offense, especially if he's a second or third-rounder.

AND THE PICK IS...

Lawrence Timmons. I've seen and heard that he could go as high as 15 to the Steelers and as low as the second round. The Giants loved him when they met him at the combine and on his visit, and he could come in and play right away. There are plenty of corners available for the second round and it seems there isn't a consensus on an OT among the decision-makers. So Timmons is it.

Which guarantees the Giants won't take him.

Catch you tomorrow.

I'll hit both corners and safeties with this installment, since technical difficulties kept me from updating the blog last night.

Oh, and don't read anything negative into Sinorice Moss' comments about Greg Olsen being different than Shockey -- I asked Moss if Olsen were at all similar to Shockey in terms of the brash style and over-the-top personality. What he meant was that Olsen is just a player, not the wild man Shockey is.

CORNERS

Who the Giants would like: Darrelle Revis, Pitt. Not great speed, but he's big (204 pounds) and physical, and by all accounts, the Giants will be playing more physical in coverage this season. He's a punt-returner too, as is Texas' Aaron Ross, and TC loves guys who can contribute on teams. Problem with Revis, and possibly Ross, is that it's likely they'll be gone by 20.

Who they'll get: Marcus McCauley, Fresno St. May not be a first-rounder, but I'm becoming more and more convinced that the Giants will trade up in the second round to grab him.

Who I thought they'd take before I started paying attention: Revis. Seemed like a very good fit and it didn't appear that he'd go before the Giants picked. Then again, I thought Tye Hill would last to the Giants last year.

Later-round options: Josh Wilson, Maryland; Daymeion Hughes, Cal; Usama Young, Kent St.

I'll have some more stuff on corners and the Giants and Steve Spagnuolo in tomorrow's paper.

SAFETIES

Who they'd like: Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech. One of the only safeties Jerry Reese brought in for a visit, Rouse is 6-4, 223, and the sort of physical strong safety prospect that might mean he could be a weak-side LB eventually. That sort of versatility has to intrigue Steve Spagnuolo.

Who they'll get: Rouse could still be on the board when the Giants pick in the third round (81st). The choice is simply whether or not they want a safety on the first day.

Who I thought they'd get before I started paying attention: Reggie Nelson, Florida. Read some about him, thought he'd fit in well, but then I realized the Giants have too many other needs to go safety at 20. I know, I know -- you don't draft by need. There's a reason you have needs, though, and you've got to use them as a guideline.

Later-round options: John Wendling, Wyoming; Eric Weddle, Utah.

Currently in-between locker room sessions. Here are some brief notes:

-- Antonio Pierce revealed that he had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right hand, which he played with all last season. His hand was also broken.

-- Gibril Wilson arrived yesterday. He still hasn't signed his one-year tender, though the deadline to give restricted FAs offer sheets has passed. He'll sign it soon. "I'm on a mission this year," he told me.

-- Much bigger group of players are in town and working out. Sam Madison is one of the newer arrivals. Still no Jeremy Shockey, still no Plaxico Burress. Of Shockey, Pierce said: "He's somewhere in the United States."

-- Brief scouting reports on three of his old Miami teammates from Sinorice Moss... On LB Jon Beason: "Athletic, good hitter, gets to the QB. He'd help us out a lot." On TE Greg Olsen: "He's the real deal. Different than Shockey. Olsen just goes out and plays." On S Brandon Meriweather: "Never afraid to thump somebody, anytime, anywhere."

-- Pierce on new DC Steve Spagnuolo: "I wouldn't call him arrogant, but he's got a little pizzazz about him, walking around here with his shirt open, a little gold chain. He's a real straightforward guy. I've talked to him a lot. I think (his defense) is going to be fun -- you see (Jeremiah) Trotter down there in Philly, he's gone to a couple Pro Bowls when they were together. (Spagnuolo) has something we need around here."

Back with more in a few.

When Jerry Reese decided to cut Luke Petitgout two months ago, the Giants jumped into the boat with teams looking to upgrade at left tackle -- that covers an awful lot of teams, and there are simply not a lot of top prospects at the position.

