New York Giants NFL Draft History: Grading Each Giants Draft of the 2000s
With the 2011 NFL draft in the near future it is easy to know which franchises will draft well, the ones that have drafted well in the past. The New York Football Giants have been one of the most successful franchises in the NFL for almost a century, and one of the primary reasons for that success on the field is success in the draft room off it.
For the first decade of the 2000s the Giants were constantly in the hunt for a Super Bowl Ring, making two and winning one. And, true to formula, the success the Giants enjoyed in the 2000s was, like in the 1990s, due to the successful drafting.
That those two Super Bowl appearances in the 2000s happened under two entirely different regimes—in 2000 under head coach Jim Fassel and general manager Ernie Accorsi and in 2008 under head coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese—is proof that the Giants as an organization have long understood and valued the importance of the NFL draft.
In fact, when it comes to general managers the Giants are like the Pittsburgh Steelers and coaches. In the last three decades the Giants have had only three GMs—George Young, Ernie Accorsi and Jerry Reese. And each GM worked in the organization under their predecessor before taking over.
Talk about continuity and stability; it's no wonder that along with teams like the Steelers and Patriots the Giants are one of the elite teams in the NFL year in year out.
The following slideshow is a breakdown of every draft of the 2000s of the New York Giants. Each slide will include who the decision makers were, the selections, a brief analysis and final grade.
2000 Draft
1 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Jim Fassel
General Manager— Ernie Accorsi
Draft Picks
First Round— Ron Dayne
Second Round— Cornelius Griffin
Third Round— Ronald Dixon
Fourth Round—Brandon Short
Fifth Round— Ralph Brown
Sixth Round— Dhani Jones
Seventh Round— Jeremiah Parker
Quick Analysis
This draft had some productive players for the Giants but no one that could ever be considered a star for them. While Griffin was one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL for a few years during his career, those came after he had signed with the Washington Redskins.
And don’t get me started on Dayne.
This was a horrible draft for the Giants, as players were either busts, washouts or guys who developed into good players with other teams. The Giants got little return from this draft considering the expectations.
Grade: D+
2001 Draft
2 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Jim Fassel
General Manager— Ernie Accorsi
Draft Picks
First Round— Will Allen
Third Round— William Peterson
Fourth Round— Cedric Scott
Fourth Round — Jesse Palmer
Fifth Round— John Markham
Fifth Round— Jonathan Carter
Seventh Round— Ross Kolodziej
Quick Analysis
Another dud of a draft for the Giants as which would help start the end of Jim Fassel. This draft was top heavy for the Giants, as only the Wills, both cornerbacks, did anything for the Giants… but even they didn’t turn out the way the Giants expected.
Allen displayed some of the worst hands in the NFL during his time in the NFL, dropping countless interceptions and allowing too many big plays. The Giants let him leave as a free agent after his rookie contract expired, he signed with the Miami Dolphins and of course played better for them than he ever did for the Giants.
Peterson, also a cornerback, was on his way to becoming one of the best all around cornerbacks in the NFL, got a huge contract, and then busted his back. He was never the same player again, was cut and changed his name to William James.
Craptastic.
Grade: D
2002 Draft
3 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Jim Fassel
General Manager— Ernie Accorsi
Draft Picks
First Round— Jeremy Shockey
Second Round— Tim Carter
Third Round— Jeff Hatch
Fifth Round— Nick Greisen
Sixth Round—Wesley Mallard
Seventh Round— Daryl Jones
Seventh Round— Quincy Monk
Quick Analysis
Another top-heavy draft lacking production from the lower rounds and the impact expected from the top rounds. And again, even though Jeremy Shockey and Tim Carter flashed potential, especially Shockey, injuries and attitude derailed their careers.
Shockey is actually a classic draft cautionary tale. A specialist pass catching tight end he was drafted to be a playmaker for Fassel. Once Fassel was fired and Coughlin hired Shockey’s role disappeared not because Shockey was no longer a special player but because Coughlin had a much more traditional approach to the tight end position than Fassel.
