New York Football Giants 2010 NFL Draft Needs Assessment

New York Football Giants 2010 NFL Draft Needs Assessment
M.D. Wright
1.25.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: The 2010 NFL Draft is April 22-24, 2010 in New York City. The Giants have the 15th pick in the 1st Round of the upcoming draft.


The Giants weren't as bad as they appeared (defensively -- the offense was just fine minus terrible situational play-calling at times by Offensive Coordinator Kevin Killdrive *ehem* Gilbride), but there are always needs that must be filled as players age (Fred Robbins), get out of shape and aren't nearly as productive as they once were (Antonio Pierce) and quite simply don't cut it for the scheme that the Giants like to run (Danny Clark). Those are the glaring holes. The Giants still have a few small moves that can be made in the draft that can shore up their future for the next 3-5 years at least.


Pick #1. The major issue is the linebacking corps.
The first pick should be used on a Mike or Wheel. These are Pierce and Clark's positions, respectively. Pierce appears to be 7 months pregnant these days and can't run middle-of-the-field to sideline, much less the "sideline-to-sideline" that he was touted for when the Giants signed him as a free agent after leaving Washington.


Clark is a good run defender, but with Osi Umenyiora in front of him (playing poorly against the run; serving more like a swinging gate before being benched due to his lack of production against the run all season late in the season), it wasn't all on Clark. Plus the scheme employed by former Defensive Coordinator Bill Sheridan left the LBs in coverage (a major weakness for Pierce and Clark because they no longer have the speed to run downfield against the better Tight Ends and Wide Receivers who ran into their zones). Strongside linebacker Michael Boley is a speed linebacker who is decent in coverage, but even he had a hard time when he finally did get back into the lineup and played consistent games after injury early.


Good Pick:
MLB/ILB/OLB


1. Brandon Spikes, Florida
2. Sergio Kingle, Texas
3. Rolando McClain, Alabama


Pick #2. The Giants' defensive line strength is somewhat overstated. Although GM Jerry Reese signed several players to bolster the depth, they were just bodies all season. DT Rocky Bernard did next to nothing all season. DT/DE Chris Canty lacks leverage to get to the QB, especially standing 6'7" and being relatively light in the legs. DE Justin Tuck was injured all season and played like a warrior, but a healthy year for Tuck yields 12-15 sacks. He only had 7. Likewise with DE Osi Umenyiora. It was obvious he lacked the burst he normally has coming off ACL surgery, and most of us sports guys have watched enough guys come back from that injury to know it takes a year and a half (or a second season after surgery) to get close to where the player once was. The thing with Umenyiora is that he's torn the knee ligament before. There were questions about his drive this season, especially with his total disregard for defending the running game. He got after the quarterback all year, had 6 sacks (7, depending on who you ask) and several forced fumbles and recoveries, but the Giants were gashed all season when teams ran to their left side (the Giants' right side -- Umenyiora, Cofield and Clark) and most of that was off the edge -- at Umenyiora. As previously stated, he was benched late because of this; although Kiwanuka was no better, given that he couldn't even break engagement with the opposing teams' LT when he became starter and was no better against the run.


Tuck should be fine, Robbins will be 33 and was injured also most of the season. Umenyiora has unofficially said that he may not come back to the Giants next year. Who knows? New Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell will be catering to the Giants' previous strength -- blitzing, attacking the QB with just their front four and allowing the back seven to make plays. We shall see.


Good Pick:
DE/DT


1. Best available at pick #46.


Pick #3. You can never have enough good cornerbacks. The Giants have two, but they were both banged up all year (Ross) or slowed and only played in parts of 13 games (Webster). The other healthy CBs are nickel CBs at best right now; although CB Terrell Thomas will be a starter next year, particularly if Ross does not get back to full strength. That hamstring injury was dubious, because no one spends 4 months recovering from a hammy.


The current CB depth chart consists of:
1. Corey Webster (C)
2. Aaron Ross (C-)
3. Terrell Thomas (A-)
4. Kevin Dockery (C)
5. Bruce Johnson (C)
6. DJ Johnson (INC)


That's not convincing, healthy or not.
Don't be surprised if the Giants go 2nd or 3rd round with a CB pick.


Good Pick:
CB


Pick #4. This is a toss-up, because the draft turns from best player to best value while addressing the rest of your needs. The Giants could use some depth along the offensive line, but it is not PARAMOUNT at this point. The bigger concern, at least at this pick, is SAFETY. There are never more than 4 or 5 NFL-ready safeties in the draft, so finding one in the 100s range is going to require some serious scouting. Nonetheless, there are two major issues with the Giants' secondary. Starting FS Kenny Phillips has a chronic and degenerative condition called patellaosteoarthritis in his knee. It is the reason he was benched after the Week 2 win vs. Dallas in the 2009 season. He could've played through it, as he admitted the day after being informed he was placed on IR on Sept. 24. Considering how the FS position was a veritable sieve and left the Giants playing virtually 10 on 11 all season, one has to question the wisdom of placing Phillips on IR when his play was not negatively affected by the condition. Especially given the fact he has not had surgery yet and probably won't. What was the point of placing him on IR if he could have played and still has not had surgery. That condition is very serious, however; because it may not ever get better and it will cause bone-on-bone pain for young Kenny; and in football that is never good.


The other issue is lack of depth. With Phillips out, the Giants were playing with high school talent. Michael Johnson plays hard, but he just does not have the instincts nor the range necessary to play consistently at the NFL level nor is that range sufficient to make up for average instincts. CC Brown is a sick joke of an NFL player, I will not waste words on him. He's good on special teams and occasionally stacking the box, but in coverage, he is a Giants fan's nightmare. Reminders of CB Elvis "TOAST" Patterson from the early 80s.


Aaron Rouse came in and was a decent stopgap, but he got beat quite a bit as well. His takes were often sloppy and having played the secondary myself, I watch their technique all the time -- his angles were pitiful and he's not a big hitter, even though he's 6'4" and 230 lbs. Go figure.


The Giants only have rookie Sha'reff Johnson who they drafted in '09 in the secondary.


Don't be surprised if the Giants go SAFETY in the 3rd round, but for now, I'm predicting 4th Round, because LB, DT/DE and CB may be more pressing.


Good pick:
Best available.


#5 Pick. At this point in the draft, you just want a hard worker and a value pick. There are usually good finds with linemen on both sides of the ball and a nickel corner/potential special teams star to be had here. WR Sinorice Moss may not return, so the Giants may look at one of those smallish WRs who is a spark plug who can return kicks or serve on the coverage team. They may also be looking at RB, but a backup only; as Andre Brown will be returning (non Giants fans and even those Giants fans who don't fervently follow the team forget he was a steal in the '09 Draft and ran very well at NC State).
Good pick:
RB/WR/ST player


#6 Pick. Most likely a lineman. The Giants had a very good 2009 Draft. WR Ramses Barden will see the field more in 2010 and LB Clint Sintim may move into the Wheel LB spot should Danny Clark leave this year. David Carr is almost sure to leave with 5 or 6 starting QB (6, if Favre finally DOES retire now that the Vikings have been eliminated from the NFL Playoffs for 2009) positions up for grabs in 2010.


Good pick:
Best available/OLB/Backup QB


#7 Pick. No one really cares, but you can never have enough CBs. The Giants do not know if P Jeff Feagles will retire or not, so they may either resort to drafting a guy off the street (bring back Rodney Williams ha?) or maybe letting me try out for the position. I can punt 45-50 yards in the air!


See you for the 2010 NFL Draft -- April 22-24, 2010 here in New York City.