1^st round pick OT Ereck Flowers (Miami):

Although the Giants were hoping Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Schreff would fall to them at the 9^th pick, the G-Men still got their right tackle in Miami’s Ereck Flowers. General Manager Jerry Reese knew coming into the draft that the Giants would need one more solid offensive lineman to complete what should be a formidable group of five. The Giants are hoping they got their man in the six-foot-six, 329-pound “man-child” as team director of player personnel Marc Ross described Flowers. The move will also allow Justin Pugh to move to his natural position of guard, which should help. The Giants filled a need rather than draft the best player available, which hopefully will not come back to bite them.

Grade: B+

2^nd round pick S Landon Collins (Alabama):

The Giants kicked off day two of the draft with a bang. Jerry Reese swung a team with Titans General Manager Ruston Webster to acquire the 1^st pick of the 2^nd round. Reese used the pick to select Alabama Safety Landon Collins who is widely regarded as the best at his position in the draft. Collins should have been a first round pick according to many, but he slid and the Giants knew he would not make it to them with the 8^th pick in the 2^nd round. By selecting the hard-hitting safety who was a 1^st team All-SEC member, the Giants will now have Collins start alongside Nat Berhe. An excellent run defender who’s an in-the-box safety, Collins is athletic enough to cover running backs and tight ends, something the Giants have struggled with for a long time. I love this pick by Jerry Reese who needed to address the safety position.

Grade: A

3^rd round pick DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (UCLA):

Good luck trying to remember how to spell this guy’s name throughout the season. Owamagbe Odighizuwa is a versatile pass rusher who is going to come in and immediately provide a big presence on the defensive line. Odighizuwa is an excellent run stopper and can play on the edge or inside. Medical issues have been a concern throughout his collegiate career at UCLA but if he stays healthy, Odighizuwa will be a tremendous addition to the Giants defensive line. Many are comparing him to Justin Tuck.

Grade: A-

5^th round pick S Mykkele Thompson (Texas):

After three fantastic picks from the Giants, this one is a bit of a head scratcher for me. Thompson was expected to go undrafted by many and was even shocked himself when he was picked saying “I had no clue when or if my name would get picked”. Thompson did post an impressive 4.47 40-yard dash and can play safety and corner so he is a versatile player. However, many scouts consider him to be a career special teamer. The Giants had better safety options of the board such Cedric Thompson who was picked by the Dolphins shortly after, but lets hope Reese proves us wrong.

Grade: C-

6th round pick WR Geremy Davis (UCONN):

We know how much Jerry Reese loves drafting his captains and the Giants got one here in the former UConn Huskie Geremy Davis. Davis, a big wide receiver, will be nothing more than organizational depth and will probably find himself on the practice squad to start off the year due to the plethora of receivers on the roster. Davis has trouble getting open due to his slow speed, but according to many scouts he has excellent hands. Davis will most likely have to wait a year or two before he makes an impact.

Grade: C+

7^th round pick OL Bobby Hart (Florida State):

The Giants added their second offensive lineman in their 6 person draft class by adding Florida State’s Bobby Hart. A 2014 third-team All-ACC, Hart started all 14 games as a right tackle with the Seminoles and was a part of a group that lead 1^st overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston to a national championship. Hart struggles in pass protection but is a solid run blocker and should provide the Giants with insurance on a new look offensive line.

Grade: B

The post Grading the Giants 2015 Draft first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

Flowers, the ninth overall pick, is a 6-6, 329-pounder from the University of Miami is known for stout run blocking and aggressive play. The selection could provide the Giants much needed flexibility as Flowers can play multiple positions on the line. Moving Justin Pugh to guard has already come up.

“I see myself anywhere on the line,” said Flowers, who noted he played some guard in practice. “I’m ready to come in anywhere on the line to make a contribution. Whatever helps the team win.

“I have a lot of confidence in myself and whatever I do or I wouldn’t be playing this sport at all or doing any of the stuff I do. It’s really just the confidence in myself and what I see in myself. I can’t really sit here and persuade you, but I’m confident in myself and what I do.”

