What is the objective in the latter rounds (aka Day 3) of the NFL draft?  Find guys with potential.  If you look at the stats, some don't even make the team as rookies.  Most are gone from the NFL after ~3 years.  You can get a roster spot by sticking on specials, but you won't make the cut after the ~3rd camp if you do not at least show some flashes of being able to be a solid backup.

Enter the 2013 draft, and we are looking for potential.  Low risk.  High reward.  The Giants did great with the R4 selection and got exactly that- QB Ryan Nassib is the right player at the right spot.  If the Giants took him earlier, it would have been too costly, as the real estate in that zip code makes the price too expensive.  Here in the 4th Round, if it does not work, next.  But if it works out, the possibilities are GI-normous.  Because of the situation with Eli, the Giants have the luxury of grooming this kid.  They have TIME. They can develop him. 

Trent Dilfer points out a mechanical issue in his throwing motion- this is the stuff that can fixed.  How did Aaron Rodgers become a great QB?  His mechanics were worked on once he became a Packer and Phil Simms barely recognized the pro Rodgers from the college Rodgers.  So think of Ryan Nassib as an open canvas that the Giants coaches can paint on. 

What is truly exciting is that Nassib has the intangibles.  He is tough.  He is natural leader.  So he has a tremendous amount of potential.  And because Eli is healthy right now, you can slide him in as your backup and hopefully he learns the system properly.  Eli is a great teammate and teacher too.  It is an incredible opportunity for Nassib.  Because of this guy's character, I think that he can make the most out of the situation.  We are as objective as we can be about Reese, so here he deserves a great deal of credit for trying to build a link from Eli to the future.  This is precisely what good managers do- they don't make an organization all about themselves or one player, they develop staff that can make it about the team.  So let's hope Eli can stay healthy and play until he is 40.  But if he cannot, maybe there is the potential to have the NY Giants' next starting QB.

In R5 the Giants selected Cooper Taylor.  He is listed a (big) Safety so he may be converted to a smaller LBer.  Wonder says this is a project, but that he does have a little bit of upside.  Let's see what he can deliver.  A guy like this certainly will have an opportunity to make a name for himself on specials. 

The R7 picks (225 and 253 compensatory) have not been picked yet.  We will share some notes on them later.      

The New York Giants went for Defensive Line in Round 2 and Round 3 of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Our draft analyst Wonder gives an unequivocal opinion on both DT Johnathan Hankins and DE Damontre Moore.  And they could not be any further apart.  Huge thumbs up for Moore and a huge thumbs down for Hankins.  "As bad as the Round 2 pick (Hankins) was, the pick of Moore was equally as good, if not great," says Wonder.  It's all about scheme, and for the Giants DL, it  is part of a 4-3 defense.  Hence the takeaway on both players.

"Hankins is a space eater.  He belongs in a 3-4 to clog up the middle.  I do not understand why the Giants, who use a 4-3, drafted this player.  He's a 2 gap, not a 1 gap.  He does not have the foot speed to get between Guard and Center.  He takes up space period.  This is good for a 3-4 Defense.  For my Jets, or for Dallas, he would be an ok or good pick.  For the Giants, it is a misfit, a terrible pick."

Marvelous, who is incredibly knowledgeable about the Big 10, is very familiar with Hankins: "430 lbs of cr*p from Ohio State no less." (Wonder's initial reaction, which we tweeted, was similarly unflattering.)

As much as Wonder dislikes Hankins in blue, he LOVES Damontre Moore.  Wonder was effusive about the new DE.  "I had him at ~40 in the Draft.  He is mobile and aggressive.  He is a good solid 4-3 DE with potential to develop into a very good pro.  Whatever "it" is, he has it.  He has playmaking ability, he has some speed, he has moves, he played in the SEC, he has experience, and it is just a good solid pick.  Great value for middle of R3. 

"Moore is the best pick of the Giants draft thus far.  He enables the Giants to continue to do their DE rotation with Tuck and JPP, something they had with Osi.  As bad as the R2 pick was, the R3 pick of Moore was as good if not better."

For Wonder, so much of this is scheme.  As an example, he is confounded at how the Jets take Sheldon Richardson, who belongs on the 4-3 Giants, and the Giants take Hankins, who belongs on the 3-4 Jets.  "Maybe they can make a trade?!"  

