NFL Draft 2012: 4 Important Positions the New York Giants Must Address

The New York Giants may have won the Super Bowl last season but still have key positions that must be addressed.

After a Week 15 loss to the Washington Redskins, the season looked all but over for the Giants.

A late run fueled by Eli Manning saved the season and carried New York to their second championship in four years.

Let's take a look at what positions the Giants will have to improve on to get back to the Super Bowl.

1. Offensive Tackle

Depth at the offensive line position is always a good thing to have but is rarely obtained.

In the case of the G-Men, it looks like they might lose Kareem McKenzie. The Giants are close to being over their cap limit and losing McKenzie will clear some space.

In the draft, the Giants have to get a lineman early. A good choice for the first round would be Jonathan Martin from Stanford.

Martin possesses great footwork and has great ability to block outside pass rushers. He also has a great first step and has very quick hands.

The Giants need to make sure if they don't secure Martin or any offensive lineman in the first round, to get one by the second round.

Eli Manning is what makes this offense click and they need to make sure that he is protected at all times.

2. Tight End

Both of the Giants tight ends were hurt during last year's Super Bowl. Jake Ballard tore his ACL and questions still remain on how much time he will miss next season.

Yesterday, the Giants signed former Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett, helping fill a roster spot. However, the Giants need to add another target for Manning.

Bennett is a decent tight end but not someone who will be a great starter. It's likely a tight end will be the choice this year for the Giants' first-round pick.

After an impressive showing at the combine during his bench press, Stanford tight end Coby Fleener has been touted as the best tight end in the draft. Fleener has a great ability to get away from defenders using head fakes or double moves.

The only other option would be Dwayne Allen from Clemson.

Despite his disappointing 40 time that lowered his draft stock, the Giants should still consider him though, as he has great hands and is an excellent blocker.

3. Linebacker

The Giants have a great defensive line.

They were fourth in the league in sacks last season and apply pressure on the quarterback on what seems like every play. Their great play is usually given credit to the entire front seven.

However, the Giants need to improve their linebacker core.

While the front seven does get a lot of the credit, most of the work is done by the defensive line. Now with Chase Blackburn becoming a free agent, their linebacker depth becomes weaker.

Getting linebacker Bobby Wagner in the third round would be a good upgrade for the G-Men.

Wagner can play both inside and outside linebacker and is very versatile. He was unable to perform at the combine which hurt his draft stock some, but he did have a good week during the Senior Bowl.

4. Running Back

Not surprisingly, Brandon Jacobs is no longer with the team, leaving Ahmad Bradshaw and D.J. Ware as the two running backs on the team.

The Giants use a two-man running back system and will be looking to improve on the backup role.

It will be interesting to see if New York will go after a running back with the same style of Jacobs or go after a quick running back who they can use for screens or passing situations.

If they do draft one, the Giants will likely use a pick on a running back in the later rounds. A player like Ronnie Hillman from San Diego State is projected to be a fifth or sixth round pick and will be a good fit for the Giants.

Hillman is a small player at just 5'9" 200 lbs, but he is very quick.

The San Diego State running back ran a 4.41 at the combine and has very quick feet. He has the ability to makes cuts quickly without losing any speed and has an eye for finding the holes at the line.

Hillman's speed makes him a very dangerous open-field runner and will add another deep threat options for the Giants.

The Giants are Super Bowl champions but they do have some holes to fill. It will be interesting to see what they do to improve on their team as they try to go back-to-back.