Head coach Tom Coughlin never likes to show his hand, leaving all possibilities open.

“I am not going to comment on that until I have the opportunity to talk to our coaches about exactly how we are going to go about starting this,” Coughlin said. “He can be either side. He [was] a left tackle last year, but he has the size and so on and so forth to play a lot of spots if you so desire. We think he is a tackle.”

The pick may not be the most sexiest selection made, but the saying is “the game is won in the trenches”.  Flowers will bring size, (lots of size) aggressive play and is able to play multiple positions. Giants GM Jerry Reese feels the pick is both need and value.

“We always talk about we’re going to take the best player, but we’re always cognizant of what our need is as well,” general manager Jerry Reese said. “And we think this is a good need and a value pick for us. We think this can help solidify the offensive line, so hopefully this will settle the offensive line down and we don’t have to keep talking about the offensive line as much.”

Giants Nation what do you think about this pick? Please leave a comment below and share this article!

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Hello fellow BleedBlue Nation,
Draft time is finally upon us, the moment we have been waiting for since the regular season has ended. The draft is going to be pivotal in helping the Giants not only to improve for next season but also to build the dominant team we would like to see for the foreseeable future. So I’ve taken some time to consider some of the Giants major area’s that could use some help. Jerry Reese has a history of drafting the B.A.P. (Best Available Player) regardless of perceived need. I agree with that strategy because it’s more important to get players that will add value and help out than fill holes with bodies, remember, there are other ways to fill holes like undrafted free agents, trades etc. It’s fun to evaluate, so let’s dive in and feel free to add comments or opinion’s so we can see what the BleedBlue nation thinks the Giants needs are going into the draft. Afterward, I will write a follow up to see how the Giants did in meeting these needs.
Offensive Line
It’s safe to say, if you watched the games last year you recognized a need here. Eli didn’t have enough time in the pocket and our running backs rarely had holes large enough to squeeze through. The reality is, although offensive line gets the least amount of credit when things are going well, they are the foundation to any winning team. We have had a few additions via free agency, the most promising in the form of Canadian footballer Brett Jones who comes in highly decorated, with the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award in 2014 and winning the CFL’s most outstanding rookie award in 2013, plus he’s already won a professional championship at 24 years of age. He’s a veteran who I think will compete for a starting position and at least provide much needed depth. I think Jones is a great addition but I also believe we need to add another offensive linemen in this year’s draft to increase competition and raise the bar for the whole OL, so one or two injuries will not throw our play-off ambitions off track.

Safety
This is the other position where we have what appears to be a really big hole to fill after Antrel Rolle departed for Chicago. There is no doubt Rolle was our best safety for a long time, but he was also really expensive and though I appreciate his many contributions over the years I can’t help but feel we can improve speed and athleticism at the position at a discount. Remaining on the roster we have Nat Berhe who is tough and has shown potential. The good news here is I think this year’s draft has great depth at the position. Shaq Thomson (Wash.), L. Collins (Bama) D. Randall (xxx), and in the later rounds D. Eskridge (Syracuse), are all on my list for players who I think could help here. Check out this list of the many prospects out there in what I believe is this draft’s deepest position.
Linebacker
The Giants have a rich history at the position with L.T., Carl Banks, Pepper Johnson, and J. Armstead, to name a few, and who wouldn’t like to see us add to that tradition. M. Kiwinuka left and that leaves Kennard and Beason as our best returning players at the position. I personally like Herzlich, maybe because he beat cancer before he even made it to the NFL, but he has also made plays when he has had the chance. Casillas and JT Thomas add depth and I’d like to see another young athletic option added in the draft. Maybe a player with a high ceiling who could one day be added to the list of all-time greats at the position. With Beason getting older and our deficiency against the run last season I think Denzel Perryman (Miami) makes sense here. Miami is known for putting out great LB’s and I can’t help but think of Ray Lewis here and smile at the possibilities.
Tight End
I thought this was one of our biggest short comings going into last season, and although I feel there were other areas that were worse off during the season and L. Donnel shows great promise, this position remains a great concern. He still has a lot to improve on and the depth underneath him is not inspiring. Plus, we struggled in the Red Zone and I think a good receiving TE could help out greatly. Here’s an earlier article where a tight end solution is addressed . There are plenty of other options as well and I think we have to add a playmaker here in the draft.
Wide Receiver
As crazy as it may seem on a roster with V. Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr. on it, to say this is an area of need seems odd. However, the reality is that Cruz is coming off a serious injury and there is no guarantee he will be 100%. With R. Randle (whom many including myself find to be a big disappointment so far) next on the depth chart it wouldn’t hurt to add some talent here, if nothing else to add depth in case of injury and to help out on special teams. I think Preston Parker improved as the season went along and showed some promise and I would love to see Corey Washington start alongside ODB and Cruz, which is another point I’ve made previously. I also like the signing of free agent Dwayne Harris who is a great special teamer and could prove to be a quality WR as well, if given the chance.
So, these are what I perceive as our major needs that hopefully will be addressed during the Draft, or at least before the season begins. There are other positions, like RB, DL and CB, where we could always use more competition and improvement, but I think we can make do with who we have. Let me know what you think and as the draft concludes we can check back and see how many of these holes get filled and with whom. Keep in mind if the needs don’t get filled it’s not the end of the world, players are always improving and you never know when a sleeper will step up and have a break out year.

