9. New York Jets – Jonathan Cooper, OG/North Carolina – I know just yesterday I had Cooper going to the Jets at #13, but they can’t chance the Titans or Miami would take him before then. The Jets, more than most teams, need a starter from day 1 at probably 4 positions. If Tavon Austin is drafted by either Buffalo, or St. Louis as predicted, The N.Y Jets will tell all the viewers at #9 who exactly is making the decisions for the team. If they trade this pick… It’s Idzick. If they pick a defensive player, Rex Ryan is making the decisions, and if they pick a lineman, Woody Johnson is thinking longevity with his early pick in 2013.

8. St. Louis Rams 8. Buffalo Bills – Tavon Austin, WR West Virginia – Everything I have read today had mentioned that both the N.Y. Jets as well as the Bills are very high on Tavon Austin, but neither is as high on him as St. Louis. With St. Louis having two first round picks, the ability to move up is infinite. This also works in favor for Buffalo who has to pick in front of Minnesota to make sure they get their pick of a QB like Ryan Nassib at 16, or E.J. Manuel and still acquire more picks later this year, or possibly next. If the Jets don’t go after Nassib at #13, he will fall directly to Buffalo.

7. Cardinals – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah – ESPN’s Todd McShay “loves” this guy. I also think he can play in either scheme (4-3 or 3-4) as both at DT, or DE. He beats the Offensive line early in games and often and makes his presence felt. At 6’3” 311lbs, Star has the prototypical size and strength to be an impact player right away, which is exactly what a first round pick should do for your team.

6. Oakland Raiders – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” . At 6’3 297 pounds, and with a solid 40 time, Oakland loves highly touted athletic players of which Floyd definitely fits the mold. West Virginia WR Tavon Austin could also go here, or the Raiders could do something smart and move further down again in order to grab more talent, much like the Patriots do every year.

5. Detroit Lions – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – Ansah reportedly didn’t hire a trainer for the combine instead focusing on finishing his classes at BYU. His draft stock was already high but this news makes him seem kind of freakish. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms, Ansah posted the sixth fastest forty times (4.63) of 37 defensive linemen who ran, and his 34 1/2-inch vertical tied for seventh. There is also a rumor that his 40 at the combine was the first one he ever ran in his lifetime. In 5 years’ time, this will either seem like the steal of the top 10, or a total bust.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Luke Joeckel, OT/ Texas A&M – Chip Kelly gets to choose between a dynamic DE in BYU Ziggy Ansah or the consensus #1 for the last few months. I understand his new offense has been quoted by LeSean McCoy as being “a track meet” and I truly think that unless another team that is looking to move up, like the San Diego Chargers, trades into this position the choice will be Joeckel or North Carolina OG Lane Johnson.

3. Cleveland Browns – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – In the first trade of the NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders are said to be looking to trade down, and Cleveland has been rumored to be very interested in both, West Virginia QB Geno Smith, or BYU DE Ezekiel Ansah. Brandon Weeden was the last regimes QB, and unfortunately his biggest loss will be the fact that his new bosses didn’t draft him, and therefore will never have “their guy” until they draft “their guy.” There is also talk that if the top two tackles don’t go 1 & 2, Oakland would be willing to trade for nearly anyone who thinks the LT is a position of need and is willing to pay with multiple picks.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Dion is an anomaly. Most prospects unable to compete at either the combine or their pro day typically fall on draft boards. Instead, all this kid has done is run a 40 and he’s being considered as one of the best defensive players available this year. Jordan was unable to help his draft stock at the Oregon Pro day because he is recovering from a recent surgery to repair a torn labrum. He ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine, which is amazing. GM David Caldwell recently said, “We’re pretty close – It’s down to two people.” Most people believe the two he referenced are Oregon DE Dion Jordan and West Virginia QB Gen Smith., but there is new talk that OT Luke Joeckel or Central Michigan OT Eric Fisher depending on who Kansas City takes is a likely pick for Jacksonville. Again, I don’t see it. The Jags offense was woeful, but it’s still better than their defense.

1. Kansas City Chiefs – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – Yes for the first time in 3 months Texas A&M OT Luke Joeckel has fallen from the top spot. A lot of chatter has been made about Fisher being the favorite of Andy Reid and I can’t say there is a heck of a difference between him and Luke. It will come down to who the coaches liked more, and thought was the better guy. There has been some speculation the Chiefs will try to trade down, but I don’t see it.

32. Baltimore Ravens – Kevin Minter, ILB/LSU – I am not alone in thinking Baltimore will be looking to somehow replace Ray Lewis and the skill set he gave the Ravens throughout his career. Minter has been compared to Jets LB David Harris. Harris has 22.5 sacks in 6 seasons with the Jets, so to be honest; I think Baltimore would be thinking bigger than those numbers. Minter was the most dependable player on an LSU defense chock-full of prospective NFL talent, According to NFL.com’s Rob Rang, Minter compares to DeMeco Ryans and not Harris as mentioned before. Rang was quoted as saying “Like Ryans, Minter is slightly undersized and relies on his instincts and reliable tackling ability — rather than sheer explosiveness — to accumulate impressive stat-lines. Florida International SS Jonathan Cyprien is another name to watch for here.

31. San Francisco 49ers – Zach Ertz, TE/Stanford – I believe the 49’ers will move up in the draft in order to secure Ertz. Zach has been mentioned as a target for plenty of teams and because of his popularity, as well as the 49’ers having more picks than anyone else in the draft, they’ll move up somewhere in the teens to make this pick. With the departure of Delanie Walker the 49ers need a substitute for their 2 TE sets. Colin Kaepernick needs the keep with the same offensive sets to make the pistol offense as effective as we saw it in 2013. Ertz is a poor blocker and will struggle at time at the next level, but his hands are that of a possession WR. Look for the NY Jets to trade out of the #13th pick they just got from Tampa in order to acquire 2-3 picks from San Fran in exchange.

30. Atlanta Falcons – Desmond Trufant, CB/ Washington – The brother of Seattle Seahawk CB Marcus Trufant and NYJ CB Isiah Trufant, little brother Desmond may be the best of all three. He set career-bests in 2011 as a junior with a pair of interceptions and 16 passes defended, and has the luxury of picking the brains of his two older brothers about the trials and tribulations of the NFL. Atlanta is also short at the DE position and if a big name, (Moore, Werner, Jones) were to fall to 30, I think they’d gobble them up.

29. New England Patriots – Margus Hunt, DE/ Southern Methodist – The Patriots are one of the best at scouting small school kids, with big time talent. Speaking of talent, Hunt hails from Karksi-Nuia, Estonia, and came to SMU as a decorated track and field athlete (he’d set a junior world record in the discus throw at the 2006 World Junior Championships). Margus first started playing football in 2009 and set an NCAA record with 17 blocked kicks (10 field goals, seven extra points) for Southern Methodist. His lack of time spent around the game of football may be the only critique scouts have given him. Good for Margus, Coach Bill Belichick can push him into the film room, and let him learn in training camp and practices what it takes to be a complete NFL player before rushing him out there.

28. Denver Broncos – Datone Jones, DE/ UCLA – Offense is no longer a problem in Denver, thank you Peyton Manning, Wes Welker, etc.. Jones ran a 4.80 official forty at the Combine and was a top-five performer among defensive linemen in the 20-yard shuttle (4.32). Gil Brandt of CBS believes Jones is more of a fit as a DE in a 4-3. Denver will be looking for a replacement for Elvis Dumervil who recently signed with Baltimore. Jones will team up with Von Miller to cause havoc on the rest of the AFC West.

