The Early Word on the New York Giants Top Draft Picks

Giants general manager Jerry Reese is known for his drafting prowess. Whether it is finding starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw in the seventh round, drafting star receiver Hakeem Nicks, or taking a chance on the raw, but now superstar defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, Reese always comes out of each draft with players who can contribute immediately.

This year, Jerry Reese focused on playmakers.

In the first round, he took Virginia Tech running back David Wilson. In the second round, he selected LSU wide receiver Reuben Randle. And in the third, he went back to Blacksburg to take Wilson's teammate, cornerback Jayron Hosley. 

With rookie mini camps and OTAs starting, we can start to get a glimpse of what these players are going to be like. How are Wilson, Randle and Hosley doing, and what can we expect from them when Week 1 comes around?

David Wilson

Wilson was the 32nd pick of the draft, and a bit of a surprise. Running back is not a huge need for the Giants, so Wilson was seen as a luxury pick.

Wilson is a speedy playmaker. The 5'9", 206-pound Wilson runs a 4.4 40-yard dash. His speed, according to offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, is "exciting":

It looks like if there’s a hole he's going to get through it and give you a chance to make some big plays. What you have to see is the wiggle and make some guys miss. We’ll see that as we go.

How will the Giants use his speed? For now, it will only be occasionally, according to Evan Silva: "So tough, incredible balance & burst. 7-10 touch/game guy to open season."

Ten touches isn't much, but there's a lot that Wilson can do with it. For example, he can stretch a defense and cause problems with his speed. He can also be used as a returner, or out of the backfield as a receiver.

In college, Wilson showed this speed often, averaging almost six yards per carry in 2011. In three seasons, Wilson had 18 rushing touchdowns. In 2011, he was named the ACC player of the year.

According to draft expert Russ Lande, Wilson is a "special runner"

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Wilson is a special runner on the perimeter who makes game-changing plays once he gets into the open field. He has excellent acceleration and speed to get to the corner. Against Clemson last season, Wilson showed he can change directions in a flash to make tacklers miss.

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The Giants have not had a speed runner like this in a few years, with the last one being Tiki Barber. While Ahmad Bradshaw is fully entrenched as the starter, he is not the most durable. The plan for Wilson is about 10 touches a game, but he could easily see more if Bradshaw can't stay healthy.

His speed will be an asset, as it will keep defenses on their toes. He can make big plays happen. According to Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger, Wilson is still learning. However, the early reviews are encouraging.

If Wilson can provide at least one game-breaking play a game, the pick will be a great one. Even with limited touches, Wilson's speed gives him a chance to break a big play every time he does get the ball. While we shouldn't expect 1,000 yards rushing, we should expect Wilson to change a few games for the better and to make some highlight reels. 

Rueben Randle

The Giants thought former LSU wide receiver Reuben Randle was the "most NFL-ready" receiver in the draft, and depending on how Hakeem Nicks' recovery from a broken foot goes, they will need him to be.

The 6'4", 208-pound receiver was drafted with the intention of replacing departed receiver Mario Manningham, but with Nicks' status in question for the opener, they might need Randle to take on a bigger role.

So far, the early impressions are good. According to Evan Silva of ProFootballTalk, thus far Randle has shown the skills that made the Giants think so highly of him. "(Giants) thought he was the most NFL-ready WR in the draft. What they've seen so far has justified that."

Even coach Tom Coughlin was intrigued. As he noted to Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger, “I was very impressed by Randle out on the field this morning,” Coughlin said. “But they’re all eager. That’s the good thing. You’re going to have to if you’re NFL-ready.”

According to Garafolo, Randle looked very athletic:

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The team’s second-round pick, looked very athletic and polished this morning working among fellow draft picks, undrafted free agents, rookie tryouts and veteran hopefuls. He had a couple of drops but they were overshadowed by a nice leaping catch near the sideline and a few other solid plays.

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Randle isn't perfect, though. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride told CBS Sports that Randle "has a long way to go." That's to be expected, as he's learning a completely new offense and is facing NFL defenses for the first time. 

But Randle showed serious skill at LSU and had the production to match. The first-team all-SEC receiver averaged 17.3 yards per catch, which was second in the SEC. He also caught eight touchdowns.

Randle has also been working on the return team, and could make an impact as a returner.

Randle's playing time is contingent upon on how fast Hakeem Nicks can come back. If Nicks is ready for opening day, then Randle will most likely be the third receiver, and play mostly on third downs. If Nicks isn't ready, Randle will be called upon to take his spot. It's big shoes to fill.

But, if Nicks is out, teams will likely focus on stopping Victor Cruz, meaning that there will be an increased opportunity for Randle to make plays.

Either way, Randle will see plenty of playing time. Last year, as the third receiver, Mario Manningham caught 39 balls in 12 games, so if Randle stays healthy, there's no reason to think he can't catch 50 balls.

With Randle's skill set, and his work so far in spring practices, it looks like the receiver will be another Jerry Reese draft day steal. 

Jayron Hosley

In the past, the Giants have experienced a litany of injuries at the cornerback position. Last year was especially devastating, as they lost Terrell Thomas for the year, and Prince Amukamara played in only seven games.

With that in mind, the Giants made sure to replenish depth, and did just that in the third round when they drafted Jayron Hosley out of Virginia Tech. The 5'10", 178-pound Hosley finished his college career with an impressive 12 interceptions.

In spring practices, Hosley has shown promise, as well as demonstrating that he's far from a finished product. According to Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger:

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CB Jayron Hosley, the team’s third-round pick, made a nice play in team drills when he slipped underneath WR Isaiah Stanback on an in cut from QB Ryan Perrilloux. Hosley was playing over top of Stanback but drifted even with him and then got inside his shoulder to get position and knock the ball away. Hosley showed good instincts on that play.

A little later, though, he didn’t drop into a zone properly and allowed WR Ramses Barden to catch an easy intermediate pass near the sideline. “Get your depth,” secondary coach Peter Giunta said. And Hosley struggled to read a comeback route late in practice. His momentum carried him too far upfield on that play. “Watch the three-step (drop),” Giunta told him. In short, Hosley has the ability but like many rookies, needs to work on his technique.

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The Giants don't need Hosley to contribute right away. He is, as of now, the fourth cornerback on the depth chart, behind Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas and Prince Amukamara. While fourth cornerbacks do see time—especially as offenses try to stretch the field—the majority of Hosley's snaps will be played on special teams. He has been working as a returner and did that in college. 

Hosley will be counted on to be a key special teams performer, as well as play in their nickel and dime packages. This gives him a little flexibility to improve his technique and learn the defense. 

Hosley, however, has clear talent. If not for a failed drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine, Hosley could have gone much higher than the second-to-last pick of the third round. 

While Hosley's impact will mostly come on special teams, he has the talent to earn more playing time as the season goes on. While he won't be a starter, he will be a valuable special teamer and an important part of the Giants defensive sub-packages.