The NY Giants selected Guard/Tackle Justin Pugh out of Syracuse.  He is an okay selection, at least filling a need on the Offensive Line.  Jerry Reese called Pugh the best guy on their board (when they selected), but our draft analyst believes there were better picks.  "Pugh has 32" arms," said Wonder.  "I am not taking an OLineman with 32" arms at #19 in the NFL Draft.  He's a Right Tackle with short arms.  He is not DJ Fluker, who is a road grader.  Pugh does not flash on film. He is a technician.  I had him at 26 going to the Packers because the Packers were desperate for OL, not because he belonged at 26."    

Wonder goes on to explain the evaluation of Pugh.  "Pugh will be an okay NFL player.  He's a 3 (solid starter) or 4 (replaceable starter).  At the college level you can get away with good technique w/o all of the necessary physical skills.  In the pros, I am worried about speed rushers beating him with swim moves, arm bars, and cutting inside of him because of the short arms.  In college you don't see the NFL DEs like Aldon Smith who are fast on the edge.  Pugh is not a Guard, he is a Right Tackle, and his arms will be a liability.  He cannot move to Left Tackle.  Pugh is an okay pick, nothing to write home about, not a lot of upside."

Mike Mayock rebutts the issue about Justin Pugh's arms.  "It's a combination of great feet and a technician. He takes great angles. He never missteps, and when he locks on he's got heavy hands. Almost everything he does he's under control.  Natural bender on the left side... I love watching this guy's tape."

Who was the pick for the Giants at that spot, given who was available?  Wonder responds: "For my draft, I do not understand why you would not take Alec Ogletree.  There is a player with upside.  If the Giants and the rest of the NFL are worried about the character issues of the DUI, I understand that, but you take a chance with a guy who makes plays.  Ogletree will make plays.  Other players there who would have been fine would be Shariff or Rhodes."

Before this draft, we were optimistic about the Giants drafting a LBer or OL.  The Giants drafted the latter, and for that we are happy.  The quick takeaway is that Pugh is not a potentially dominating prospect, but he is on the Giants now and we will root for him to do as well as he can.  For Wonder's part in evaluating other Giants Round 1 selections in the past, he saw JPP as feast or famine and ranked at 33 because of his lack of college experience.  He did not like Amukamara and was very much validated by all of the other GMs who passed on him when he "fell" (did he?!) to the Giants.  He liked Nicks, but liked Britt a little more.  He was lukewarm on Phillips, in much the same way that he is lukewarm on Pugh.

Not that this is the arbiter of success, but Pugh had the second lowest grade (73) of anyone taken in Round 1 as measured by NFL.com.  (QB EJ Manuel was lower.)  Pugh is suiting up in Giants blue.  For our part, we hope that Mayock's points are going to be what matters.  The Giants have an excellent OL Coach in Pat Flaherty, so we would expect Pugh to develop well and be a solid contributer on Offense.

In this post we will break down the first round of the NFL draft, with particular attention to the Giants selection.

Our draft analyst, Wonder, has been unable to do the hundreds of hours of exhaustive film work required to properly evaluate every player in this year's Draft.  But he has been able to share with us an assessment of the Top 32 picks.  Never bashful, he makes some pointed remarks about players he likes and dislikes.  Everything is about value in the draft, meaning all 32 players chosen will perform in the NFL; it is simply that some will perform at superior level worthy of their selection, while others will have been "reached" for and should not be selected so high.

Let's begin with a quick discussion of the NY Giants.  (1) We won't belabor the point about the need for LBer.  All we need to say is that there is something wrong when your franchise has not selected this staple position in Round 1 of the Draft in 29 years. (2) For years we have been harping on the aging of the OL, watching as guys like Seubert, McKenzie and O'Hara were shed from the roster. Add that Diehl and Snee have shown their age too and you have a large need.  Since Snee was drafted early in R2 in 2004, there has been literally 1 single player (Will Beatty) taken by the Giants in Rounds 1-3 in the last 8 years.  That is negligence.

Wonder echoes the sentiments of LBer and OL for the Giants emphatically.  While he thinks that a good LBer may be there for the Giants, it is more likely that OL will be there at 19.

In terms of the overall draft, Wonder's pick for Offensive Rookie Player of the Year in 2013 is Tavon Austin. He's tough, never missed a game in 4 years, and he's a blazing version of Wes Welker. Stick him in the slot.  He's got the fastest and quickest feet in recent memory.  As long as he is in a system that can protect him from getting hurt, he will offer your team an almost unstoppable weapon on 3rd and 5.  

