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.
Comments (4)
I have a bit of a problem with the CB's in this draft: none of them really stand out. Two or three corners will be off the board by the time we pick, but Leon Hall may be the only legit 1st round talent at corner. My hope is for the G-men to look hard at Reggie Nelson if he is still on the board. While our needs are not at safety, Nelson has a chance to make a Shaun Tayler type impact on a defense.
In my view the Giants should trade down and pick up two players in the second round. The Giants have done better historically in that round anyway. Strahan, Umenyiora, Barber, Toomer and Snee were all Second round picks. Our results have been much less positive in the first round with only one proven all-pro talent picked in the last ten years (Shockey).
Arthur, perhaps you can do some investigative reporting into why this pattern has emerged (i.e. first round flops vs second round success stories). Seems rather odd doesn't it? I have my theories and I think you will find that the cause of the Giants limited success in the first round is also the cause of many other problems with the organization.
Arthur, just to add on to my last comment you may notice that our success rate seemed to decline beginning after the Superbowl win in 1991.
The next spring we picked Jarrod Bunch with our first round pick.
I wonder why the drop in our first round success rate seemed to start then? From 1979 to 1990 first round picks included Phil Simms, Lawrence Taylor, Mark Haynes, Terry Kinard, Brian Williams and Rodney Hampton - all pro bowl or near pro bowl caliber players. In addition, during that period we drafted Gary Zimmerman who was also a pro-bowl player. Zimmerman didn't want to play for the Giants so they were forced to trade him and received two second round picks as compensation.
Hey Arthur, what about taking a flyer on Al Wilson and using our other picks for secondary. We can draft LB later on. I think Wilson is talented enough to take a gamble on. Look, Arrington played 6 games, but his 6th game was his best and we all know Wilson has talent.