NFL Draft Report Card: New York Giants

Also, I question if Reggie Smith or Antwaun Molden would have been better selections here for corner. There was definitely better value available here in the second round at other positions; however, they did add to their secondary, which has been sub-par for many years, thus giving them a passing grade.

The Giants added even more talent to the already dangerous receiver group with the selection of Manningham. Who can't wait to hear “Manning to Manningham”? It may not get said a whole lot this year since the wide-out position has plenty of depth, but expect that phrase to become annoying. It will be even more annoying for the Giants' opponents to hear.

He could have been a solid second-round pick, and the Giants got him in the third round, which gives this pick value. However, his character is a question, and the Giants do not reward moody Owens or “Ocho Cinco” like personalities. He has had a history of substance abuse and needs to keep a clean record. Due to all of that, this pick earns a B.

He could explode and be a great replacement for Toomer when he retires, or he could turn into a Pacman and end up in jail. This one is hard to call and a gamble the Giants can afford to take due to their solid receiving core.

The Giants moved right back to defense with their next two picks. Their fourth-round pick yielded linebacker Bryan Kehl, and the fifth round, linebacker Jonathan Goff. Because of the need at linebacker, these picks combined will receive a B. Most likely, one of the two will receive some live action during the season, and if they perform well enough, a starting spot may have one of these guys' name written on it by mid-season. These players are not to flashy, but I see one becoming starting material.

Okay, so the Giants' best pick comes in the sixth round, and at quarterback where they have the Super Bowl MVP starting? Yes. Why? Because they selected Andre Woodson, who could have satisfied a team in the third round who needed a QB, and he dropped all the way here. Something tells me that Anthony Wright and/or Jared Lorenzen may not be a Giant very soon. 

Something also tells me that the Giants are still not satisfied with Eli Manning’s performance. They signed David Carr, who never lived up to his hype but still could, and now they pick Woodson. The Giants have a lot of youth at quarterback, and now they seem to want to make it known that there will be competition for the backup role. They may even want to be sending a message to Eli to keep up his play. This pick could yield a quarterback who is a solid back up in the next two years, and could possibly be starting if Manning’s play drops over that time period. 

Call the idea crazy, but look at some stats and you can at least entertain this as a possible outcome. Grade of pick: A.

The last pick for the Giants was the sixth rounder, Robert Henderson. The Giants put a young, defensive end on the depth start for training camp. I do not see this player making it more than a year on this team. The high expectations of defensive players on the Giants are hard to live up to. I give this pick a D. This could pan out well, and the Giants do well at developing defensive linemen. It just does not seem to make sense to choose a defensive end in the sixth round.
 

Overall, the draft will score a B. The play of the players drafted will determine the real value. The Giants addressed the secondary, as well as the linebackers. They picked up a good receiver on a non-need basis, who could contribute right away.  Three words for you my reader: We shall see.

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