Defensive Rookie of the Year projection goes to Dion Jordan.  This 3-4 pass rusher has blazing speed, turns the corner well, and a shoulder injury should not be a problem.  

A quick pan of Manti T'eo.  Wonder does not think the Giants will go for him.  T'eo is not a 1st Round NFL player.  He cannot shed a block.

The way the draft sets up, it is relatively strong at OL and DL.  The cream at OL are 3 really good prospects that should offer their teams 10 solid years: Joeckel, Fisher, and Johnson.  They will be gone before the Giants pick, but there are still some very solid road graders that will be available for the Giants.  

Without further ado, Wonder's Round 1 Mock Draft:

1) KC.  OT Luke Joeckel.  And definitely chosen by the Chiefs if they can trade Branden Albert, rumored targeted to Miami.

2) JAX.  DE Dion Jordan.  This will surprise a few, but it is the right thing to do.

3) OAK.  They'll do something ridiculous like taking DT Sharrif Floyd, who is weak and overvalued.

4) PHL.  Chip Kelly desperately wants Dion Jordan.  Taking Geno Smith at 4 is ridiculous.  He will select Star Lotulelei or the one we expect, OT Eric Fisher.

5) DET.  CB Dee Milliner.

6) CLE.  DT Star Lotulelei.

7) AZ.  OT Lane Johnson. 

8) BUF.  G Chance Warmack.

9) NYJ.  They too are upset that the OT's and G's are all raided, so they take DE Barkevious Mingo.  (Wonder notes that he wants Tavon Austin chosen here, but that will not happen.)

10) TENN.  G Jonathan Cooper

11) SD.  They too wanted OL, but with the ones they wanted gone, they take DE Ziggy Ansah.

12) MIA.  CB Xavier Rhodes.

13) TB.  Trade it to the NYJ and the NYJ take WR Tavon Austin.

14) CAR.  WR Cordarrelle Patterson. 

15) NO.  S Kenny Vaccaro.

16) STL.  Trade with Bills or Jaguars and then that team selects QB Geno Smith.

17) PIT.  LB Jarvis Jones.  Adds to the legend of Steelers Linebackers.

18) DAL.  DT Sheldon Richardson, the best available athlete at this spot

19) NYG.  LB Alec Ogletree.   Very good pick for the Giants.  He performs on the field.  He tackles.  He has some speed.  He played in the tough SEC on a top 3 defense in college. Good solid football player.  He is the pick over DJ Fluker, another solid pick the Giants could make at this spot.  The reason I prefer Ogletree over Fluker here is that while Fluker is the "safer" pick with less downside, Ogletree is the pick with more upside, and upside wins titles.Ogletree is a 3 down LBer, another plus for why Reese can take a LBer here in Round 1. 

20) CHI.  OT DJ Fluker.  Road Grader Right Tackle.  Fluker is the best Right Tackle I have seen in years. Very safe solid pick.

21) CIN.  CB Desmond Truffant. 

22) STL.  Great pick of RB Eddie Lacy to replace Steven Jackson.

23) MIN.  They make a mistake and take TE Tyler Eifert, one of the most overrated players in the draft.  He's a good solid TE, but not a #1 pick.

24) IND.  CB DJ Hayden.  They are upset that Cin took Trufant, so they take Hayden.

25) MIN.  DT Sylvester Williams.

26) GB.  Must go OL.  So it is either Menelik Watson or G Justin Pugh, and they take the latter.

27) HOU.  OT Menelik Watson, the one that GB does not pick. 

28) DEN.  DE Bjoern Werner to replace Dumervil.

29) NE.  Will grab a WR, either Keenan Allen, Deandre Hopkins or Robert Woods, whichever they grade the best.

30) ATL.  DE Datone Jones.

31) SF.  CB Jamar Taylor. 

32) BAL.  Will trade down to either BUF or NYJ (or someone else?) who will trade up to take QB Matt Barkley or QB Ryan Nassib.  That is an overreach.  If no one willing to pay up to move up, BAL takes S Matt Elam.

While Martellus Bennett was a fan favorite and certianly had the best season of his career as a receiver in 2012, his loss is being overstated a bit. Coming from Dallas with the tag of "unpolished receiver but elite run blocker," Bennett failed to meet expectations as one of the premier run-blocking tight ends in the league. He showed flashes at times, but his lackadasical approach and inability to produce consistently kept him from being an elite blocker at his position last season. This isn't to say he was a bad blocker because he was far from it. So while the Giants will certainly be downgrading in that area in 2013, Bennett's blocking too left something to be desired at times. 

