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.

Follow me @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.

However with the way the pre season runs these days in the NFL the only QB they will probably actually play any protracted amount of time against will be Luck and whomever The Jets trot out.  With Pittsburgh being the first game, and New England being the last we can guarantee Tom Brady might not even be in the building, let alone throw any passes.  The exciting match-up comes on a primetime affair televised on FOX between Eli Manning and Andrew Luck.  Luck is an emerging star with all the tools and in week two of the pre season he will probably play the entire first half.

Three AFC teams that the Giants don’t face again in the regular season in 2013, should make for a good opportunity to test a few things out and to get after a few QB’s with some talent….and The Jets

1. Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, OT/ Texas A&M – After the combine, Joeckel is still considered the best lineman in the draft, and now that the Chiefs have officially traded a 2nd round pick and a conditional 2014 pick to the 49’ers for Alex Smith he would certainly love a little protection. I am a firm believer a lineman must have great upper body strength. Joeckel did 27 reps of 225lbs. at the combine. Eric Fisher who is also getting some play at #1 also completed 27 reps, but Luke has the force on his side.

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. He is the one player whose stock went up the most due to the combine.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on NFL 32Wednesday that the Raiders have interest in West Virginia QB Geno Smith with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. This is exactly what I have been saying since January 26th when the first mock draft came out. Palmer’s 13 million dollar base salary is a big concern, and then there’s the fact that he’s 33 years old.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah –As mentioned in the last draft with the hiring of Billy Davis as DC, The Eagles will run a strict 3-4 defense, as that’s all Davis runs. Any good 3-4 can’t run without a big body in the middle. Just ask the Jets! Lotulelei is considered to be the best DT prospect at this time.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – 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 trust Peter King’s opinion. He has access to information few others do in the industry. Milliner will require surgery right after the combine but should be ready for training camp and my bet is it’s in Detroit

6. Cleveland Browns – Bjoern Werner DE/ Florida State – Werner has an incredible motor, and great hand use to keep separation, He is also very new to this game, after only picking up the game at 15. Remind anyone else of Jason Pierre Paul’s story? The Browns are also rumored to be interested in bringing in some QB competition for Brandon Weeden. I don’t see them going QB here, but I could see them go with Eric Fisher if the new regime believes Trent Richardson is their workhorse for the next few years.

7. Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – Yes, the Cardinals need a quarterback and almost all this years’ QB’s are still available I get that. What’s the point if he isn’t standing upright after most downs? Call me old fashioned but I believe the only way to fix a bad offense is by helping both the run and the pass with a 6’7” 304 pound tackle who has the potential to be an immediate impact for Bruce Arians and his offensive prowess. Plus after the outstanding play of Russell Wilson some teams will feel confident in taking a signal caller later in the draft.

8. Buffalo Bills –Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Jordan ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine. WOW, that’s lightning fast. He honestly would be a top 5 pick if he was about 30 pounds heavier. 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 Bills defense needs a compliment to Mario Williams, and Jordan fits the mold.

9. New York Jets – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – With the hiring of Marty Mornhinweg, the Jets will be looking to change the pathetic attempt at ground in pound in an era known for quarterback and 5,000 yard seasons. That means there’s a chance they go offensive line here. Too bad they’re known for making poor decisions on the first day of the draft. As I had mentioned earlier, their defense can’t function without a pass rush. Ansah is as good of a prospect as the Jets could hope for and would certainly help their inept pass rush. Ansah finished as MVP of the senior bowl and one of the studs of the combine putting up ridiculous numbers including a 4.62 40 time.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – Considered the best guard prospect in this year’s draft, Jake Locker should be thanking his lucky stars if the Titans can have Warmack fall to 10. With 40 career starts and the ability to get to the second level, Warmack has developed himself into a definitive top ten selection. CBSSports.com has him ranked as the 2nd best player in the draft as of 2.27.2013.

11. San Diego Chargers – 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 slightly out of the top 10. 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 gauge short yardage burst. A skill needed at the OLB or DE position in the NFL.

12. Miami Dolphins – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – Lots of rumors have been spread about Miami and their intentions. I stand by my thoughts that they take Patterson here though I read that he is considered to be as immature as he is talented. I was pretty sure the Dolphins just got rid of Brandon Marshall and have a hard time accepting they’d draft another knucklehead into that locker room. His baggage also come with some amazing talent as 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. Since the Dolphins are high on hopes and low on offensive talent, Patterson seems like a likely target considering the shortage of first round talent on skill positions in this year’s draft.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers –Xavier Rhodes, CB/ Florida State – After not even including this guy in my first mock I have come to learn through a lot of reading that people consider him to be the 2nd best CB prospect in this year’s draft. Some even believe he has shutdown corner ability. With a 4.41 40 times, and 6’2 210 pound frame, Rhodes is now expected to be a top 20 pick post combine.