27. Houston Texans – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – Patterson scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. Andre Johnson isn’t getting any younger and this kid would be a top 12 selection if he had his head on straight. I think going to a veteran team like Houston would be a great fit. He would get to see how real professionals work every day, and learn how to read and react to defenses, while making crisp cuts and running good routes. Originally I had Patterson going as high as 8 to the Bills, but as we get closer to the draft, the chatter in Buffalo is to move down and grab Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib somewhere in the 20’s.

26. Green Bay Packers – Eddie Lacy, RB/ Alabama –This is a luxury pick. The luxury of having one of the best QB’s in the game! Aaron Rodgers has done virtually everything possible in the passing attack for the Packers. Having a quality, forceful downhill runner to get those tough third downs, is something Lacy proved he could do having totaled 1,046 yards and 17 touchdowns in 7 games last year. He’s proven to be worthy of a 1st round pick.

25. – Minnesota Vikings (Via Seahawks) – Alec Ogletree, ILB/Georgia – Coach Leslie Frazier strongly hinted that the Vikings may use one of their first-round picks on a middle linebacker, and it should be between Ogletree, LSU ILB Kevin Minter, and Notre ‘ Manti T’eo. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock says he is “scared to death” of Georgia LB Alec Ogletree as a first-round pick due both to off- and on-field concerns, but the need for a linebacker is too high for the Vikings to not take the chance that Mayock is wrong.

24. Indianapolis Colts – Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE/ Florida State – Can I start by saying I love his nickname “Tank.” With Dwight Freeney looking to sign elsewhere, the Colts will be in a position of need at DE. “Tank” has been rising up boards and some have him going to the Vikings who sandwich the Colts with picks after the Percy Harvin deal. We’ll get to the Vikings in a second; Carradine suffered a torn ACL in November of 2012, and was performing at his pro day in April. That’s Adrian Peterson like, heh, another Vikings reference. With that being said…

23. Minnesota Vikings – Sylvester Williams, DT/ North Carolina – How do you continue to make the Williams wall work in Minnesota?? Draft another Williams of course! In the first of their 2 picks the Vikings will give the Williams wall a little help at DE and DT with Sylvester’s help. If Williams gets past the Cowboys, which is a big “If,” I would expect Minnesota to jump at the chance of having what many consider to be a highly touted prospect.

22. St. Louis Rams (Via Redskins) – Matt Elam, S/Florida – At 5’9”, Elam’s size is a major concern for NFL teams looking to draft him since he will be the last line of defense against the Gronks and Calvin Johnsons on the league. He was asked to cover slot receivers at Florida so he has shown his ability to cover well, and he’s also known for laying a hit. St. Louis has many needs, safety being one of the most prevalent. The Rams should send Robert Griffin a thank you card for this one.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Jonathan Cyprien, SS/ Florida International – The Bengals will be choosing between a DB, S, and RB so there is no guarantee on Cyprien. However the needs to address to secondary may seem more logical when what most seem to think is the best Strong Safety in this years’ class is still on the board. Since TE’s have become such an important factor for how offenses move the ball these days, the ability to stop them becomes a defensive priority. Cyprien is known to explode into opposing players, but is criticized for taking bad angles on plays, therefore missing tackles. Something a coach can fix if he’s willing to listen.

20. Chicago Bears – Tyler Eifert, TE/ Notre Dame – In my last draft I had mentioned that I wouldn’t rule out the Bears as a potential landing spot for Eifert. Well after more reading, I understand new HC Mark Trestman likes to run a 2 TE set in his offense often, and that was the key to this pick. Martellus Bennet just signed with Chicago, but having Eifert on the opposite side would give Jay Cutler 2 safety nets, when his offensive line fails him again and again. Offensively, Eifert is a beast. At 6’5” 250lbs. he’s a massive target with great hands. His only trouble is blocking. He ran a 4.68 40 time at the combine and it’s been suggested on other mock drafts that he could go as early as the Dolphins. If there is one of the top 7 offensive lineman still available at this point Eifert should be an after-thought considering how often Jay Culter gets rushed out of the pocket. The likelihood of that happening seems to lessen the closer we get to draft day.

Tomorrow GmenHQ will post picks 19-10 with all the latest information corresponding to each team, and picks 9-1 on Thursday.

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OFFENSE – Needs – OL, RB

The offensive line was been slowly dissolving into a weaker unit as a whole. Chris Snee and David Diehl are both getting up there in age, and the need for a rock solid starter for years to come should be a focal point at some point early in 2013. Luckily for the Gmen this year is a great year for lineman and they should have their pick of whoever may fall out of the top 15 this year, or even have the opportunity of taking a solid starter in rounds 2-4. The ability for that prospect to learn the nuances of the line from veterans like Snee and Diehl would also work in the Giants favor.

It’s believed up to 7 offensive linemen could go in the first round. I would not expect the top 4 lineman, Joeckel, Fisher, Cooper, and Warmack to be available at 19; however, guys like D.J. Fluker, and Melenick Watson would be an excellent addition for the Giants. Fluker earned preseason All-SEC recognition in 2012 and went on to earn many honors, including second-team All-America by AP and Walter Camp and first-team All-SEC from the coach and second-team from the media while starting each of the Crimson Tide’s games en route to the national title. Menelik Watson recorded a 27.5-inch vertical jump and 19 strength lifts. He played right tackle at Florida State but the feeling is he can play left tackle. If the Giants decide to go in another direction in round 1, look for Justin Pugh in round 2, or Barrett Jones in Round 3. Both players versatility is unparalleled to the entire lineman class outside of the top 4 lineman in the draft. Pugh may be the biggest reason Ryan Nassib is considered to be a good QB prospect since he kept him on his feet throughout his college career, while Jones was D.J. Flukers’ teammate and has won a national championship playing 3 separate positions on the offensive line (C, OG, and OT.)

Running back is a much smaller need since we’re really talking about a back-up here. David Wilson will be the #1 back going forward and Andre Brown can’t stay healthy, so were looking for a versatile back with some pass catching ability to be a fill in while Wilson and Brown get some rest. Brown will be a free agent after next season so there should be an interest in having some security at the position, but it won’t be until round 4 or lower. Guys I love like Michigan State Le’Veon Bell and North Carolina Giovanni Bernard will be long gone, so the Giants will be looking for a RB who can also be used as a punt returner, or a great blocker on special teams. Enter Florida RB Mike Gillislee. Gillislee went crazy in his senior season after finally getting the starting gig. He totaled 1,152 yards and 10 touchdowns in the SEC. That takes talent, and this kid has some serious upside. Considered a top prep-school prospect coming out of high school, Gillislee sat behind Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps before they both left for the NFL. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not going to be a starter, but he would be more than helpful. He should be chosen in rounds 4 or 5.

DEFENSE – Needs – LB, DB

Dan Connor, Mark Herzlich, Mathias Kiwanuka, Keith Rivers. Those are the best ILB’s on the Giants roster as of now. Kiwanuka is no slouch. He’s a heck of a player and a great LB, but he’s not a natural MLB. Rivers was just signed to a 1 yr. deal, but he’s not a MLB either. Herzlich is a fantastic story, and an inspiration in the locker room, that being said he’s not going to the pro-bowl this year, though I wish him the best on making it one day. The glaring need for a captain in the middle has been a problem for the last two years, and it should be a priority.