Yes, Bennet did put up the best statistical season of his career but his lack of natural ball skills, route running and general playmaking never allowed him to become fully immersed into the passing attack (if you frequent this site you know that we have a big issue with the lack of TE use in the Giants' offense in 2012) as a threat, especially down the field. 

In an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio, Jerry Reese hinted at the team's belief that this wont be the case with Myers being one of the more polished receivers at his position:

"Number one he knows how to play. He’s a professional football player. In the past, (tight ends coach) Mike Pope, we gave him some young kids. He had Kevin Boss, and he had Jake Ballard, and Martellus (Bennett) hadn’t played a lot; he played behind the Hall of Fame tight end in Dallas, so he really hadn’t played a lot. This guy has played quite a bit, caught 79 balls last year at Oakland, so there’s not a lot of training; he’s quarterback friendly. He catches 80 balls and people really don’t know that much about him. We think he’ll be a great piece to our offense and I think Eli will have a relationship with him really quickly.''

Last point on Myers as a receiver---let's remember the smorgasbord of quarterbacks he has played with in his career: JaMarcus Russell, Charlie Frye, Bruce Gradkowski, Jason Cambpell, Kyle Boller, Terrelle Pryor and Carson Palmer. Needless to say, Myers is looking forward to the opportunity to play with a quarterback of Eli's caliber. 

One area where Myers struggles, as we all know by now, is run blocking. Although he doesn't stack up to Bennett (Myers is listed at 6'4'' 240 pounds) physically, there is no reason to believe he can't become a servicable run blocker with a bit of coaching from Pope. From a look at the All-22 it is clear that Myers struggles not with his drive blocking ability (he showed on a few occasisons that when he does win at the point of attack, he can drive the defender back) but rather his technique. On nearly every play watched, Myers starts off with at least one and sometimes two false steps before engaging the defender and thus losing the battle at the point of attack far too often. While this is a big "no-no" for any blocker, the false steps hurt Myers even more. Someone as undersized as he is must be as technicially sound a blocker as they can be to negate whatever size deficit they may face on a given play. Anything less and you can expect to lose the individual battle every time.  

Last season Oakland tended to run the ball away from Myers' side (to me this is like putting gum over a leak or fixing a slice in golf by aligning 45 degrees to the left) or had him standing up in the slot as a receiver, the latter of the two being something that the Giants may choose to utilize next season. Plenty of teams are able to mask less than stellar blocking TEs in this manner (Jimmy Graham in NO comes to mind) so perhaps the Giants will line Myers up in a variety of looks outside of the tackle box to maximize his recieving ability and mask his blocking deficencies in the early going. For this to work however, the Giants need several things to happen.

First and most pressing is a better output from the OL in the run game in 2013. I think everyone, members of the organization and fans alike, can agree on this. Another key will be the continued developemnt of Adrien Robinson (who I believe will be an impact player in the league as an all-around TE as soon as this season) particularly as a blocker. The physically impressive tight end, who most of us known from whatever offerings YouTube may have on him, is someone that the Giants could be counting on next season. Reese thinks he is up for the challenge:

So we’re expecting him to make a jump this season and get in and get going and give us some contributions as our big blocking tight end. And he can catch the ball really nice. So we expect to bring him along, and hopefully he’ll contribute for us."

-My thoughts on Connor will be brief and that is not without reason. While we have not seen All-22 tape on him since the signing, his reputation is that of someone who can get downhill quickly and decisively allowing him to serve as a great run stuffer and a 4-3 MLB. How he handles the tranisition as the "QB" of the defense, something Chase Blackburn seemingly excelled with, remains to be seen.

If things are going well for the Giants defense in 2013, it's likely we won't see much of Connor. One would imagine that most obvious passing situations will feature a third safety (the three safety look essentially served as a base defense for the Giants in 2011-12 and was a staple of their late season run) spelling the MLB. If Connor and the defense can do their job of stuffing the run and force the oppositions hand with 2nd/3rd and long situations then the Giants will be able to keep him fresh while alternating from a traditional 4-3 look and the Giants' three-safety look of recent years. So if we're seeing a lot of 4-3 or even that 4-4 look that Fewell desperately went with @ Washington late last season (a decision that was questioned by many) then odds are the Giants run defense picked up where they left off in 2012. But what if we see more of the three-safety look? Then Connor and the run defense have done their job.