Giants Draft 2012: 5 Draft Picks That Could Really Help Eli Manning in 2012

In the 2004 NFL draft, the Giants made a draft-day trade that impacted their future.

Many said the trade was bad at first, but eight years later and two Super Bowls to show for it, I think it's safe to say former Giants General Manager Ernie Accorsi got it right.

The Giants traded the rights to their first-round pick, Philip Rivers, along with their following year's first-round pick, to the San Diego Chargers for their first-rounder, Eli Manning.

The Giants waited until midseason to start their rookie quarterback, but since 2004, he's been the everyday starter, endured media scrutiny and guided the Giants to two championships, all the while dealing with comparisons to his more statistically dominant older brother, Peyton.

Oh, and don't forget, he's also won two Super Bowl MVP awards as well.

Manning is the Giants' franchise quarterback. They built the team around him using what can help him win a championship every season.

And in April's draft, current Giants GM Jerry Reese will look to do the same thing again. Here are five potential players that could give Manning some help on the offense.

Lamar Miller, Running Back, Miami

DraftTek's mock draft had the Giants landing the University of Miami's sophomore running back, which to me was a shock considering he was projected on other draft boards to be taken higher up in the second round.

If the Giants do draft Miller, it means it could likely be the end of Brandon Jacobs' tenure in New York.

Miller is a 5'11" and 212 pound back with a combination of speed and size. His speed is what most scouts are going to be after in April, as he has ran a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash.

Some might think that Miller could sneak all the way up into the first round and get snagged by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 21st pick.

But if the Giants were somehow able to snag Miller, likely with their second-round pick, that could be a steal pick that ends up working out in the long run.

Stephen Hill, Wide Receiver, Georgia Tech

Let's face it—Ramses Barden has been a bust for the Giants. They need to see if they can find a red-zone target in the draft.

Stephen Hill might not be as well known as Justin Blackmon, Alshon Jeffery or Michael Floyd, but Hill has a ton of upside.

The 6'5", 206-pound junior averaged 29.6 yards per catch last season at Georgia Tech while playing mostly in the triple option offense, a scheme that's designed mostly on a running game—something we saw Tim Tebow use in Denver this past season.

He's got spectacular hands and is extremely dangerous in the open field, and that could definitely be put to use with the Giants offense.

Some mock drafts have the San Francisco 49ers taking Hill with the 30th pick, and even some have him being taken by the Houston Texans with the 26th pick.

So he might not end up getting down to the 32nd pick. But if he does get to the end of the first round, Jerry Reese might not want to pass up on drafting this potential play-maker.

Coby Fleener, Tight End, Stanford

The Giants are going to need a tight end after Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum each tore an ACL at Super Bowl XLVI last month.

I did a couple of stories on potential tight ends the Giants could draft with Dwayne Allen and Orson Charles.

Now, here's another potential tight end the Giants could look to draft—Coby Fleener from Stanford.

Fleener's teammate Andrew Luck will likely be taken with the first pick in the draft by the Indianapolis Colts and will take over for Peyton Manning.

Luck's former teammate might be catching passes from Peyton's younger brother in East Rutherford if Jerry Reese is able to draft him.

Fleener could go at the end of the first round, or he could drop down to the second round and get scooped up there by the Giants.

Fleener is one of the better receiving tight ends who has a lot of toughness mixed with some speed and great size at 6'6" and 245 pounds,

His blocking skills need to be more refined in the NFL, but as a pass-catching tight end, Fleener could definitely be an asset for the Giants.

Bobby Massie, Offensive Tackle, Ole Miss

What better way to help the franchise quarterback than to protect him on the offensive line?

In previous draft stories, we've talked about Matt Reynolds and Kelechi Osemele as potential picks for the Giants.

The Giants could pick a player who went to Eli Manning's Alma mater at Ole Miss in Bobby Massie.

Massie is a 6'6", 325-pound junior who could be taken at the end of the first round if he's still available.

According to scouting reports, his work ethic is a cause for concern, which has hurt his draft stock, and could end up dropping Massie into the second or third round.

If the Giants decide to go with a tight end or wide receiver in the first round and Massie is available in the second round, they could take him with the 64th overall pick.

Kareem McKenzie is almost certain to not be returning and there might be a chance David Diehl may not be back as well.

The Giants' need for offensive line help is a great one. Massie can help in both protecting Manning and creating holes for Ahmad Bradshaw.

Juron Criner, Wide Receiver, Arizona

Another wide receiver that could really help the Giants is Juron Criner out of Arizona.

Criner is 6'4" and 215 pound senior and could end up really being a solid talent in the NFL.

Put Criner in an offense with Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and Eli Manning has even more weapons to utilize in 2012.

His vertical leap is off the charts, which could help in the red-zone by out-jumping defenders and using his large frame to get to the ball.

According to his scouting report, he needs to be more physical and needs to become a better route runner, but he makes up for that with his big-play ability downfield.

A lot of mock drafts have picked Criner to go in the second round to a team like the San Francisco 49ers or Chicago Bears, who each have a need for a wide receiver.

But if he fell all the way to the 64th pick, the Giants could take the wide out and plug him into their offense.