The problem is this isn’t a great class of ILB. As a matter of fact I only really like two of them and that’s LSU’s MLB Kevin Minter and Georgia LB Jarvis Jones. Just like Gillislee at Florida, Minter and Jones played in the SEC, which is a tutoring lesson for the NFL. So many great NFL players come from that conference. Minter was clearly the best defensive player on his team at LSU, but is he worth the #19th pick overall? Jones on the other hand would be a gift if he somehow falls to #19. Teams are very skeptical of Jones because of some pretty serious medical concerns. Jones was diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis, a narrowing of the spine that can result in numbness, loss of muscle control, and in some cases paralysis. He has since been cleared by doctors, saying that it was a miss-diagnosis, but that really tainted his draft stock. He is a top 10 talent that will fall some but I’m not sure he makes it to 19. If he should, would the Giants consider him healthy enough for them to draft? That’s a question for Jerry Reece. I think it would be an easy pick myself. Jones isn’t even considered a true MLB, which goes against my own thought process. He’s just too good to pass up if he’s still there. Now if he isn’t I think the Giants should look at OL or a CB in the first round.

With that being said, let’s talk about the CB / S class for the 2013 NFL Draft. This class has some serious talent. Dee Milliner barring any major injury will be a shutdown corner in the NFL. The Giants would need to move way up in the draft to even think about Dee and that’s not Mr. Reece’s style. Instead the Giants should be looking at 3 guys in particular.

(1) Florida State CB, Xavier Rhodes – Rhodes, like Jarvis Jones would have to fall in the draft according to most mock drafts. According to what you read, he could go to the Dolphins at 12, the Bucs at 13 and the Saints at 15. The kid has a 40.5” vertical leap, an 11’ broad jump, and he ran a 4.39 40 at the combine. All 32 teams were present at his pro-day, and is considered by most to be the second best CB prospect in this class.

(2) Texas FS, Kenny Vaccaro – Vaccaro emerged as arguably the best safety in the Big 12 as a junior, posting 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, eight passes broken up and two interceptions. While the Longhorns’ talented defense struggled in 2012, Vaccaro registered a career-high 107 tackles and five turnovers (two interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery). He has great instincts and hits hard, 2 qualities needed to be successful as a FS in the NFL. Giants’ fans should be thrilled if Vaccaro is taken at #19.

(3) Houston CB, D. J. Hayden – Hayden, also has similarities to Jarvis Jones. Hayden had what could have been a fatal injury last year. Hayden suffered a heart issue — a torn inferior vena cava — which was called the “most unique injury in the history of the draft” by a Packers executive, but he’s getting good news in his team physicals after checking out at the Combine. Hayden was elected to the 2012 ALL Conference USA team even though he only played 9 games after the heart related injury. He was a team Captain at Houston, and shows the willingness to fight through adversity. I would take him last of the three only due to the unbelievable injury he suffered in a practice! Still, he’s very talented and would be a good pick for the Giants.

For those of you who follow my draft and are wondering how I could have written this entire piece without mentioning Florida State DE Bjoern Werner after having him as the Giants pick for many weeks now, I say… I just did. (HA!) I would like to remind everyone reading this that the article is about players the Giants should be looking at to fill a need, not who they think is the best player available at the time. I know, semantics but hey! What can you do?

Follow me on Twitter @Jferguson631

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Dion is an anomaly. Most prospects unable to compete at either the combine or their pro day typically fall on draft boards. Instead, all this kid has done is run a 40 and he’s being considered as one of the best defensive players available this year. Jordan was unable to help his draft stock at the Oregon Pro day because he is recovering from a recent surgery to repair a torn labrum. He ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine, which is amazing. GM David Caldwell recently said, “We’re pretty close – It’s down to two people.” Most people believe the two he referenced are Oregon DE Dion Jordan and West Virginia QB Gen Smith.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – I jokingly put “the ghost of All Davis lives” when I first put Geno to the Raiders in late January. The truth is Davis would have been drooling at the opportunity to grab a mobile QB, especially if he had been alive to see RGIII the year before. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie will be left with making a franchise changing decision, as QB’s taken in the top 5 can cost a GM their job if they don’t pan out. Just ask Mike Tannenbaum. The Raiders released Carson Palmer due to salary cap issues, and have only have Matt Flynn & Terrelle Pryor on staff at QB. This pick is easy.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – Ansah reportedly didn’t hire a trainer for the combine instead focusing on finishing his classes at BYU. His draft stock was already high but this news makes him seem kind of freakish. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms, Ansah posted the sixth fastest forty times (4.63) of 37 defensive linemen who ran, and his 34 1/2-inch vertical tied for seventh. There is also a rumor that his 40 at the combine was the first one he ever ran in his lifetime. Ansah is a lightning in a bottle type of player and would be a welcome addition to any defense that drafts him. Billy Davis should be thrilled.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – The Lions were active in free agency acquiring RB Reggie Bush, DE Jason Jones, and CB Chris Houston. Former Colts GM Bill Polian mentioned Detroit as the “greatest show on turf.” That ought to be billboard material for division rival Bears, Vikings and Packers. The ability to stop those teams, as well as the rest of their opponents next year will be a priority on draft day. In a past mock I mentioned that according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, teams wanting Alabama CB Dee Milliner will “probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at No. 5 to get him. Enough said.

6. Cleveland Browns – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” The reason for his fall to six has more to do with the rise of Dion Jordan and Ziggy Ansah up opposing teams’ draft boards. At 6’3 297 pounds, with a solid 40 time, Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring. Cleveland recently spent some big money on DE Paul Kruger and will be developing an intimidating pass rush after drafting Floyd to compliment him. Utah DE Star Lotulelei could also fit nicely here.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – Carson Palmer was recently acquired and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Total Access that the Cardinals are unlikely to draft a quarterback at No. 7 overall. This may not be the popular thing to do from a fan perspective, but it makes a heck of a lot of sense. The QB class outside of Smith is not worthy of a selection this high and a good LT is a necessity in a rebuilding process. Bruce Arians and his imaginative play calling would love to feel confident their QB, whoever it is, will stay upright no matter what the play, and Fisher can do just that. Watch for Arizona to draft a QB in the 2nd round.

8. Buffalo Bills – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – I am less confident in this pick every day. Last time I had mentioned “Patterson needs a coach that isn’t going to take any crap and can bring him in with more a drill instructor mind set than a player coach mentality”. Now there are reports from a WR coach that Patterson would be an offensive coach’s dream. This is pure crap. You don’t change from a head case to a saint in the time since the combine. GM Buddy Nix mentioned to the press that he wanted to draft a big time WR as well as a franchise QB. Good luck with that. Patterson is considered to be as immature as he is talented. There was a report from a scout that he questioned Patterson’s intelligence and thinks the team that drafts him will have to simplify their offense to make him successful. Still, he scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. Some drafts have Buffalo grabbing Ryan Nassib here, but I can’t see it. His combine was average and he’s not coming from a football powerhouse in Syracuse. His talent is fantastic, but even with his former coach now in charge of the Bills; Nassib would be a major risk here. I do however think West Virginia WR Tavon Austin has a legitimate chance to be drafted here.

