Player who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than him.

Senior Bowl practice comment

Senior Bowl practice comment

Senior Bowl Game

Player who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than him.

Senior Bowl practice comment

Senior Bowl practice comment

Senior Bowl Game

Player who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than him.

Senior Bowl practice comment

A-

2009 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

by Jay Goldberg

It would have been fitting to give this draft a grade of "B" since the Giants drafted five players in row whose last name started with "B".  However, A- it is.  Even though I may have gone in a few different directions in the draft, the Giants did a great job.  They stole Beatty and Brown, and Bomar has the potential to develop into a top backup and future high pick via a trade.

DRAFT PICKS

The Giants got very lucky when Nicks fell to them in round one.  I had him as the #3 rated receiver in this draft class, and gave a lot of thought to moving him ahead of Macklin.  His over-weight workout that resulted in a horrible short shuttle was what stopped me from moving him to t#2.  However, it wouldn't surprise me if Nicks catches more balls long term than any receiver in this draft.  He has solid size and speed, runs good routes and has incredible hands.  He will be a number one receiver in time, and provide the Giants with one of the top receivers in the league.

Sintim was one of the few linebackers who excelled outside in a 3-4 defense in college.  So with all the movement towards 3-4 defenses in the league, he gets drafted by a team that plays a 4-3 defense.  I have serious questions regarding Sintim's ability to be a starting SAM in a 4-3 because of his below-average cover skills.  I might have followed up the selection of Nicks, with another receiver, Massaquoi, who will be a much better receiver in the NFL than Barden, who the Giants selected in round three.  However, Sintim should be effective as a pass rusher in the nickel and gives the Giants the option to employ some 3-4 looks with Kiwanuka and Sintim playing outside.

Beatty was an out and out steal at the bottom of round two.  The kid isn't ready yet, but has the skill set, strength and athleticism to develop into a fine starting left tackle.  Maybe next year Beatty will step in and start at left tackle, allowing Diehl to move back to guard making the Giants' line scary good.

Barden is a big kid with good hands but could have trouble getting off the line and getting separation in the NFL.  Now with his size if he can get off the line he may not need much separation to be a valuable asset.  However, after drafting Massaquoi in round two, I would have grabbed middle linebacker Brinkley here.  He would have been a great special teams player while apprenticing behind Pierce, possibly replacing the declining Pierce as early as this year.

Beckum is a productive, athletic tight end who was a good get at this spot.  However, the taller, faster, better-blocking Nelson would have been my pick.  

Brown showed a lot in the post-season.  I had a second round grade on him.  He is a strong runner.  He is an excellent receiver.  And he has better speed than most think.  I look for Brown to overtake Bradshaw as the "wind" (Ward) in the Giants' backfield sooner rather than later.

Bomar landed in a great spot.  I could see him going one of two ways; playing early and failing, or waiting, learning and succeeding.  He has the arm, the release and the athleticism to develop into a starting NFL quarterback.  He just needs time to improve his decision-making.  Luckily for him he can be brought along pressure-free with the Giants.  As Bomar develops I expect him to shine in preseason games (and possibly in spot play if Manning gets hurt or during blowouts), and then some team will come knocking on New York's door offering a nice package of picks to get the kid.

The Giants had Wright graded more highly than me.  My pick here would have been corner/free safety Lankster, a kid who has more upside than just a special-teamer which is how I have Wright graded.   Lankster could also have helped the Giants as a return man.

One of the best indicators of not being secure in your selection is drafting the clone of a player previously drafted.  Woodson is very similar to Wright.  So rather than trying two and hoping for one, if the draft unfolded as the Giants picked (rather than my picks), middle linebacker Beckwith should have been the pick here.  I would have brought in a free agent as Wright-insurance and grabbed a kid that had no business going undrafted in Beckwith.

COLLEGE STREET FREE AGENTS

The Giants didn't have many undrafted college street free agents that jumped out at me.  Maurice Evans is a quick defensive end who will be a plus on special teams if he cracks the roster.  Worst case he should be a priority signing to the Giants' development squad.

I like the potential of Bruce Johnson more than either Wright or Woodson.  However, Johnson is not as NFL-ready as either of those two because he needs to add bulk and strength so he can play on special teams while serving as a backup corner.  Johnson is fast, quick and athletic, but had a poor final year at Miami.  He has the potential to develop into a solid slot corner.

Player who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than him.

Player who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than him.

The Giants had a solid draft.  The Giants could have used a left tackle but they flew off the board before they selected in round one.  Diehl is solid at that position but putting in a stud there and moving him back to guard could have made this unit a dominate one.  In college street free agency the team added an interesting prospect in defensive end Gilberry. 

DRAFT PICKS

Phillips was the best free safety in this draft and fills a need for the Giants who lost Gibril Wilson in free agency.  Phillips has measureables, ball skills, and football smarts and should be an important piece of their defense for years.