Lesson to be learned? Don't draft specialists high in the draft, (helloooo, Reggie Bush!)
After Coughlin was brought on Shockey’s biggest contribution to the Giants was getting injured during their 2008 run to the Super Bowl and double-fisting cocktails during the big game in a suite. Class act.
Greisen was a nice linebacker for the Giants for a few years, but that was it.
Grade: C-
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2003 Draft
4 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Jim Fassel
General Manager— Ernie Accorsi
Draft Picks
First Round— William Joseph
Second Round— Osi Umenyiora
Third Round— Visante Shiancoe
Fourth Round— Rod Babers
Fifth Round— David Diehl
Sixth Round— Willie Ponder
Sixth Round— Frank Walker
Sixth Round— David Tyree
Seventh Round— Charles Drake
Seventh Round— Wayne Lucier
Seventh Round— Kevin Walter
Quick Analysis
This draft was an awesome draft for the New York Giants as it produced the NFL’s most versatile offensive lineman, the best special teams player in the NFL for a number of years and one of the franchises best pass rushers of all time. Not bad.
Without Osi Umenyiora, David Diehl and David Tyree the Giants have no Super Bowl Rings for 2008.
And Willie Ponder and Frank Walker weren’t bad players either. However this draft didn’t develop fast enough to save Jim Fassel’s job as the awfulness of the last few drafts, could be argued, doomed him.
Yes, William Joseph was a big bust, but Umenyiora in the second round alone counters that.
Also remember that at the time of the draft Osi Umenyiora, who wasn't even invited to the Combine, was considered a huge reach.
However giving up too soon on Kevin Walter, who developed into a very good NFL wide receiver, hurts the grade a bit.
Grade: B+
2004 Draft
5 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Tom Coughlin
General Manager— Ernie Accrosi
Draft Picks
First Round— Phillip Rivers (Traded for Eli Manning)
Second Round— Chris Snee
Fourth Round— Reggie Torbor
Fifth Round— Gibril Wilson
Sixth Round— Jamaar Taylor
Seventh Round— Andrew Stronjny
Seventh Round— Isaac Hilton
Quick Analysis
This was a draft for the ages and the defining draft of Ernie Accorsi’s long and illustrious career with the New York Giants. Yes, Ernie sacrificed a lot for Eli Manning and yes Phillip Rivers has better stats than Eli but last I checked Eli has a ring and Phil doesn’t.
And Chris Snee has been one of the NFL’s best guards in the NFL from the moment he stepped on the field, Reggie Torbor was a key contributor to the 2008 Super Bowl and so was Gibril Wilson.
All in all, this was the draft that shaped the course of the Giants in the 2000s. This was their make or break draft, luckily they made it.
Grade: A
2005 Draft
6 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Tom Coughlin
General Manager— Ernie Accorsi
Draft Picks
Second Round— Corey Webster
Third Round— Justin Tuck
Fourth Round— Brandon Jacobs
Sixth Round— Eric Moore
Quick Analysis
As good as the 2004 draft was, this draft might have been even better. This draft is proof that it is not how many draft picks you have, but how many you hit on. Brandon Jacobs, Justin Tuck and Corey Webster were all or still are stars in the NFL. Each one played a huge role in the Giants path to the 2008 Super Bowl.
And the fact that the Chargers used the first rounder from this draft from the Giants trade to get Eli on Shawn Merriman, a known 'roider and fraud whose no longer on that team makes it even more satisfying.
Grade: A
2006 Draft
7 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Tom Coughlin
General Manager— Ernie Accorsi
Draft Picks
First Round— Mathias Kiwanuka
Second Round— Sinorice Moss
Third Round— Gerris Wilkinson
Fourth Round— Barry Cofield
Fourth Round— Guy Whimper
Fifth Round— Charlie Perpah
Seventh Round— Gerrick McPhearson
Quick Analysis
Aside from Barry Cofield this draft was a major failure. Kiwanuka had one good healthy season for the Giants but probably won’t be back with the team past his rookie contract. Moss was a hard worker but could never see field. Same with Wilkinson.