14. Carolina Panthers –. Jarvis Jones OLB/ Georgia – I can’t understand how a player with so many medical questions could choose to not participate at the combine. Think Da’quan Bowers. Bowers injuries weren’t nearly as significant of a concern as Jones. Now there are rumors that Jones has walked off most draft boards. His size 6’2” 242 is prototypical for his position and Mel Kiper loves this guy. Still his health risk is so high since Jones suffers from Spinal Stenosis; a restriction to the spinal canal that causes pain, numbness, and in some cases loss of motor control.

15. New Orleans Saints – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Saints have elected to move to a 3-4. This only makes me more confident in this pick. NO ranked 26th in sacks and 24th in forced fumbles, so evidently they need some help with the front seven. Richardson, became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play in 2012. Richardson led all SEC interior linemen with 75 tackles which is 2nd-best on the Tiger squad.

16. St. Louis Rams – D.J. Fluker, OT/Alabama – Bradford clearly needs protection. His head coach Jeff Fisher knows that and won’t disappoint his quarterback. On Feb 6th I read a post that said; “According to SI’s Tony Pauline, teams are “falling in love” with Alabama OT D.J. Fluker and “some in (the) scouting community” believe he could go as high as No. 19 to the Giants.” Well the Rams aren’t even going to let him get that far. Bradford threw for a miserable 59.5% completion in 2012 while constantly throwing off his back foot on the run. Expect Flukers presence to give his QB a chance for more accurate passes.

19. New York Giants — Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
Rhodes is a big, versatile defensive back who would help out an underachieving backfield in New York. They could have some really nice young pieces at CB if they picked him up in round one.

Rhodes was a high school wide receiver, which is something I love in corners. It means he may know whats coming from his opposition. The 6’2 210 pound former Florida State star ran a 4.41 forty, and can be considered at safety as well as corner. The Giants have certainly had a problem drafting corners in recent years. Rhodes was a red-shirt in his freshman year due to a hand injury, but that turned out to be his greatest friend since it gave him the time to watch film and pick up the nuances of the corner position. He has the potential to be a good defensive back, but he’s not a ball hawk. That may just be his inexperience at the position. The Giants should consider Kevin Minter, or any top 15 O lineman that falls to them here as well.

19. New York Giants – Dion Jordan, Defensive End, Oregon

Jordan is another elite prospect that will see their draft stock take a hit because of injury. Jordan is recovering from surgery on a torn labrum, but when he is healthy he is one of the most dynamic pass rushers available.

Jordan is far from a total package.  As a matter of fact, he may be one of the biggest projects to be drafted early in 2013.  At only 233 pounds, he would surely have to bulk up to play DE, or even OLB.  There is also talk he may need shoulder surgery after the combine.  Yes, he has great speed, and some serious athletic ability, but lets hope Mr. Reese finds a different, more consistent option on day one.

If anyone was expecting this game to be a rematch of the Super Bowl, well I just wouldn’t know what to tell them except that they might need some sort of help. New England didn’t play any of their regulars tonight. There was no Tom Brady or Wes Welker. However, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin had other ideas for some of his starters. Quarterback Eli Manning and wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks all saw action in the first half.

What stood out the most to me about Eli Manning tonight was perhaps the fact that Coughlin played Manning so much. In a preseason game where both teams are hoping they come out at the end injury-free, playing Manning at all tonight was a roll of the dice by Coughlin. Giants fans had to have been a little nervous everytime Manning dropped back to attempt a pass. He finished the night going 4 of 6 for 29 yards.

It’s possible that one of the reasons Coughlin decided to play Manning so much tonight was because he may have wanted him to get a few reps in with Nicks. It was his first and only game played in the preseason. Nicks caught 1 pass for 6 yards, however he also was able to get some game-action under his belt before going forward with his preparation for the regular season.

Notables

The Giants came into tonight’s game knowing they have to prepare to trim their roster down to 53 on Friday. This was the last chance for players fighting for spots to make a worthwhile impression on head coach Tom Coughlin and his staff.