9. New York Jets – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah – The Jets are a tough team to gauge simply because they have so many needs and on both sides of the field. Lotulelei has been all over draft boards due to his supposed heart issues which have since been declared a non-issue. Star won the Morris trophy which is the award given to the best defensive player, voted by the Pac-12 offensive lineman he played against. His prototypical size at 6’3 311lbs. will help Rex Ryan in his pursuit of a pass rush. He should be a great addition to a line that just lost Sione Pouha and is in desperate need of improvement.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – I stand by this pick since the first mock in Late January. The Titans need to give Jake Locker a chance. Ha! Chance… In order to do that he needs to stay on his feet and taking the best guard at 10 would be a big time pick for the Titans. Warmack is a wild card to me, as the Jets, Cardinals, and Eagles could all use some help at the offensive line, so if he’s still available Tennessee will pounce. CBS Sports has Warmack as the second best prospect in this year’s draft behind only Luke Joeckel.

11. San Diego Chargers – Lane Johnson, OT/ Oklahoma – The new regime of GM Tom Telesco, HC Mike McCoy, and OC Ken Whisenhunt have a lot of work to do to keep the Chargers relevant. Johnson did 28 reps of 225lbs at the combine and with his strength will help Philip Rivers try to redeem himself after getting sacked on 50 of his 587 drop backs. The Bolts’ most glaring need is at left tackle, where Jared Gaither up and quit last season, and Johnson will also help fill the void on the right side where Louis Vasquez played before he departed to Denver.

12. Miami Dolphins – Jonathan Cooper, OG/North Carolina – Miami lost Jake Long to St. Louis and now are left with Jonathan Martin at left tackle and they brought in Nate Garner to be a swing tackle/guard. That being said, neither of those guys is going to a pro bowl any time soon. Cooper will help Miami recover from their loss of a former 1st round lineman. Greg Cossel from NFL films praised Cooper saying “the most purely athletic guard I can remember seeing” coming out of college. Cooper plays with “light feet, great balance,” and also showed a “nasty streak,” consistently “looking for contact.” Cooper is considered by some to be the best guard prospect in the class.

13. New York Jets (Via Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Tavon Austin, WR/West Virginia – For this to happen, Derrelle Revis must first become a Buccaneer. Consider it done! This trade is going to happen and it will happen before the draft, simply because no team would be willing to give up a first round pick for a player that they haven’t medically deemed healthy. Austin is a heck of a talent and will do wonders in the west coast offense the Jets are planning on using. Jets fans should also be looking towards receiving a 3rd round and maybe a late round pick or a pick in 2014 in the Revis trade.

14. Carolina Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Panthers statistically had a top 15 defense in 2012 finishing 10th in the league for yards per game allowed. Richardson, who stands 6’2”, 294lbs., became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play. His presence should help solidify Carolina’s front seven.

15. New Orleans Saints – Menelik Watson, OT/ Florida State – This kid is very intriguing. He has only played 2 years of football after coming over from Manchester England, but is considered by NFL.com’s Gil Brandt as a “very good offensive lineman.” Pursued by the likes of Oklahoma, Oregon, Auburn, Cal and Rutgers, Watson elected to sign with Florida State where he emerged as a starter in just his second season of playing the sport. Drew Brees and Mark Ingram will enjoy Watson’s services as he is helpful in both the run and the pass.

16. St. Louis Rams – D.J. Fluker, OT/Alabama – Some scouts doubt if Fluker can play tackle in the pro level. St. Louis is in dire need of offensive line help, so the concerns will be listened to, but ignored. D.J. Fluker who measures in at 6’6” 339 would be the 7th offensive linemen taken in this mock and the second of the first round coming from a SEC powerhouse in Alabama that produces NFL players every single year.

Feb 21, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Syracuse offensive lineman Justin Pugh speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Pugh from Syracuse is projected as an early second day pick, so if he falls to the Giants, it will be another teams mistake. At 6’5 309lbs, Pugh, can play nearly every position on the offensive line with the most experience at LT. He would be a perfect pick for the Gmen with his versatility. The Giants should continue to look at offensive lineman throughout the draft as they need to get some younger talent on the roster.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” At 6’3 297 pounds, with a solid 40 time, Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring. There are rumors that Jaguars owner Shad Khan was present at Geno Smith’s Pro Day, and Blaine Gabbert hasn’t proven anything at the NFL level, so this is still a fluid situation.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – The fever is here! The QB buzz is beginning to rise, and Geno Smith is obviously the best QB prospect in this draft. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie will be left with making a franchise changing decision, as QB’s taken in the top 5 can cost a GM their job if they don’t pan out. Just ask Mike Tannenbaum. The Raiders retained Terelle Pryor and Carson Palmer on their roster, however neither of them is in the future plans for the Oakland Raiders.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Jordan was unable to help his draft stock at the Oregon Pro day because he is recovering from a recent surgery to repair a torn labrum and he’s still a top 5 pick! Jordan ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine, which is amazing. At 6’6” but only 248lbs., he’s going to get pushed around at the next level. That is, if they can catch him. The Eagles will run a 3-4 defense under DC Billy Davis and Jordan should be a dynamic speed rusher from the outside for Davis defensive unit.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – The Lions were active in free agency acquiring RB Reggie Bush, DE Jason Jones, and CB Chris Houston. Former Colts GM Bill Polian mentioned Detroit as the “greatest show on turf.” That ought to be billboard material for division rival Bears, Vikings and Packers. The ability to stop those teams, as well as the rest of their opponents next year will be a priority on draft day. Last mock I mentioned that according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, teams wanting Alabama CB Dee Milliner will “probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at No. 5 to get him. I’m still working off that theory, until I read something that tells me otherwise.

6. Cleveland Browns – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – Ansah reportedly didn’t hire a trainer for the combine instead focusing on finishing his classes at BYU. His draft stock was already high but this news makes him seem kind of freakish. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms, Ansah posted the sixth fastest forty times (4.63) of 37 defensive linemen who ran, and his 34 1/2-inch vertical tied for seventh. There is also a rumor that his 40 at the combine was the first one he ever ran in his lifetime. Ansah is a lightning in a bottle type of player and would be a welcome addition to any defense that drafts him, especially one that just signed DE Paul Kruger to rush from the opposite side.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Total Access that the Cardinals are unlikely to draft a quarterback at No. 7 overall. This may not be the popular thing to do from a fan perspective, but it makes a heck of a lot of sense, even if West Virginia QB Geno Smith was somehow still on the board. The QB class outside of Smith is not worthy of a selection this high and a good LT is a necessity in a rebuilding process. Bruce Arians and his imaginative play calling would love to feel confident their QB, whoever it is, will stay upright no matter what the play, and Fisher can do just that.

8. Buffalo Bills – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – Patterson needs a coach that isn’t going to take any crap and can bring him in with more a drill instructor mind set than a player coach mentality. Doug Marrone may have his hands full, but GM Buddy Nix mentioned to the press that he wanted to draft a big time WR as well as a franchise QB. Good luck with that. Patterson is considered to be as immature as he is talented. There was a report from a scout that he questioned Patterson’s intelligence and thinks the team that drafts him will have to simplify their offense to make him successful. Still, Patterson scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. The Bills would welcome his talents. Now all they need is a QB and will be looking towards Ryan Nassib in the second round.

9. New York Jets – Jarvis Jones OLB/ Georgia – The National Football Post reported Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones’ neck injury is “starting to look like it might be a non-issue on draft day,” and “there is little chance he falls out of the top ten.” Jones has so much risk attached to him, and yet so much potential. The Jets need a pass rush, but missing out on what could be a dynamic MLB is more of a risk than Jones supposed neck injury. ESPN is reporting the Jets are looking beyond the upcoming season and are already planning for the 2014 draft where Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel would be eligible to be drafted if he chooses to leave. The Jets have been working on a Darrelle Revis trade with the Tampa Bay where they are looking to acquire at least a 2014 first round pick.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – I stand by this pick since the first mock in Late January. The Titans need to give Jake Locker a chance. Ha! Chance… In order to do that he needs to stay on his feet and taking the best guard at 10 would be a big time pick for the Titans. Warmack is a wild card to me, as the Jets, Cardinals, and Eagles could all use some help at the offensive line.

11. San Diego Chargers – Lane Johnson, OT/ Oklahoma – The new regime of GM Tom Telesco, HC Mike McCoy, and OC Ken Whisenhunt have a lot of work to do to keep the Chargers relevant. Johnson did 28 reps of 225lbs at the combine and with his strength will help Philip Rivers try to redeem himself after getting sacked on 50 of his 587 drop backs. The Bolts’ most glaring need is at left tackle, where Jared Gaither up and quit last season, and Johnson will also help fill the void on the right side where Louis Vasquez played before he departed to Denver.

12. Miami Dolphins – Jonathan Cooper, OG/North Carolina – Miami lost Jake Long to St. Louis and now are left with Jonathan Martin at left tackle and they brought in Nate Garner to be a swing tackle/guard. That being said, neither of these guys is going to a pro bowl any time soon. Cooper will help Miami recover from their loss of a former 1st round lineman. Greg Cossel from NFL films praised Cooper saying “the most purely athletic guard I can remember seeing” coming out of college. Cooper plays with “light feet, great balance,” and also showed a “nasty streak,” consistently “looking for contact.”

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah –I personally think this guy is a top 5 pick who will fall all the way to the Bucs because of concerns with his heart. There are many rumors that his heart related issues could be nothing more than a dietary problem which would make Tampa the big winner if that were true. Star is exactly that, a star in the making, and Tampa just lost Michael Bennett to Seattle so they will need some depth on the line to compliment Gerald McCoy and Da’Quan Bowers who should be starting this year.

14. Carolina Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Panthers statistically had a top 15 defense in 2012 finishing 10th in the league for yards per game allowed. Richardson, became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play. His presence should help solidify Carolina’s front seven.

15. New Orleans Saints – Barkevious Mingo, DE/LSU –Mingo possesses the frame at 6-5, 240 pounds and athleticism to warrant top 10 considerations but at this point he remains an unpolished prospect, and that’s why he will fall to 15. Mingo had a great combine as expected from the athletically gifted DE/OLB. He ran the 40 time in 4.58 which was incredibly fast, and his ten yard splits were also very good which is used to gain short yardage burst. A skill needed at the OLB or DE position in the NFL. With Jonathan Vilma back playing for an entire season, the Saints should regroup and be a much better defense than they showed in 2012.

16. St. Louis Rams – Tavon Austin, WR/West Virginia – The Rams were able to lure OT Jake Long from Miami, so the need to draft a lineman here is much less. Danny Amendola left in free agency to the Patriots after they lost Wes Welker, which is ironic because Austin wants his game to resemble Wes Welker. The Rams would love to get that kind of production from him which would give Sam Bradford a target across the middle much like Tom Brady did for so many years with Welker.

19. New York Giants – Manti Te’o, ILB/Notre Dame

Someone is going to spend a first round pick on Te’o and each week it’s a different team. Maybe this is so when the draft actually arrives, no one take Te’o, but as much fun as it is to hate on his fake girlfriend and his bad 40-time, Te’o isn’t that bad of a prospect. He was slow at the combine, but he’s got football speed and that’s something more valuable than a linebacker being able to quickly run 40-yards.  Te’o will be a side-to-side player, not a straight line player and he fills a major hole for the Giants that they can’t fill on the open market.

I want to say this as clearly as possible, If Tavon Austin and Bjoern Werner are still available and Jerry Reece picks Manti “Catfish” Te’o? I would ask the team doctor to check him for a concussion. I hope he has a baseline test like all the players for the doctors to work with because something doesn’t seem right. First of all, Reece has an affinity for DE, just look at Osi, JPP, Kiwanuka.. . Second, if by some disastrous circumstance the Giants can’t resign Victor Cruz, your gonna pass on a slot receiver like Austin? Somebody get the smelling salts. I wholeheartedly disagree with this pick. Sure the Giants need help at LB. We all get that Chase Blackburn is not the answer, he’s more of a complimentary player next to a stud in the middle. LSU LB Kevin Minter, or even the supposed immature idiot Georgia LB Alec Ogletree are safer picks than Te’o.

19. New York Giants – Bjoern Werner, Defensive End, Florida State

Werner was once viewed as a top three prospect, but it’s clear that he is more of a player that is solid in every area without being special in any single category. That delivers a minor blow to his draft stock, but don’t be worried, he is still a very reliable and consistent player that can generate pressure.

Former Florida State DE Bjoern Werner was considered by many to be a top ten talent early on. His combine statistics did not overwhelm anybody and afterwards is viewed as a good player, bu not special. After what Giants fans saw from Jason Pierre Paul, a player whose story is similar to Werners in many ways, they should be thoroughly satisfied with this selection. Much in the same mold as Mathias Kiwanuka, Werner could play at both OLB and DE making him a solid pick at 19. Werner would fill the hole that is expected with Osi Umenyiora departure in free agency, and would function as depth if Osi decides to re-up with the Gmen.

The questions that remain are can All Time Great Tight Ends Coach Mike Pope turn “The JPP of Tight Ends” Adrien Robinson into a starter and every down player?  Does Bear Pascoe give you enough versatility and talent to hold you over through injuries and changes in formations?  Will Travis Beckum ever get healthy enough to contribute the big play ability we have been told about, and seen on one play?  Will Larry Donnell at 6’6″ and 269 out of Grambling be the next guy to step in and perform?

Theses are the questions facing the Giants, along with at what price they can retain Martellus Bennett who is currently a free agent?  The team and Bennett have expressed interest in working out a new deal….but if that can be done remains to be seen.

The tight ends position has been a strong one in recent drafts, and this one is no exception.  The issue is do you spend the pick at 19 on a tight end, or hope someone lasts to pick 51?  Tough decisions ahead for Jerry Reese and the Giants.

Will Beatty’s cap numbers: $3.55M (’13), $7.4M (’14), $8.05M (’15), $9.175M (’16), $9.325M (’17).

This is a great deal for both sides because it’s long enough to get the best that Beatty has to offer, but not too long that the Giants would be forced to release him down the line to save money.  Beatty gets a nice guaranteeand stays with the team that has trained him to be a left tackle in their system.

Nice work  by Jerry Reese.

In 2011 the team finished 8-8 after Rex Ryan’s third straight Super Bowl guarantee and didn’t even make the playoffs. Revis then tears his ACL in Week 3 of this past season against the Dolphins and thus sank the Titanic known as the New York Jets. Why did I choose the
 Titanic as a  reference? Because the Jets look more like a shipwreck than a professional football team!

The writing is on the wall here Jets Fans. Mike Tannenbaum is gone, so thankfully no one else is going to give $30 million more to Mark “I-Look-Like-I’ve-Lost-Interest” Sanchez, but the Jets unfortunately still have to pay for all 
the salary mistakes Tannenbaum and Woody Johnson have put their team under. John Idzik is
 renowned for his ability to do just that, but not in one year’s time people! The Jets over the course of the last five 
years have gone from a team with a world of potential to a team lacking even an identity. You can’t 
blame that on one man, but there is one man who can help us, and that man ladies and gentlemen, is Darrelle Revis.

Revis, even with a torn ACL, could cover most receivers better than half the corners in the NFL. He is in 
the same sentence as Deion Sanders and Charles Woodson, names that immortalize that position. He, meaning Revis, 
seems to agree with me. As the news reported in early February, Revis wants to be paid a whopping $16 million per year on his next contract, which would make him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL if it were to happen. Obviously no one in the organization wants to see Revis leave, but if his needs are to be paid at that price, is that too high a price to pay? The answer to that is clearly YES. Even for most teams not under 
salary cap restrictions, a $16 million a year player is a tough pill to swallow financially. For the Jets? They would 
literally choke on it. Ever get a pill stuck in your throat? Nasty right? If New York signs Revis, that taste plus a 
little dirt is what Jets fans will taste until his contract expires.

Let’s re-write the question then. Not “Is the price too high for Darrelle?” but to “At what price can we sell 
Darrelle?” For those Jets fans who tried to punch me through the computer for such blasphemy, think about this: it’s going to be a long season with, or without Revis, so go get some ice for that hand, get some tums for that heartburn, and maybe some aspirin for that hangover. For those of you still with me, you’re probably asking “Has it really come to this?” The answer, in a word, is “Yes.” Despite the most recent news that the Jets have released Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, Jason Smith, Eric Smith, and Josh Baker, the Jets are just barely under the cap, and leaves them basically stranded with laughably very little money to play with during the free agency period.

So again I ask you, if you were to sell your best player and thus give your team a chance to start – wait for it Jets fans – ”rebuilding” for the next regime, doesn’t that seem like an intelligent thing to do? Doesn’t it? Revis could garner a hefty price for those teams thinking he’s the missing piece. It would also benefit the Jets in that they wouldn’t be burying themselves in a monster contract they have no right to even offer the man.

Now, I will ask all you football fans to tweet me your answers. In the end, at what price would you accept a trade for Revis, and at what price are you willing to pay for being a Jets fan?

You can find me at @JFerguson631

Our guest writer, and my co-host of “The Blue and Green Review” seen here on Tuesday nights at 7 Eastern, Miss Kristine Reese was kind enough to cover The Thurman Munson Awards and file this report:

On Tuesday night, the 33^rd annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. The Thurman Munson Award recognizes athletes for excellence on the field and philanthropic efforts off the field, and this year’s honorees included Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, Mets first baseman Ike Davis, Olympic Gold medalist Aly Raisman, former New York Knick Greg Anthony and now former Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty, among others.

Canty, who is as well known for his character and intellect as he is for being a part of the Giants’ famous four-man front, was honored with the award for his work with his foundation, aptly named “The Chris Canty Foundation,” which focuses on giving back to the community by enhancing the development and lives of youth through mentoring, education programs, and health and fitness activities. Canty’s foundation also raised money for Hurricane Sandy relief and donated holiday meals to those in need.

“Growing up in the Bronx in the shadow of Yankee stadium, you hear all the stories about the former captain Thurman Munson,“ Canty explained at the media portion of Tuesday’s event. “Standing here today, to be honored in that way, it’s all surreal to me.”

“The work I do in the community, for the kids, is a passion of mine. For people to recognize the quality of that work, to speak about the work and being of service to the community and just being in the same breath as Thurman Munson, the AHRC and the work they are doing, it’s an honor.”

At the event, Canty spoke candidly about the inspiration behind his philanthropy: his mother, who instilled at a very early age the importance of service, quoting Mark 10:44, which reads, “The son of man came to serve not to be served.”

Canty also noted that he views his service to the community and others as a responsibility and an obligation, another valuable lesson taught by his mother. In fact, the word responsibility was an adjective used by many of the evening’s honorees, including Knicks legend and YES Network analyst Greg Anthony.

Also present at the Awards was Canty’s brother Joseph, who is the President, Chairman and co-founder of the Chris Canty Foundation. In addition to dedicating himself to running the foundation, Joseph partners with a variety of charitable organizations supporting youth in New York City and Charlotte, NC, where he currently resides.

While the purpose of the event was to honor’s Canty’s foundation and his many contributions to the community off the field, there were plenty of questions for the defensive lineman about his and his team’s performance on the field, including difficult questions about the recent release of veteran linebacker Michael Boley, who had just been cut from the team a few short hours prior.

Canty was unaware of Boley’s release at the time of the interview and his visible emotional reaction to the loss of a close teammate and friend was difficult to watch.

“That’s some tough news,” Canty said, reacting to the Boley release. “Not only was he a good teammate, he was a good friend. He and I go way back, since before the scars. Me and Boley, we’ve know each other a long time. He’s a good person. He’s a good teammate, good friend.”

Less than 24 hours after the Thurman Munson Awards, Canty, along with several other Giants including running back Ahmad Bradshaw, was released as part of a major off-season salary cap purge. While it was widely speculated that the Giants would make several difficult cuts to get under the NFL’s projected $121.8 salary cap, few would have expected that the four-year veteran, who was major part of the Giants 2012 Super Bowl Championship, would be one of the victims.

Canty, who shared that he is “feeling healthy” after suffering through several injuries this season, had two years left of his contract at the time of his release. The cut saves the team $6.5 million off the cap.

Canty revealed on Tuesday night that he had not been approached by the team about his contract – something he disclosed he wasn’t concerned about – and he planned to stay in New York for remainder of his deal, which is likely part of the reason that, in an interview with ESPN Radio on Wednesday afternoon, Canty revealed he did not have any “inkling” he was going to released and that he was “a little disappointed in what took place, but it’s a business.”

Salary cap issues aside, Canty did admit that changes to the defensive line “are necessary” and the unit – and the football team as a whole – did not perform up to potential this past season.  He did add the team “has a plan” for the off-season but any details he was aware of would stay “in house.”

While Canty will no longer be a part of those plans, Canty’s versatility as a lineman could draw a lot of interest from other teams this offseason.

Tuesday night’s Thurman Munson Awards were about honoring philanthropy and service, but they were also a reminder of just how difficult and fleeting the business of football can be, making the importance of Canty’s work and the focus on something other than just the National Football League that much more significant.

Canty will always be remembered for his contributions to the Giants Super Bowl Championship, but perhaps more importantly, as he continues to make his mark on the entire Tri-State area with his service, he will be remembered and celebrated for much more.

Proceeds for the Thurman Munson Award dinner benefit AHRC New York City, which helps support programs for children, teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

You can learn more about Canty’s foundation by visiting ChrisCantyFoundation.org.

Kristine Reese is the NFL editor and lead New York Jets writer for Aerys Sports, the only online sports network run entirely by women. She is the co-host of “The Blue and Green Review” and one of five hosts on the fan-run web show “Flight 5 Live.” Her work, which ranges from sports, adventure to travel and pop culture, has been featured in various digital publications, including NJ.com and Dos Equis’ “Most Interesting Academy.” For more information, follow on Twitter @KristineReese or visit www.KristineReese.com.

