NFL Draft: Giants Steal the Show

First 3 Selections Fill All their Needs

The biggest news coming out of East Rutherford this weekend was supposed to be the trade of Jeremy Shockey.

The Giants were open to trading him, but the offers were too light for their liking. So they have decided to keep the 28-year-old tight end for now. Most Giant fans can live with that decision.

Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make.

But that development has not been the big story in the Giant war room.

The biggest news is they got the three players they wanted with their first three picks without trading up.

GM Jerry Reese—the hottest GM in the league—whose killer 2007 Draft was a huge reason why the Giants went all the way—is at it again.

The three things the Giants needed going into this draft were addressed before noon on Sunday.

First, they needed a big safety to patrol their defensive backfield and help out on the run.  At 31, they lucked into Miami's Kenny Phillips. By all accounts, Phillips should have been gone. But he wasn't. Reese happily grabbed him.

In round two, the Giants were looking for a big cornerback to size up their nemesis—Terrell Owens. They found him. USC's Terrell Thomas was still available. He will go right into the mix with Aaron Ross, Corey Webster, and Sam Madison.

The Giants traditionally do their best drafting on Sunday—case in point—Brandon Jacobs, David Diehl, Kevin Boss, Gibril Wilson, David Tyree, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Gerris Wilkerson were all Sunday picks.

Before the draft, Eli Manning asked the Giants' brass if they could get him another deep threat. This morning, Reese tapped Michigan WR Mario Manningham with his third-round selection.

Manningham is an explosive receiver who can get deep quickly. He's a playmaker that will join other playmakers in an offense that includes Shockey, Jacobs, Bradshaw, Boss, Tyree, Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss, and Derrick Ward.

Wow.

Good luck stopping that crew, everyone...looks like the Giants will do a lot more stomping out this coming season.