Cofield was far and away the best player from this draft, but even he is doubtful to be back with the Giants past his rookie contract. Not because he has little value, like Kiwanuka, but because he is more likely to get a bigger contract on the open market than by staying.
This was Accorsi’s last draft before he retired.
Grade: C-
2007 Draft
8 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Tom Coughlin
General Manager— Jerry Reese
Draft Picks
First Round— Aaron Ross
Second Round— Steve Smith
Third Round— Jay Alford
Fourth Round— Zak DeOssie
Fifth Round— Kevin Boss
Sixth Round— Adam Koets
Seventh Round— Michael Johnson
Seventh Round— Ahmad Bradshaw
Quick Analysis
This draft is the reason why evaluating a draft after one year is always a mistake. While it is true the 2007 class played a huge role in the 2008 Super Bowl victory their rookie year to call them one of the greatest draft classes of all time is a huge overstatement.
Basically this draft was loaded with fantastic role players and no stars, and that was true before Steve Smith got hurt.
But now that Steve Smith is hurt and Jay Alford is already not with the team due to injury, the grade takes an even bigger hit.
To top it off Aaron Ross’s best season was probably his rookie year, so you can see why my grade is probably lower than you expect.
Grade: B-
2008 Draft
9 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Tom Coughlin
General Manager— Jerry Reese
Draft Picks
First Round— Kenny Phillips
Second Round— Terrell Thomas
Third Round— Mario Manningham
Fourth Round— Bryan Kehl
Fifth Round— Jonathan Goff
Sixth Round— Robert Henderson
Sixth Round— Andre Woodson
Quick Analysis
If Kenny Phillips never had to get knee surgery this draft would have been graded an easy A. But he did get injured, and that grade has to take a hit. Some would say I am nuts for that because injuries happen in football.
But Phillips wasn’t injured; he had degenerative arthritis that ate his cartilage away in his knee. The fact the Giants didn’t diagnose this prior to drafting him is a no no in my book, fair or not.
Otherwise Thomas is a star, Manningham one of the league’s best deep threats and Goff is a starter capable of developing into a stud.
Grade: B+
2009 Draft
10 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Tom Coughlin
General Manager— Jerry Reese
Draft Picks
First Round— Hakeem Nicks
Second Round— Clint Sintim
Second Round— William Beatty
Third Round— Ramses Barden
Third Round— Travis Beckum
Fourth Round— Andre Brown
Fifth Round— Rhett Bomar
Sixth Round— DeAndre Wright
Seventh Round— Stoney Woodson
Quick Analysis
Looking at this draft there is a lot of talent, but so far not a lot of on field success. Hakeem Nicks has a shot at being the greatest wide receiver in Giant history and William Beatty looks like a keeper but beyond them this draft is still an unknown.
No one knows if Clint Sintim, Travis Beckum and Ramses Barden will figure it out, but at this point they clearly haven’t. Andre Brown would have been a good player had an Achilles injury not destroyed his career.
To think, Reese actually contemplated drafting Sintim in the first round over Nicks.
Grade (Subject to change): B-
2010 Draft
11 of 11
Decision Makers
Head Coach— Tom Coughlin
General Manager— Jerry Reese
Draft Picks
First Round— Jason Pierre-Paul
Second Round— Linval Joseph
Third Round— Chad Jones
Fourth Round— Phillip Dillard
Fifth Round— Mitch Petrus
Sixth Round— Adrian Tracy
Seventh Round— Matt Dodge
Quick Analysis
Way too early to give a complete grade, but it must be said Pierre-Paul showed uncanny development his rookie year and looks like a monster in the making.
Sadly Chad Jones will probably never play a down for the Giants as he nearly lost his leg in a horrific car accident before even signing a contract with the team.
So if I were forced to give a grade for this draft right now I would give it a massive F if for no other reason than Matt Dodge.
I lost years off my life due to that guy.
Grade: Incomplete
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