I thought Thomas would be best served in a Tampa cover two defense.  However, he does have more speed than the typical cover two corner so it wasn't that much of a stretch for the Giants system which employs both man and zone.  Personally, I liked Charles Godfrey a bit more at this spot.

Manningham is an enigma.  While I had a second-to-third round grade on him, he is too much of a hit-or-miss prospect for me with Lavelle Hawkins and even Andre Caldwell still available.  I love Hawkins upside.  Manningham is a player that needs to mature as a person before he can be counted-on on the football field.

Kehl was a great pick in round four.  This kid has a rare combination of strength, speed, quickness, and athleticism.  He also has rare change-of-direction for a man his size.  He could develop into a dominating WILL, and could even hold his own at SAM if needed.  At BYU he had 91 tackles, 4 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss and 3 interceptions his senior year.

Goff is the type of player that catches my eye in the draft process.  Considered strong, fast, but limited athletically, Goff hit a home run with his workout.  This is a kid who needs some development but could grow into a solid starting middle linebacker.  With the G-men he can settle in behind Pierce for a couple of years before taking over.

Woodson is a player with good quarterback skills but horrible, and I mean horrible mechanics.  His arm, smarts, pocket awareness and accuracy are round two stuff.  The way he delivers the ball will make him David-Carr-like (sacked continuously).  If he is willing to re-learn how to play the position, he could have a nice NFL career.  If not he will be out of the league quickly.

Henderson was not on my radar.  He may have a tough time making the roster and could start the season on the Giants' practice squad.

COLLEGE STREET FREE AGENTS

Bain is a big strong kid from a top college program who has a chance to develop into a backup guard.  He is an ideal candidate for the Giants' practice squad.

Gilberry is an interesting case.  On film he looks like a good player with the potential to get after the quarterback.  However, his workout was poor.  He is certainly worth a look in camp and could beat out Henderson for a roster spot.

Warrick is an athletic safety with very good quickness.  The Giants have a lot of quality players fighting for roster spots in the secondary, but Warrick has a legit shot to steal a roster spot.  One reason is that he can be a top special teams player. 

The Giants reached in round one, but got good to great value at all other spots in the draft, and signed some good college street free agents.  The Giants selected four players from my list of prospects who will have a better NFL career than many selected higher than them in the draft (Wilkinson, Cofield, Whimper, McPhearson).

I know, I know; how can a team reach in round one but still get a grade of A?  The reason is simple.  Before the draft, the player I thought the Giants should draft in round one was Sinorice Moss.  He was a perfect fit for what the Giants needed.  He would complete their offense, putting it on par with any in the NFL (assuming that Manning takes another step in his development).  In fact, I projected Moss to the Giants in my mock draft where the Giants were selecting 25th, not 32nd.  If the Giants did indeed draft Moss in round one, and then selected Kiwanuka in round two, neither would have been a reach, and both would have represented good value.  So for grading purposes the steal of Moss in round two makes up for the reach of Kiwanuka in round one.  Kiwanuka has good pass rushing skills, is quick, and athletic.  However, he will need to get stronger to be able to play against the run and to be able to mount a rush against the stronger tackles in the league.  With Starhan, Umenyiora, and Tuck on board, Kiwanuka will have time to develop.  He will be a pass rush specialist this year, and could be Strahan's eventual replacement when age catches up to the 34 year old All Pro.  Moss has it all except size.  He is quick, quick, quick, with great acceleration, superb cutting ability, tremendous athleticism, and very good hands.  Moss in the slot on passing downs will require defenses to pay special attention to him.  With Burress, Toomer, Shockey and Barber also on the field, it's hard to imagine someone not getting open.  Now if Manning continues to improve and the Giants' offensive line holds up, this traditionally defensive-minded team could challenge to be the most potent offense in the league.  Moss may not be the best offensive rookie next year from a stat and production perspective, but he may be the single most important new offensive addition from the draft.  With Arrington slated to play the SAM, and Pierce a young star in the middle, Wilkinson could be the Giants' starting WILL by year's end, beating out both Emmons and Short.  If he doesn't start by the end of this year, he will be a solid backup and excellent special teams player this year, and a starter next year. Wilkinson has good speed, excellent quickness, is a tackling machine, can blitz, and is a terrific athlete.  Arrington-Pierce-Wilkinson will be one of the top linebacking corps in the NFL in a couple of years.  Cofield is fast, quick, athletic and strong.  He will be part of the rotation at tackle this year, and is another draft pick who could be a starter by year's end.  Whimper was another good choice.  Having started only one year at tackle, he will need time to develop.  Whimper has superb speed, quickness and footwork for a tackle, and is also a strong young man.  He may not see the field this year, but the Giants' may finally have their future replacement for Petitgout, a player they have been looking to replace as a starter on and off the last few years.  Peprah projects as an ideal nickel or dime back.  He has experience at safety and corner, is very quick, and is a smart player.  He should also be a valuable, versatile sub who can be an asset on special teams.  McPherson was the fastest player in the draft.  It was said he ran in the low 4.2s at college.  However, speed is not McPherson's only calling card.  He is quick, he is strong, he is a top athlete, he can cut on a dime.  If his production on the field matched his workout he would have been a first round pick, but McPherson got beat too often.  My analysis is that he relied too much on his athletic ability at Maryland, and if he gets good coaching, he could develop into a very good starting cornerback in the league.  Worst case, McPherson will be a terror on special teams. 