“New York Giants Draft Needs 2015?” was written by Guest blogger Shane Momier. Please Share this post & leave some feedback in the comment field below, I would love to know what you think.

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You could hear this on statement on Thursday. In the 2015 NFL draft the New York Giants select with the #9 pick Vic Beasley DE/LB from Clemson.

Steve Spagnuolo gets a gift from the football Gods like Ben McAdoo did when the Gmen drafted Odell Beckham Jr last year. Jerry Reese watched Jameis Winston, Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler Jr, Amari Cooper, Brandon Schreff, Marcus Mariota, Kevin White and Bud Dupree come off the board like dominos. With the best defensive lineman (Williams), best DE(Fowler Jr), most physical/NFL ready Offensive lineman & the top two Wide receivers off the board it would make Beasley a no brainer at #9.

Vic Beasley would be a Day 1 starter at weak side Linebacker ala Von Miller/Bruce Irvin in Spags 4-3 defense, a three down player & an immediate upgrade in the Giants Front 7. He has elite athleticism & he is simply a defensive gamechanger who uses his elite speed, strength & leverage to wreck havoc in the backfield. He is athletic and physical enough to cover tight ends and running backs as a stand up linebacker on 1st & 2nd down. His strengths are playing with his hand in the dirt as a DE where he has shown great technique, use of elite speed, play recognition, great use of pass rush moves & leverage to beat college team’s best offensive lineman which Is usually the Left Tackle

Beasley was extremely productive in college and sticks out on tape plus he backed it up with an amazing combine. A healthy Beason with a young Kennard and Beasley would give the giants and athletic and physical linebacking corp while Ayers & Selvie battle it out for the open DE spot & Jenkins & Ellis battle it out to play next to Big Hank. A great run defense early on downs will keep opposing offenses in third and long situations where the giants can unleash their 4 DE rush package with Jpp/Ayers as DTs and Beasley/Moore as opposite Ends.

The biggest reason for drafting Beasley is that he brings something to the table that has been missing on the Giants defense for many years now which is the game changing plays such as the strip sack which Osi Umenyiora made a career out of and helped the Gmen win Two super bowl trophies. Vic Beasley would be insurance if Jpp decides to run for the money in 2016. The Giants can find a starting offensive lineman and a great offensive playmaker who returns kicks/punts in the 2nd and 3rd round but they won’t find a defensive player any where near Beasley’s caliber. If Vic Beasley falls to the Giants at #9 they must pull the trigger without thinking twice as he can make an impact on the defense like Odell Beckham Jr did for the offense in 2014. The New York Giants 29th ranked defense could use the help from the the combine warrior that disrupted plays in the opponents backfield like clockwork.