Who they'd like: Joe Staley, C. Michigan. He's a converted tight end, he's a big boy (6-6, 306) and he has some quickness. The consensus seems to be, though, that he might not be able to step in and start right away, and the Giants already have a project at LT in Guy Whimper.

Who they're likely to get at 20: Staley will be there; Penn State's Levi Brown might be there too, but if he is, it means that a dozen or so teams decided to pass. Only Wisconsin's Joe Thomas will be off the board.

Who I thought they'd take before I started paying attention: Well, no one -- I assumed, and Jerry Reese pointed this out the other day, that the Giants already have a LT on the roster who has won a game in David Diehl. TC apparently didn't agree, and Diehl may end up being a better guard.

Who might be there later on: Arkansas' Tony Ugoh, N. Illinois' Doug Free, BC's James Marten.

OK, the Giants picking 20th doesn't exactly lend itself to insanity, but if you read all the draft experts and insiders and stuff in the weeks leading up to the draft, things can seem pretty insane.

Over here at the blog I'm going to attempt to use my Giants wisdom to assess their options at a variety of positions, beginning tonight. These will be short takes and all comments, complaints and compliments are welcome -- I'll save my pick for Friday, especially since I'll use all your input to help change my mind.

Here goes...

LINEBACKER

To me, the Giants' greatest area of need. They added Kawika Mitchell, who is essentially a one-year stopgap at SLB; right now, Gerris Wilkinson is the WLB, and the old defensive coordinator didn't have a ton of faith in Wilkinson as a rookie.

Who they'd like: Lawrence Timmons, Florida State. The fastest 40 time of the OLBs at the top of the draft, he's an aggressive hitter and playmaker who would seemingly fit in well alongisde Antonio Pierce. His one year as a starter is a drawback, but it could also mean he's got plenty left in the tank and isn't so used to any system.

Who they're likely to get at 20: Jon Beason, Miami. Smallish (6-0 1/4), a tad slower than Timmons, but an equally good hitter and playmaker. Plus, he's from the U -- a smallish guy named Armstead came from there and did OK in a Giants uniform, no?

Who I initially thought they'd take before I started paying attention: Paul Posluszny, Penn State. I truly believe if Ernie Accorsi were still GM, Poz would have been the chalk pick. But a couple people who know a lot more than me told me that there are questions about whether he's fast enough to make plays and cover at WLB. The Giants can't really afford many question marks.

Who might be left in rounds two and three: Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma ("Dropping like a stone," one person who knows a ton told me); Stewart Bradley, Nebraska; Tim Shaw, Penn State.

------

I meant to post this last week, but I thought I'd drop it into a relevant post. Went to a show on Monday that featured one of my rock heroes, Bob Mould, plus a good new group from the city called Radio 4. It was a benefit show for Cal Robbins, whose story you can read about here. http://www.desotorecords.com/cal/

Check it out if you have a minute.

I haven't been around long enough on this beat to be nostalgic for the days when the late George Young or recently retired Ernie Accorsi would hold these pre-draft media sessions, so I can't compare Jerry Reese's first one today with many others.

It sounded the same as most, though -- long on generalities, short on names and needs and such. Reese said he liked picking at 20 this year because the range of players available from about pick 10 through 25 is roughly the same, talent-wise; he said he'd consider trading up or down, though I honestly can't see the Giants trading up unless a team wants a current reserve rather than a late-round pick. The Giants need all their picks this season, it would seem.

Reese said his first draft run-up as GM featured a few new wrinkles: A new company, Human Resource Tactics, that administers the so-called psychological profile that the Giants have given for years. Theirs used to be put together and administered by Joe Goldberg and was famously long; this one is shorter, and Reese said roughly half the NFL uses this company.

Reese also decided to bring in about 25 draft-eligible players where in previous years, the number in for visits was roughly half that. I don't have the full list -- WRs Dwayne Jarrett, Ted Ginn, Jr. and Dwayne Bowe, T Tony Ugoh, LBs Lawrence Timmons, Patrick Willis and Jon Beason were in Giants Stadium the past few days -- but one player who didn't come in was Paul Poszluzny, and Reese did say this when asked if he brought guys in or didn't bring guys in just to throw other teams off: "I don't play like that. There's no smokescreen."

Reese said defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has given a list of players the DC would like for his new defense, and I'm betting at least one or two of those guys will be a Giant after the first day. I can't see how the Giants would ignore the wishes of their new DC, a guy who could possibly still have his job even if the head coach gets fired after the season.

As for the character issues so talked about around the league, Reese reminded all of us that the Giants have been a high-character-guy team for ages. That was what blew EA away about Mathias Kiwanuka last year at this time, so much so that the Giants took the "best player available" theory to a whole new level by taking a DE when they already had two Pro Bowlers.

"He was valued so high, we couldn't pass him up," Reese said today.

So when I and my colleagues write our draft advances and list all the names at all the positions the Giants have holes, remember last year. Then take all of this draft stuff for what it's worth.

The Giants didn't go for broke today, but this is how they're going to fill out their roster aside from the draft: Short deals for lesser-known veterans.

The biggest name added today was QB Anthony Wright. The nine-year vet started 14 games for the Ravens in three seasons and was Carson Palmer's backup in Cincinnati last season. The Giants are his fifth team. He won't exactly challenge Eli Manning for the No. 1 spot, but he'll be a backup with significant NFL experience, unlike Eli's backups the last two seasons.

The Giants also added DT Marcus Bell and DB Michael Stone, both six-year NFLers. Bell was a starter for the Lions last season until a broken hand ended his year -- he's a 6-2, 325-pound tackle who has played for Detroit and the Cardinals. If he's as steady as he's been, Barry Cofield has a capable backup and the DT rotation has one too many guys. Jonas Seawright and William Joseph, one of you is on notice. Or both.

Stone is primarily a special-teams guy, though he has played some safety and corner. He was with the Patriots last season.

OK, back to Sabres-Isles hockey...

Is as follows:

Sunday, 9/9 8:15 PM ET NBC at Dallas
Sunday, 9/16 1:00 PM ET FOX GREEN BAY
Sunday, 9/23 4:15 PM ET FOX at Washington
Sunday, 9/30 8:15 PM ET NBC PHILADELPHIA
Sunday, 10/7 1:00 PM ET CBS NEW YORK JETS
Monday, 10/15 8:30 PM ET ESPN at Atlanta
Sunday, 10/21 1:00 PM ET FOX SAN FRANCISCO
Sunday, 10/28 1:00 PM ET FOX at Miami (London)
Sunday, 11/4 BYE
Sunday, 11/11 4:15 PM ET FOX DALLAS
Sunday, 11/18 4:15 PM ET * FOX at Detroit
Sunday, 11/25 1:00 PM ET * FOX MINNESOTA
Sunday, 12/2 4:15 PM ET * FOX at Chicago
Sunday, 12/9 1:00 PM ET * FOX at Philadelphia
Sunday, 12/16 8:15 PM ET * NBC WASHINGTON
Sunday, 12/23 1:00 PM ET * FOX at Buffalo
Saturday, 12/29 8:15 PM ET NFLN NEW ENGLAND

The * indicate games on the flex schedule, which can be shuffled around to primetime or the other Sunday afternoon slot.

So that's one Monday-nighter, three Sunday-nighters (for now) and one Saturday-nighter.

It's certainly not the first-half schedule they had a year ago, dotted with difficult opponents... Of course, that's when the Giants thrived last season, only to stumble against some teams you would have thought they'd beat when the schedule came out.

On a personal note, the thought of going to Buffalo two days before Christmas doesn't exactly thrill, but then, I'm off to Buffalo tomorrow morning to help cover the Isles-Sabres series, and it's gonna snow this weekend too. So I guess it just doesn't matter when you go to Buffalo.