Andre Brown ran with authority in the third quarter on an impressive drive that led to a Giants field goal from Lawrence Tynes. Brown also had a fumble in the fourth quarter while fighting for extra yards. The Giants were able to recover the fumble. Despite that mishap, Brown made a solid case for himself tonight finishing with 14 carries for 55 yards. It could make things very interesting for what the Giants decide to do with their running back depth chart after Ahmad Bradshaw and David Wilson. Da’Rel Scott could be on the bubble now.

Wide receiver Ramses Barden finished tonight with 4 catches for 31 yards. Barden may have done enough to ensure himself a spot on the 53-man roster.

Adewale Ojomo continued his impressive preseason and he may have forced the Giants hands with his play on defense.There is definitely a buzz now based off of his play. He had two run-stuffing tackles,  and it was his strip and sack that set up the go-ahead field goal by Tynes in the fourth quarter.

What’s Next

No more preseason games !!!  The Giants start defense of their championship next Wednesday at home against the Dallas Cowboys.

The offense seems to be coming together, although the execution could have been better. The chemistry between Eli Manning and Victor Cruz already looks to be in midseason form. Cruz gave the Jets secondary fits in the first half, finishing with five receptions for 51 yards.

Ahmad Bradshaw didn’t see much playing time tonight. He left early in the first quarter to get x-rays on his right hand which turned out to be negative.

The battle for Bradshaw’s primary backup didn’t get much seperation tonight. D.J. Ware saw early action after Bradshaw went out of the game, however didn’t really make a get that attention grabbing moment tonight against the Jets. Ware finished with 15 yards on 11 carries. Rookie David Wilson had 26 yards on eight carries and it seems the first round selection may have the inside track on getting more time.

Jayron Hosley had the highlight of the night when he intercepted Mark Sanchez and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown. Hosley may have opened more eyes tonight with that play.

The battle for the third wide receiver spot remains to be a battle. Ramses Barden failed to gain any seperation from the pack of receivers battling for the position. Barden was the first on the field to receive a chance on third down and dropped the pass Manning threw his way. The next pass thrown to him also went incomplete in the end zone when he couldn’t get seperation from Darrelle Revis. Second round pick Rueben Randle’s one catch on the night was an impressive one on a deep pass from David Carr that went for 49 yards. It wouldn’t surprise me if head coach Tom Coughlin is thinking this might just be a receiver by committee scenario until someone breaks out from the pack.

If there is an area of concern it would definitely be the stability and depth of the Giants defensive line. They have been hit hard by injuries this summer. Backup middle linebacker Mark Herzlich left the game in the third quarter with a hip pointer. Herzlich has played well in camp and is pushing Chase Blackburn for that starting spot.

Next week the Giants get to play their first official “home” game when the Chicago Bears come in for week 3 of the preseason.

Game Time: 7:30 pm EST

Location: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL

TV: MY Tv 9 (NY, NJ, CT)

Announcers:  Paul Dittino and Carl Banks

Radio: WCBSFM 101.1 (WFAN has the Mets game)

Game Time Weather:

Kick Off: 85* 10% Chance of T-Storms

Half-Time: 83* 60% Chance of T-Storms

4th Quarter: 78* 60% Chance of T-Storms

Current Line: It’s the preseason…..

Jul 27, 2012; Albany, NY, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (80) and wide receiver Domenik Hixon (87) share a laugh during training camp at University Field at SUNY Albany. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

As you would imagine, Tom Coughlin is just as disciplined about how the Giants approach pre-season games as he is about everything else in his life.  The “starters” will play 15-18 plays.

“The objective is always to win, but it’s all about personnel,” Coughlin said. “We’ll play them just exactly the way that I’ve talked about it. I will not sacrifice that part of it. Hopefully, we’re good enough and deep enough that the guys will get in the game and respond and enjoy themselves. I want them to play hard and give us a chance to do some evaluating and trying to figure out how people fit.”

The season opener is less than four weeks away and this is the first step in building the roster, evaluating talent, and seeing who might step up and grab everyones attention.  Look for everyone to get a chance to show what they can do.  There are many players who will need to show something special this year.  The depth of this team is tremendous, and they will surely have to release some players that will be starters on other teams.  The competition should be good , and the opportunities plentiful.  Look for the execution from the regulars in the first part of the game, then sit back and enjoy the competition and the athleticism of the players.

 ”Mike Jenkins will not practice while the Cowboys are in California and his availability to start the regular season is in doubt.”

