New York Giants: Power Ranking Each of Jerry Reese's 8 Draft Classes as GM

New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese has assembled some draft classes that have taken him to the pinnacle of professional football and concocted others that have nearly cost him his job.

Eight times, Reese has done his due research, built his big board and made his selections. The GM isn't known to chase the team's needs. Instead, he sticks to his instincts and takes the best player available.

This method has worked with varying degrees of success since 2007, as this slideshow will illustrate.

The following slides will rank each of Reese's eight draft classes, taking into account immediate impact, long-term production and, for more recent drafts, future potential.

8. The 2009 Draft Class

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

WR Hakeem Nicks.

Round	Pick	Player	Position
1	29	Hakeem Nicks	WR
2	45	Clint Sintim	LB
2	60	Will Beatty	LT
3	85	Ramses Barden	WR
3	100	Travis Beckum	TE
4	129	Andre Brown	RB
5	151	Rhett Bomar	QB
6	200	DeAndre Wright	DB
7	238	Stoney Woodson	DB

The 2009 draft class was Reese's worst because of the opportunity he squandered. The GM had nine picks, including five in the first three rounds, and used them to draft a bunch of duds.

Hakeem Nicks enjoyed his shining moments, the most notable being a stretch leading up to Super Bowl XLVI in which he was nearly unstoppable. Will Beatty is entrenched in the starting lineup and has landed himself a big contract, however undeserving of it he may be.

Clint Sintim and Ramses Barden, however, are a couple of Reese's biggest failed experiments during his tenure as GM. Not even Andre Brown's unexpected resurgence in 2012 could save this draft class.

7. The 2011 Draft Class

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

WR Jerrel Jernigan.

Round	Pick	Player	Position
1	19	Prince Amukamara	CB
2	52	Marvin Austin	DT
3	83	Jerrel Jernigan	WR
4	117	James Brewer	OL
6	185	Greg Jones	LB
6	198	Tyler Sash	S
6	202	Jacquian Williams	LB
7	221	Da'Rel Scott	RB

Triple sixth-round picks—this draft class was cursed!

Reese found a solid starting cornerback in 2011 with his first-round selection of Prince Amukamara, but he didn't find much besides that. Jacquian Williams was the only other contributor to come from this class, and he's currently hanging out on the open market without a team.

Outside of an explosive final three games of the 2013 season, Jerrel Jernigan was ineffective as a pass-catcher and a liability as a return specialist. James Brewer was an unreliable blocker, despite his massive frame (6'6", 323 lbs.).

The biggest bust in this draft class, Marvin Austin, is currently with the Denver Broncos after failing to catch on as either a Giant, Miami Dolphin or Dallas Cowboy.

6. The 2012 Draft Class

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

RB David Wilson.

Round	Pick	Player	Position
1	32	David Wilson	RB
2	63	Rueben Randle	WR
3	94	Jayron Hosley	CB
4	127	Adrien Robinson	TE
4	131	Brandon Mosley	G
6	201	Matt McCants	OT
7	239	Markus Kuhn	DT

A little bit of bad luck struck the 2012 draft class when a spinal condition forced David Wilson to retire prematurely. Jerry Reese's decision to describe a raw tight end in Adrien Robinson as "the JPP of tight ends" was also pretty unlucky.

Whoops! Fans are still waiting (not so patiently) for Robinson's All-Pro campaign...

Rueben Randle was looking like a bust until late last season, when he and Odell Beckham Jr. finally figured out how to coexist in the offense. Randle approached 1,000 yards receiving, but we'll see if he can avoid fading into the background when Victor Cruz makes a full recovery.

Don't give up on Markus Kuhn yet. The 28-year-old showed some heart by coming back from a torn ACL that ended his 2012 season and cost him most of the 2013 season.

5. The 2010 Draft Class

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

DE Jason Pierre-Paul.

Round	Pick	Player	Position
1	15	Jason Pierre-Paul	DE
2	46	Linval Joseph	DT
3	76	Chad Jones	DB
4	115	Phillip Dillard	LB
5	147	Mitch Petrus	G
6	184	Adrian Tracy	DE
7	221	Matt Dodge	P

The 2010 draft class held the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

Jason Pierre-Paul was one of Reese's finest finds, as his dominant 2011 season almost single-handedly lifted a subpar defense to a Super Bowl victory. Linval Joseph was almost as menacing in the middle of New York's defensive line before becoming a coveted free agent and signing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2014.

A seventh-round pick rarely makes or breaks a draft class, but Matt Dodge comes pretty close. Dodge's figurative car wreck of a rookie season was nothing compared to the literal one that cost Chad Jones his NFL career and nearly his left leg.

None of the three players selected between Jones and Dodge amounted to much with the Giants.

4. The 2013 Draft Class

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

DT Johnathan Hankins and DE Damontre Moore.

Round	Pick	Player	Position
1	19	Justin Pugh	OT
2	49	Johnathan Hankins	DT
3	81	Damontre Moore	DE
4	110	Ryan Nassib	QB
5	152	Cooper Taylor	S
7	225	Eric Herman	G
7	253	Michael Cox	RB

After a couple draft classes ripe with failed potential, Reese started to turn things around in 2013. While these players only have two years of NFL experience under their belts, there remains a lot of optimism surrounding the first three picks.

Justin Pugh and Johnathan Hankins have already become full-time starters in the trenches. On offense, Pugh has held the starting right tackle job since his rookie year. Hankins, on the other hand, has developed into New York's top interior defensive lineman with Joseph out of the picture.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo may have plans for up-and-coming pass-rusher Damontre Moore after a couple frustrating seasons from the former third-rounder. We'll see if Cooper Taylor can take advantage of a vacancy in the secondary too.

3. The 2008 Draft Class

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

CB Terrell Thomas.

Round	Pick	Player	Position
1	31	Kenny Phillips	S
2	63	Terrell Thomas	CB
3	95	Mario Manningham	WR
4	123	Bryan Kehl	LB
5	165	Jonathan Goff	LB
6	198	Andre Woodson	QB
6	199	Robert Henderson	DE

It wasn't the flashiest draft class, but Reese's 2008 selections got the job done for the most part.

Two picks, Kenny Phillips and Mario Manningham, were key to stringing together the Tom Coughlin-Eli Manning Super Bowl era. Phillips was a reliable deep center fielder that kept the lid on New York's defense, while Manningham was a complementary receiver who came up with huge catches when the Giants needed them most.

While Phillips and Manningham were great in their prime, Reese also deserves some credit for letting these two walk at the perfect time.

A third pick, Terrell Thomas, was one of the gutsiest players in recent Giants history. Always an eager run defender from his cornerback position, Thomas made a remarkable recovery from a third torn ACL to play all 16 games in 2013.

2. The 2014 Draft Class

James Kenney/Associated Press

WR Odell Beckham Jr.

Round	Pick	Player	Position
1	12	Odell Beckham Jr.	WR
2	43	Weston Richburg	C
3	74	Jay Bromley	DT
4	113	Andre Williams	RB
5	152	Nat Berhe	S
5	174	Devon Kennard	LB
6	187	Bennett Jackson	DB

Even though they were only rookies last season, the members of the 2014 draft class appear to be some of Reese's best selections.

The group is headlined, of course, by Odell Beckham Jr., who was named The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year for his first-year heroics. Beckham's 2014 statline—91 receptions, 1,305 yards, 12 touchdowns—only tells a fraction of the unreal story he was as a rookie.

The class does not begin and end with OBJ, though. Weston Richburg, Andre Williams and Devon Kennard also presented themselves as competent starters in 2014. Each of their roles should expand in Year 2, as could those of Jay Bromley, Nat Berhe and Bennett Jackson.

In a couple years, 2014 could easily be considered Reese's best draft class.

1. The 2007 Draft Class

Associated Press

RB Ahmad Bradshaw.

Round	Pick	Player	Position
1	20	Aaron Ross	CB
2	51	Steve Smith	WR
3	81	Jay Alford	DT
4	116	Zak DeOssie	LB/LS
5	153	Kevin Boss	TE
6	190	Adam Koets	OT
7	224	Michael Johnson	S
7	250	Ahmad Bradshaw	RB

Although it lacked staying power, Reese's 2007 draft class was something legendary. Without these then-rookies in the fold, there's no way New York would have won Super Bowl XLII.

Kevin Boss and Steve Smith became reliable pass-catchers for Eli Manning. After key contributions as rookies, Boss went on to lead the team in touchdown catches in 2008 and Smith went on to set a single-season team record with 107 receptions a year later.

Aaron Ross wasn't the most consistent player for the Giants, but he enjoyed his moments as a quality cornerback. Zak DeOssie may not have developed into the linebacker his dad once was with Big Blue, but he has been to a pair of Pro Bowls as a long snapper.

However, the last pick in this draft was far and away Reese's finest. With the 250th pick, the Giants selected Ahmad Bradshaw, who gained 6,272 yards from scrimmage and scored 45 total touchdowns through six seasons as one of the greatest running backs in New York history.

*Draft history and statistical information courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com

Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants at Bleacher Report