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?

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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.

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 – 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.

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.

This year probably wont be any different. Andy Reid is still one of the top 10 coaches in the league, he just needs to adjust a bit more and break from the game plan if the run is working.  Their keys to 2012 are, have a positive turnover ratio and keep Vick upright  in the pocket. He took a lot of punishment last year. While some of it was due to his running, he seemed to take more hard hits behind the line of scrimmage as opposed to down the field. And if DeSean Jackson can stay focused and Vick can get him the ball enough to keep him happy, combined with Macklin, Celek and the late season emergence of Riley Cooper, look out.  McCoy is extremely dangerous out of the backfield both running and catching the ball. And with good defensive ends and a very good secondary all they need is some solid play from their LB’s and their wide 9 defense could be dominating against a pass happy NFL. Barring them believing the press clipping and shooting themselves in the foot again, the Eagles will be in the hunt for the division title.

The defending Superbowl Champion N.Y. Giants will only be better this year and will be in the hunt for the division title with the Eagles. They have the best Coach and QB in the division. Their receiving Duo of Cruz and Nicks is top notch, and could be the best in the league. Even with the loss of Kareem McKenzie they will still have a good offensive line and have already shored it up with the addition of Locklear and they will get their 2011 draft pick James Brewer back.

Their defense is already better with the emergence of JPP and the return of Terrell Thomas. Keith Rivers could be the answer at LB if he can stay healthy and live up to his pre draft potential. The only real question mark is at the RB position. Where will the replacement for Jacobs come from. It will probably be a combination of what they have and possibly someone from the draft. A legit run at the division is well within reach.

Last year at this time all we heard about was Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys. 9 months later all we heard were excuses about why the Cowboys had imploded. Bottom line has been and still is, they are a soft team. Romo is a good QB but seems to fold under the pressure of the big game. They have a good front 7 on defense, but after that it is just a ton of questions. The running game as well as the receiving corp were extremely unpredictable and mostly ineffective. They did have some big plays, but they were inconsistent. The secondary will still be weak and get burned on a regular basis. They still could be a 9-7 team, but with the Giants and Eagles being in double digit wins I believe  Dallas will come up short of the playoffs.

The Washington Redskins will be better than they have been in recent years. With the probable drafting of RG3 they will have an immediate improvement on offense. Unfortunately after Santana Moss and Roy Helu on offense and Brian Orakpo on defense, there is not much else to speak of. Shanahan will probably have this team over achieve in the first part of the season, but  they will come back to earth again down the road. The Redskins will not be much better than 7-9.

This tells me the Eagles are in love with Fletcher Cox, DT out of Mississippi State who is a Top 10 projection. Worst case scenario for the Eagles is they stay at 16th loose Barron (to Cowboys) and Cox and draft Michael Brockers, DT out of LSU which really is not that bad of a choice. Now if the Cowboys do not get Barron (whether he is drafted higher or the Eagles make a move for him) well they have a lot of other needs on Defense with emphasis on the D-line. Courtney Upshaw, DE out of Alabama may still be available. So could Nick Perry, DE out of USC or South Carolina’s OLB Melvin Ingram who can cause some chaos in Rob Ryan’s blitz happy scheme.

Now the Giants, holding the last pick and a team that sticks to the philosophy of best available player. Okay I am going to get opinionated here; to all those Coby Fleener TE from Stanford supporters, not happening. The Giants signed Martellus Bennett, Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin saw something in this TE that made them believers (maybe to a degree). That being said I can see the Giants drafting a TE like Ladarius Green from Louisiana-Lafayette, Deangelo Peterson, TE, LSU or Michael Egnew, TE, Missouri in Rounds 3 or 4. As for the OT Mike Adams (Ohio State) believers, not happening either. The G-Men have not drafted a OT since 1999 and are staunch believers they can find a good OL in the later rounds and develop him within the organization. Now add to this the rumors of Adams being a “work hard when he feels like it guy”. Does that sound like someone Coughlin would put up with?

So who should it be? The Mel Kipers and Todd McShays of the Draft World will never be able to predict how a draft will go and who will move up or down. Now if Kendall Wright, WR from Baylor happens to move down to 32 grab him. He will open the Giants Offense even more and make Cruz and Nicks look that much better. Now I have been a supporter of RB Doug Martin (Boise State) he is a good runner between the lines and is great in pass protection, receiving and YAC (yards after catch). But we don’t know who will be there at 32, we don’t have that crystal ball. One thing we do know if there is a highly rated DE at 32, well enough said.

Only four NFC teams are ranked ahead of the G-MEN (Packers #1, Eagles #3, Saints #4, and Falcons #6). This would suggest that the good ole boys at ESPN believe the GIANTS are still a playoff team.

The Cowboys (#16) and Redskins (#29) are well behind the GIANTS. Immediately behind the GIANTS are the Bucs and Bears. Much like the Texans in previous years, the Bucs are the hot “now” team. “Experts” LOVE, LOVE Josh Freeman (based off one season) and the Bears can always be dangerous (even without an offensive game plan).

What does this all mean? NOTHING! A single preseason game has yet to be played. However, the Power Rankings are a sign that we are getting closer to real football.  I’ve listed my Preseason Week One Power Rankings below. Look for updated Power Rankings on every Tuesday of the Preseason and Regular season.