The lack of depth on the Cowboys is stunning.  They signed former Jet safety Brodney Pool this offseason, and then cut him this week.  Signing a Jet safety probably wasn’t the best idea, and Pool proved he’s not interested in working hard.  Thaf leaves Gerald Sensabaugh and Barry Church as the starters right now.  No wonder Hakeem Nicks is working so hard to get back healthy for opening night.  Behind them are listed 5 guys with a combined 4 years of experience.  The dream of having a shut down secondary might have to put on hold for a while.  Add to this the fact that Morris Claiborne is already hurt, and Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick were the guys you wanted to replace, are the backups.

On offense it doesn’t look any prettier: Dez Bryant, who is one wild weekend away from a suspension, and Miles Austin are the starting wide-outs.  Miles managed to get into 10 games last year because of injuries, while Bryant played in 15.  Behind them?  Kevin Ogletree at 6′ 1″ and 190 and Dwayne Harris at 5’10″.  At running back they have DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones.  Murray had a great season last year, but was injured the final 5 games and registered just 17 carries for 63 yards in that span.  Felix finished the season with efforts of 4/24 against Philly and 11/30 versus the Giants in must win games.

The new NFL is a pass first league.  The Cowboys seem ill prepared for such a journey.  They seem to have no available answers for the 4 and 5 wide sets they will see against most teams.  They also seem like they are one nagging injury away from a losing season.

Jan 19, 2012; E. Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese before practice at the Giants practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger via US PRESSWIRE

The New York Football Giants are now less than 5 weeks or 41 days from kickoff of their 2012 NFL season. Some people have been tweeting and e-mailing asking for the GIANTS  current roster. Well here it is. The Giants will have to cut their current roster down to 80 players on August 28 and then down to the final 53 on Sept. 2. Similar to last-year Gmenhq.com will be identifying key position battles and the last five players that may get cut on the final cut down day. As always follow on twitter @gmenhq and @tom_brant

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“I can’t say he’ll stay there permanently, but right now Chase is our guy and no one’s clearly beaten him out for the position,’’ defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. “Chase has some distinct advantages over some of the other guys. I said to the defense in our meeting, if I want to rewrite my playbook, I would get Chase’s notes and rewrite our playbook. When I ask a question or when I talk about a defense in there, he puts the addendums in. So he has been the best extension of me so far because he probably knows as much about our defense and how to make the calls and run our defense as any of those linebackers, with the exception of Michael Boley, right now. That’s pretty good.

The have many names for the MLB position on the roster currently. They also have second year player Mark Herzlich and to a lesser extent Keith Rivers and Greg Jones. The Giants will be looking to continue to add depth to the LB’s during the offseason and there are many unknowns regarding the long-term derability of Chase Blackburn. However, no one can argue that he is a great story, plays a solid MLB and brings a leadership to the defense that was needed to lead us to the Super Bowl. No matter who you are you have to be pulling for Mr. Blackburn.

Remember you can follow your GmenHq writers on twitter @tom_brant @gmenhq @erobertsny @Pessimets_

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/giants/blackburn_tops_offseason_depth_chart_1Kfoty3yOdEWaGUdCkX1VM#ixzz1y3gglEDN

I think this is the biggest break (all puns intended) for Hixon.  He will get most of the reps in practice and see plenty of pre-season game action with Nicks out.  The others will get a chance to show what they can do, and in some different positions.  Now, we know that a Victor Cruz story doesn’t come out of every camp, but sometimes it’s because there is no opportunity for it to happen.  Well the opportunity has been created, let’s see if anyone can step up.

Hakeem will be back, and hopefully healthy for the entire regular season.  This is not ideal, but better than it could have been

WR Victor Cruz is clearly a beast out wide, although he has made significant progress in the slot over the past two weeks. In the Giants offense with a lot of moving parts, Cruz will have to continue his pursuit of executing both roles — but clearly his best skill set involves making big plays as a wideout.

I heard Cowherd talking about this yesterday, and it reminded me of what we’ve talked about here for some time now. Cruz is a better wideout than slot receiver. He was out wide when he torched the Jets last year, he was out wide Sunday against the Eagles when he made the biggest plays of the game. Time to take notice of this pattern.

So the question becomes, if Manningham returns next week who would you rather see play slot? To me, Beckum and Stokley are those guys… Although Beckum needs to pull his weight when called upon. Cruz is q big play guy, just like Mario and Hakeem. He should be getting snaps mostly out wide and he can rotate in from time to time but I want his best assets utilized most of be time.

And that’s as a wideout.