Harry Carson was a stand out linebacker at Southern Carolina University where he majored in Education. A little know factoid about Harry Carson is that he also completed graduate work at Fairleigh Dickinson University too. Harry was drafted in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the New York Giants

Most amazing about his 13 year NFL career with the Giants, Harry Carson was team captain for 10 years. During those 13 years with the Giants, Carson played in a total of 173 games starting 149 of those games. He added 8 sacks, 11 ints, and 14 fumble recovers. In depth statistics are lacking due to the era in which he played and what stats were kept accurately. Harry was known as the heart and sole of the Giants defense and he was extremely close to the Mara family.

Upon his retirement from the NFL Harry started broadcasting and currently works for numerous charity organizations. Fond of his NY Giants, Harry still considers himself a Giant and can be found at numerous Giants events throughout the year. Harry was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Let us know what you think of Harry Carson and sound off in the comments section

@tom_brant on twitter

]]> http://gmenhq.com/2012/03/19/giants-ring-of-honorharry-carson/feed/ 0 http://gmenhq.com/2012/03/14/focus-on-afc-south/ http://gmenhq.com/2012/03/14/focus-on-afc-south/#comments Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:05:01 +0000 Tom Brant http://gmenhq.com/?p=10204 Every Wednesday for the next seven weeks, GmenHq will be featuring one of the divisions in each conference and what each team might be looking at for draft/free agency help. This week we will look at the AFC South. Last week we focused on the AFC Central Indianapolis Colts: My Pre-Draft ranking of the Colts in Upward. Give the colts [...]

Focus on: AFC South - GMEN HQ - GMEN HQ - A NY Giants Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Every Wednesday for the next seven weeks, GmenHq will be featuring one of the divisions in each conference and what each team might be looking at for draft/free agency help. This week we will look at the AFC South.

Last week we focused on the AFC Central

Indianapolis Colts: My Pre-Draft ranking of the Colts in Upward. Give the colts this much credit, they are doing what they need to do to get younger, faster, and better. They have cut ways with Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and Peyton Manning to name a few. There are also rumors that the Colts are shopping Dwight Freeney too. As we all know the Colts have the number one overall pick and all assumptions are they that the Colts are going to draft Andrew Luck. The Colts are doing the best they can to free up cap space to put talent around Luck. It looks as if Luck will be the starter from day one too. After the horrific season the Colts had last year they can only go up. It may be a slow climb but they are one again on the right track.

Houston Texans: My Pre-Draft ranking of the Texans in NEUTRAL. The Texans took a huge step forward last year by making

October 09, 2011; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans outside linebacker Mario Williams (90) prepares for a game against the Oakland Raiders at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-US PRESSWIRE

the playoffs and doing so without their starting QB. However, Mario Williams is a free agent and the two sides appear to be very far apart. This would love the Texans defense with a huge hole. Without Williams or an impact player like Williams the Texans will struggle to repeat the same success they had from last season. The Texans have the 26th overall pick in the draft. If they loose Williams look for the them to target defense (again). Questions are still floating around questioning if they have a QB/Coach combo that they can win the Super Bowl with? The bigger question, as I see it, is do they have a defense that can keep the other team off the board? With more question marks than answers, neutral is the best pre-draft rating I could give the Texans.

Jacksonville Jaguars: My Pre-Draft ranking of the Jaguars is Downward. What is there to say about the Jaguars? They reside in a market that does not care about football, they think they have a franchise QB, and free agents never want to go to Jacksonville. The Jaguars have the seventh overall pick in the draft and most mock drafts have the Jaguars looking for a OL (although some say a WR). If the Jaguars cannot protect their QB, they will not be able to win any games. However, the Jaguars have a bigger problem off the field. No body cares about football and unless the Jaguars can get some talent into the city to make the people want to go to football games that stadium will always be half empty. Maybe they should trade for Tebow? I would not be shocked to see the Jaguars to be the next NFL franchise to move, lets say to Toronto? Just throwing it out there….

Dec 11, 2011; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker (10) passes against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at LP Field. The Saints beat the Titans 22-17. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-US PRESSWIRE

Tennessee Titans:  My pre-draft ranking of the Titans is NEUTRAL. Does anyone know what the Titans are? Do they have QB (doesn’t that sound like a theme for the entire AFC South)? They have a good solid young coach but beyond that they have many questions. They should get some answers by drafting some secondary help and then looking to put some talent around Locker. The biggest advantage the Titans have is that they are playing in probably the weakest division within the AFC. Yes, I think the AFC South is worse than the AFC West. If the Titans can spend the cap room wisely during free agency they could push the Texans for division champions

My Pre-Draft prediction for Final AFC South Standings: 1)Texans 2) Titans 3) Colts 4) Jaguars (8-8 might win this division next year)

]]> http://gmenhq.com/2012/03/14/focus-on-afc-south/feed/ 0 http://gmenhq.com/2012/03/07/focus-on-afc-central/ http://gmenhq.com/2012/03/07/focus-on-afc-central/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:29:06 +0000 Tom Brant http://gmenhq.com/?p=10145 Every Wednesday for the next seven weeks, GmenHq will be featuring one of the divisions in each conference and what each team might be looking at for draft/free agency help. This week we will look at the AFC Central. Last week we looked at the AFC East Baltimore Raves: My pre-draft ranking of the Baltimore Ravens franchise is NEUTRAL. As [...]

Focus on: AFC Central - GMEN HQ - GMEN HQ - A NY Giants Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

]]> Every Wednesday for the next seven weeks, GmenHq will be featuring one of the divisions in each conference and what each team might be looking at for draft/free agency help. This week we will look at the AFC Central.

Last week we looked at the AFC East

Baltimore Raves: My pre-draft ranking of the Baltimore Ravens franchise is NEUTRAL. As sad as it is, the Ravens have become very old on defense. Although they were only a Field Goal away from the Super Bowl, they are going to be a year older and a step slower. The defense is the strength of this team, but they need to target a way to get younger. The Ravens will have the 29th overall pick. Rumors coming out of the greater Baltimore area indicate that the Ravens are targeted a WR and/or LB. However, they will need to deep into free agency to help fill some of their voids. They do have the cap room to make these moves. One also has to wonder if the Ravens will look to switch kickers simply to appease some of the veterans on the team. Given their age and lack of offensive explosiveness, I believe the Raven are stuck in mud and thus a pre-draft ranking of Neutral. They are one or two good signings from being positive and they are one torn ACL for Ray Rice/Ed Reed from a ranking of negative. The draft is often not essential for teams coming off such a successful season; however, for the Ravens their season begins on draft night.

Pittsburgh Steelers:  My pre-draft ranking of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise is a Downward Trend. Some people might be

January 8, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison (92) during the first quarter of the 2011 AFC wild card playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

surprised by what I think of the Steelers, but they have tons of issues. They just released Ward, Harrison is always wanting to retire, and Troy Polamalu is not getting any younger. Big Ben has yet to talk to the new offensive coordinator and the Steelers may not be able to retain their best wide-out (Wallace). As I type this the Steelers are also over the cap thus having no room to make any positive changes to their team. Mock drafts have the Steelers looking for DL help or going an offensive lineman. Because of the new draft rules, those two positions should not cost the Steelers too much money. They should have enough to sign their draft picks but not much more than that. Mark this date down (March 7, 2012), the Steelers could be staring a sub .500 season straight in the face.