The Giants followed up a very good draft with some quality college street free agents signings.  Mix is a big receiver who has good speed for his size, and makes catches in traffic.  There are questions about his character which is probably why he went undrafted.  He also needs to be play a more physical game to take advantage of his size.  If Mix toes the line he could stick, worst case, as a member of the Giants' practice squad.  Evans is an effort player who may find it tough to stick because of the Giants' talent at defensive end, but will also make it tough for the Giants' coaching staff to cut him because of his work ethic.  Look for Evans to be on the Giant's practice squad if he isn't picked up by another team.  Anderson is a run stuffing defensive tackle who has a shot to win a backup job with the Giants.  I had a fourth round grade on Anderson.  Green is an undersized defensive tackle with exceptional strength and good work habits.  He may have to beat out Anderson for a roster spot.  The Coley brothers could also stick.  Tevis is the more athletic, but wasn't as good at Southern Miss.  However, his athleticism will allow him to compete at strong safety where the Coley's skills are in the acceptable range for the position.  Kevis was a star of his team, but will have to compete at WILL, and his athletic skills are not quite up to the level usually required for that position.  Both Coley brothers should be good special teams players.

B+

2005 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

Last year I knocked the Giants' draft.  I stated that they should have kept their picks, stayed where they were and drafted Big Ben.  Time will tell if I was right, but Roethlisberger certainly showed he can be a top quarterback in the NFL.  With only four picks the Giants had to hit on all of them.  They did.  If Webster came out a year earlier, he would have been a first round pick.  Hamstring problems affected his draft status this year (hurt his play some, and his ability to workout).  He is a solid player who will challenge Frank Walker for the nickel this year, and possibly, Will Allen as a starter next year.  Tuck was a steal in round three.  The Giants desperately needed depth at defensive end, and Tuck was a player some mentioned as a possibility late in round one, or early in round two.  He is a good pass rusher, and has the mind-set to succeed at end.  Jacobs will give the Giants something they expected from Ron Dayne, but never got, a tough inside runner who can get the first down on third and short.  However, he should not be pigeon-holed as a specialist.  With 4.56 speed (in the forty), great strength and good athletic ability, he could be Tiki Barber's heir apparent.  Moore is a pass rush specialist, much like Torbor who was drafted in the fourth round last year.  While I did not like the Torbor selection last year (particularly as the first pick on day two), I like the Moore pick.  Torbor was selected as a linebacker, something he won't be unless the Giants go to a 3-4.  Moore was drafted as a pass-rushing defensive end, something he will do well.  I had a third round grade on Moore making him a great value pick in round six.

With only four selections, the Giants needed to make a big splash with their college street free agent signings.  They did.  In fact, they grabbed two of the better players available.  The first was outside linebacker Derek Wake.  Check out his workout numbers below.  He is quick, strong, athletic, and smart.  He is still not all the way back from a knee injury suffered in college, but his workout shows he may be all the way back this year.  Before his injury Wake was a difference maker on defense.  He will be a good special teams player and backup this year, and should be a contributor to their base defense (maybe even a starter) in 2006.  The Giants' second major signing was safety James Butler.  He is another impressive athlete (check out his workout numbers below as well) with speed and quickness.  While he has played both corner and safety, he projects best as a free safety where he can use his athletic ability, and is a plus coverage player.  As a corner his coverage ability is average.  Butler has a legit shot to become the Giants' long term answer at free safety down-the-line, pairing up with Wilson, who played great last year.  I wouldn't surprise me if in 2007 both Butler and Wake were starters for the Giants.  Not bad for free agents.  By the way, I had a third round grade on both Wake and Butler.  The Giants signing of quality free agents extended beyond these two.  Offensive tackle Kyle Wallace is a good developmental project who has quickness and strength. Running back Ryan Grant is a speedy, between-the-tackle back who could be a quality NFL backup.  Strong safety Diamond Ferri is a player I wouldn't bet against making the team.  He is a former running back who is improving as a safety, and is a tough kid with good leadership qualities.

C+

2004 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

2003 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD