2004 NFL Draft: New York Giants Review
Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
NFL Draft Gem & Final 2004 Verdict
The Giants used the 4th pick in the 5th round to select Gibril Wilson out of the University of Tennessee. A three-year starter at strong safety and 2007 Super Bowl champion, Big Blue’s dig for draft value turned out to be a wildly successful one. GMEN HQ featured Gibril Wilson on its Top-5 Underrated Giants from the 2000’s:
"Wilson started 51 games at both safety spots during his four-year stint in New York. Most notably, he was the starting FS on the Super Bowl XLII champion Giants in ’07-’08 — and broke up Tom Brady’s long heave for Randy Moss on the game’s final play. Not too shabby for a 5th round selection… Despite possessing the speed to cover ground on the back line (11 INT’s), Wilson lived for mixing it up at the line of scrimmage. Utilized more as a blitzing safety early in his career, Wilson sacked the QB six times in his first 24 professional games. He posted three seasons of 70+ solo tackles before Oakland signed him away for $39 million in 2008."
The Giants do their best work drafting backs in the late rounds, as buttressed by the selection of Derrick Ward in the 7th round at pick 235. Ward was a non-factor for three full seasons, then exploded for 1,627 yards and 67 receptions between 2007-2008. The biggest mistake he ever made was bolting New York for more green in Tampa Bay. His career was effectively squashed without the ugly’s up front opening cavernous holes.
Who was passed over? How about running back Michael Turner at pick #22 in round 5. Although currently a free agent at age 32, Turner ran head first for 7,338 yards and 66 touchdowns in his career. The Giants still could have gotten a quality player in Scott Wells, an offensive lineman that’s made 119 NFL starts. Wells was on the board until round 7… But we’re simply entertaining ourselves at this point. You can’t do much better than snagging Wilson at pick 136.
In the end, the 2004 NFL Draft was a draft executed with precision where it counts. Teams must hit big on their big chances to find true talent — with Eli Manning, Chris Snee and Gibril Wilson, the Giants did exactly that. Sure, later in the draft the Giants had some whiffs and players you can mildly say “what if” about. However, ten years later when your second round pick is retiring with two rings and your first round pick is still going strong, making millions and millions, it’s safe to say you had a pretty GIANT draft.
And with that, welcome to the 2014 New York Football Giants season. How do you think this year’s draft will look in a decade? Will OBJ and Weston Richburg have a couple rings and money to the ceiling, or will their unlimited rookie potential never get off the ground floor?
We’ll know the answer to that question in 2024, when the Giants are 99 years old. Enjoy the GIANT days in between, for now, football is back.