1.) New England Patriots

2.) Green Bay Packers

3.) Pittsburgh Steelers

4.) Philadelphia Eagles

5.) New Orleans Saints

6.) Indianapolis Colts

7.) Atlanta Falcons

8.) Baltimore Ravens

9.) New York Jets

10.) San Diego Chargers

But this is actually good news and you’ll soon see why. The ranking is an interesting one — it’s not total pressures mind you, another ranking that Umenyiora did not appear on although Tuck did. It’s Pass Rushing Productivity ranking which calculates pass rushing snaps divided by QB pressures. In other words when you lined up to get pressure on 3rd and 4th downs from 2008-2010, did you? The result is pretty amazing for the Giants – with Justin Tuck being the #2 overall most productive, and Mathias Kiwanuka ranking #5 a bit further down the list. It includes both DE’s and LB’s too.

(Click on the image to zoom in)

If you’re looking for a reason for the Giants to re-sign Kiwanuka to a one year deal even though Umenyiora had a monster 2010 campaign — this is it. Kiwanuka has quietly produced more pressures per snap than virtually every other DE and LB in professional football. Justin Tuck was even better, nearly the best. For those that want to switch to a 3-4 because you get more sacks — can it for a second. What does it tell you about the Giants talent and their 4-3 scheme that out of 5 players, the Giants have 2 of them as the most productive in the league — with Tuck out ranking James Harrison of all people? And Kiwi is only slightly behind? And Demarcus Ware is down at the bottom of the list at #10?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Aside from that, just imagine that Giants D-line if Kiwi never got hurt — wow that would have been something scary. Maybe can happen though in 2011. Dare to dream….

Elusive Rating, Top 10

Earlier in the year Bradshaw was leading the league with Adrian Peterson in this ranking… obviously the Giants tailing off at the end of the year at OL, as well as fumbling issues leading to backing up Jacobs instead of starting can account for the drop in performance statistically. Tough competition aside, Bradshaw deserves to be acknowledged as one of the most elusive backs in the league.

Just imagine if Eli starts checking down to him more next year, 8 forced MTs for his limited amount of receptions looks pretty good but no doubt can be improved upon in 2011. In any case, we’re glad to see his name on the stat sheet here.

Check out PFF for the full article.

Ranking the Pass-Rushers

1. DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys
2. Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers
3. Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis Colts
4. Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings
5. Tamba Hali, Kansas City Chiefs
6. James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers
7. John Abraham, Atlanta Falcons
8. Julius Peppers, Chicago Bears
9. LaMarr Woodley, Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins

And to top it off, they decided to show Eli Manning as the QB getting sacked…

Now Dwight Freeney DID have an exceptional game against the Giants but only because David Diehl played SOOO poorly. If I’m not mistaken, Manning’s sack numbers (16) were tied with his brother for fewest in the NFL… even Tom Coughlin thinks Eli should get sacked more. Perception isn’t always the reality here folks. And as good of a year as Tamba Hali had for example, he’s not established himself like Tuck and Umenyiora have for the Giants.

Even ESPN’s NFC North blogger Kevin Seifurt thinks not including Tuck was a big oversight:

Overall, a total of 17 players received votes, and the crowd was dense enough to exclude established veterans such as Houston Texans defensive end Mario Williams, New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck… and Colts defensive end Robert Mathis.

I agree, and although it’s an incredibly hard job to distill a top 10 list of anything across 32 teams in the NFL, an organization that gets more and more talented each passing year — I think they got this one wrong. Adding insult to injury by showing Eli getting nailed doesn’t do much for me either. In fact it’s pretty pathetic when you have a whole host of QBs this year that had much worse seasons than Eli when it comes to getting nailed by pass rushers. One comes immediately to mind…

So all things considered, this is an absolute slap in the face to the NY Giants organization. Not including Tuck or Osi in this ranking, and sandbagging Eli once again for no good reason other than the fact the he’s proven to be the mainstream media’s favorite whipping boy.

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Recently, the NFL ranked the Top 10 Super Bowls of all time. The Giants win over the Patriots in Super Bowl 42 came in at #2 of all time. Now of course, last night would have been more exciting for NY fans if the Giants or Jets were playing, but it was entertaining none the less. Not quite as entertaining for me as Super Bowl 42, or even 43 for that matter with the Steelers winning at the last second. Last year, it was great to see New Orleans win – and I love me some Nawlins anyway. But this year was pretty ho hum for me. Wasn’t looking forward to the game, didn’t care either way… whatever.

But where do you rank last nights Super Bowl out of 45? Leave a comment.

He led his team to victory in what was arguably the greatest game ever played. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XLII. This season, he moved up one slot, overtaking Charlie Conerly, to become #2 on the New York Giants‘ Top Ten Passers list. Why then were so many fans calling for the head of Eli Manning at season’s end?

An abundance of interceptions can easily stir up the “angry mob” mentality amongst football fans. Manning led the league in interceptions this season and told the media, the day after the New York Giants’ disappointing season finale, ”

I am not a 25 interception quarterback.”

That is the exact number of times he threw the ball into the opposition’s hands, however. Manning went on to say,

“I think obviously that’s got to be fixed. We have to fix that. That’s on me, the receivers, and everybody doing that, but most of it’s on me.”

(more…)

Upset about the Giants missing the playoffs this year?  Take a trip down memory lane… The NY Giants appear 3 times on this top 10 list of greatest post season upsets.

[via NFL Videos]