Cleveland Browns: My pre-draft ranking of the Cleveland Browns is NEUTRAL. The Browns are very hard to predict right now. Rumors are widespread that the Browns are going hard after the Rams 2nd overall pick. If they secure this pick, it is assumed that they would draft RG III. IF, and I mean If, this happens the Browns would take a huge leap forward. Pairing Brown and Hillis together would give Browns fans something to cheer about. Even if they do not make the trade, they still have the fourth and 22nd picks in the first round of the draft. Beyond that, the Browns also have much flexibility with their cap space and could be looking to make a huge splash in free agency too. If they draft RG III look for them to go hard after a WR and then safety help in the later rounds. With the right moves the Browns could go 11-5 or with the wrong moves could go 5-11 this upcoming season. They are a very interesting team to say the least!

Jan 1, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis (40) during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Steelers won 13-9. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

Cincinnati Bengals: My pre-draft ranking of the Cincinnati Bengals is an Upward Trend. The Bengals have a young dependable QB and a very young and talented WR corps. How can you go wrong with that? They also have a good amount of draft room and are drafting  in the number 21 position. They have flexibility with their pick. They can go for LB help or continue to build their offensive line. A recent mock draft had them going RB, LB, CB in the first three rounds of the draft. They have solid young talent all around the roster and may be looking one or two moderately priced veterans to help secure the foundation of the team. No matter how you look at it this team is on the rise.

Pre-Draft Prediction for AFC Central final year standings: 1) Bengals 2.)Ravens 3.) Browns 4.) Steelers

As always follow me on twitter @tom_brant

]]> http://gmenhq.com/2012/03/07/focus-on-afc-central/feed/ 0 http://gmenhq.com/2012/02/29/focus-on-afc-east/ http://gmenhq.com/2012/02/29/focus-on-afc-east/#comments Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:40:20 +0000 Tom Brant http://gmenhq.com/?p=10094 Every Wednesday for the next eight weeks, GmenHq will be featuring one of the divisions in each conference and what each team might be looking at for draft/free agency help. This week we will look at the AFC East New England Patriots: My pre-draft ranking of the Patriots franchise and their direction is NEUTRAL.  The Patriots will have the 27th [...]

Focus On: AFC East - GMEN HQ - GMEN HQ - A NY Giants Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

]]> Every Wednesday for the next eight weeks, GmenHq will be featuring one of the divisions in each conference and what each team might be looking at for draft/free agency help. This week we will look at the AFC East

New England Patriots: My pre-draft ranking of the Patriots franchise and their direction is NEUTRAL.  The Patriots will have the 27th (from New Orleans) and 31st pick in the NFL draft. It is very difficult to know what Kraft and good ole’ Bill are thinking when it comes to the Draft and free agency. Wisdom and previous history tells us that they will be looking to draft for defense (think secondary) and a WR. The Patriots are flat out old when it comes to their wide-outs and need to get younger. With two late first round draft picks this seems the logical picks for them. However, with over 600 free agents, expect the Patriots to be adding from free agency as well. Rumor out of Boston is that they are even willing to look at Randy Moss and/or Jennings  from the Packers if he does not resign there.

Miami Dolphins: My pre-draft ranking of the Miami Dolphins franchise their direction is UP. After a very tough start to their 2011 season the

Nov 20, 2011; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush (22) walks with Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller (28) after the game at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 35-8. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Dolphins played hard and rallied back to have a respectable final record (6-10). The Dolphins will draft 8th and with that high of pick expect them to make some noise. They could use some help on both the OL and DL along with free safety support. All expectations are that the Dolphins will make a run at Peyton Manning when he becomes a free agent; however, I can just as likely see the Dolphins trading up in attempts to get RJ III. Either way, if you place a talented QB in Miami with Marshall on the outside and Bush/Thomas in the backfield you have a very talented offensive team. Keep your eye on the Dolphins this off-season, they are going to be busy!

Buffalo Bills: My pre-draft ranking of the Buffalo Bills franchise their direction is DOWN. Are you sold on Fitzpatrick as their QB? I’m not. Are you sold on their Wide Outs? I’m not. Are you sold on their Coach? I’m not. I firmly believe that Buffalo comes into this NFL off-season with as many questions as any team in the NFL. With the 10th pick in the draft, I believe Buffalo is going to look to add defensive support (LB/CB). They will also look to fill this need through free agency. Look for Buffalo to try and make a splash with a big name signing even if that player is over-the-hill and washed up. Think Bart Scott type of player. The best thing Buffalo has going from them is they have the ability to have a dominating ground game. They have to decide as a team if they are going to run the ball and play defense or try and pass the ball and outscore everyone. Right now they do not do either well enough to win in the NFL.

Feb 23, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets coach Rex Ryan speaks at a press conference during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

New York Jets: My pre-draft ranking of the New York Jets franchise their direction is NEUTRAL.  Problem One: Until the Jets can decide who their starting QB is, they cannot be successful. Problem Two: Holmes is still on this team, enough said. Problem Three: There defense is that good. Problem Four: Who do they have to catch the ball? Who has answers? It is the combine week in Indy and Rex has been silent. Not a peep. If your a Jets fan that should worry you. He doesn’t have the answers either. However, that being said they have some things going for them. They have a decent ground game, a good TE, two CB’s who can shutdown WRs, and a new Offensive Coordinator. The Jets have the 16th pick in the draft and I full expect them to draft a safety. There safety play was horrible and this is where they need as much help as they can get. Final note, if they acquire Peyton Manning this team’s franchise direction is on a one way trip to HELL.

My AFC East Final Standing 2013 predictions: Dolphins, Patriots, Jets, and Bills.

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Game Time: 8:26 pm EST

Location: MetLife Stadium (GIANTS Stadium), East Rutherford, NJ

TV: Sunday Night Football National Telecast (ALL NBC Affiliates)

Announcers:  Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and Michelle Tafoya

Radio: WFAN 660-AM (NY, NJ, PA, CT, MA), The Fan 103.5fm (TX), and Westwood One Radio.

Game Time Weather: Is it really January?

Kick Off: 46* Winds 7-9 mph from WNW

Half-Time: 44* Winds 9-10 mph from WNW

4th Quarter: 42* Winds from 5-7 mph from WNW

Current Line: Giants by 3 with Over/Under at 46.0 points

Perry is looking for answers....

The New York Giants enter their day off today as the leaders in the NFC East. However, all is not rosy in East Rutherford. The Giants may be in first place, but everyone knows the Giants cannot make a run in the playoffs with the defense playing the way they are.

Here are some of the awful statistics that represent and define who the Giants are defensively:

• Ranked 30th in Yards Allowed Per Game at 391.6
• Ranked 27th in Points Allowed Per Game at 26.8
• Ranked 22nd in Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game at 127.9
• Ranked 29th in Passing Yards Allowed Per game at 263.7
• Ranked 10th in INTs with 15
• Ranked 6th in Sacks with 36
• Ranked 26th in Total TDs allowed with 26.

Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals. Dallas lost in overtime. The Cowboys are 7-5. They are half game ahead of the GIANTS.

Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints. The Lions are 7-4 and one game ahead of the GIANTS. The Lions are one game behind the Falcons/Bears for the final playoff spot.

Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears. Kansas City won 10-3 . The Bears are 7-5 and are a tiebreaker ahead of the Lions and .5 games ahead of the Giants for the final playoff spot.

Atlanta Falcons at Houston Texans. Houston won 17-10. The Falcons are 7-5 and are a tiebreaker ahead of the Lions and .5 games ahead of the Giants for the final playoff spot.

New York Jets at Washington Redskins. The Jets won 34-19.  The Redskins are 4-8 and are  basically eliminated from the playoffs.