“Will The Giants Select Vic Beasley?” was written by Guest blogger Nelson Aparicio Please Share this post & leave some feedback in the comment field below, I would love to know what you think.

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Holding the 9th overall pick in the NFL draft, the New York Giants will have many options when they are on the clock. Still, with many positions to fill such as safety, offensive lineman, and a pass rusher, Jerry Reese has always had the philosophy of taking the best player on the board.

It seems as though the Giants number one option would be to select offensive lineman Brandon Schreff from Iowa who has been regarded by many as the top player at his position. If Schreff is taken before the Giants pick, and Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper is still available, would the Giants take him?

Going into the college football season, Cooper was regarded as the best wide receiver in the draft but has seen his stock fallen slightly due to the emergence of Kevin White from West Virginia.

While Cooper would add another tremendous deep threat option for Eli Manning, the Giants do not need to draft another receiver. The G-Men arguably have one of the deepest receiving corps in the league with Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, Ruben Randle, and Dwayne Harris. Although Cruz may not be 100% healthy, I doubt the Giants committed a lot of money for Dwayne Harris just to play special teams.

If I were Jerry Reese, I would concentrate more on the needs of this team rather than just going for the best player available. There are a plethora of good DL/LB such as Shane Ray from Missouri and Vic Beasley from Clemson.

The post Draft Amari Cooper or draft positions in need? first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

As the draft approaches all serious fans become draft experts and I consider myself no exception to this rule.  Certainly I do not have the time to watch every college team all over the country and choose the best of the best so I rely heavily on the few teams I’ve followed and the many article I’ve read and of course sportcenter highlights.  There from my totally bias and un vast research I’ve concluded the right guy for our team is none other than the TE from my Alma Mater FSU’s Nick O’leary.

Now I’m not saying we should draft him with the #9 pick especially since he is rated the #4 TE according to Sports exchange.  However I believe if we can land him in the 2^nd round or later he will be a high value pick that will improve out red zone offense immediately.  At 6’3 247 lbs he has the best hands I’ve seen in a college TE and seemed to catch everything that “Famous” Jameis Winston threw at him during his college career and has been a major part of FSU’s success over the last few seasons.  He’s tough and I think over time he will be an efficient blocker at the position as well.

Don’t get me wrong I like Larry Donnell and feel he will continue to improve, but I think the trend in the NFL is moving toward having two TE on the field in many situation’s especially inside the twenty yard line where our offense struggled last season.  I believe we have to improving our offensive line and defense should be top priority but like Marco pointed out in his article that Reese doesn’t like to pass on playmakers and I believe we can add instant punch to the offense and big crunch time playmaking ability outside the first round with the addition of Nick O’leary who I watched time and time again make plays for big 1^st downs and key touchdowns in critical moments for FSU.

Here is a scouting report on NFL.com on him. At FSU he played in 53 games, he had 114 receptions for 1591 yards and my favorite statistic as it relates to the Giants is he had 17 Touch Downs.

“O’leary Would Fit Nicely As A Giant” was written by Guest blogger Shane Momier. Please leave feedback in the comment field below, I would love to know what you think.

The post O’leary Would Fit Nicely As A Giant first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

Don’t be surprised if Jerry Reese drafts wide receivers with the 9th pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. I’ll give you a few reasons to chew on.

Anytime there is a dynamic playmaker up there and a guard, I’m taking a playmaker. – Jerry Reese.

It may be too tempting to pass on Alabama’s Amari Cooper or West Virginia’s Kevin White, who are both predicted as top 10 players. Yes we need help at OL & DL but adding another weapon to Beckham, Randle & Cruz has some fans drooling.

Now let’s look at the history of Jerry Reese’s tenure as General Manager. He has selected a total of 7 wide receivers. This would be the second highest drafted position behind linebacker which has 9. All of  the wide receivers selected have been drafted within the first 3 rounds.

Odell Beckham Jr.
2014 | 1st round | pick 12
Odell was the first New York Giants to win Offensive Rookie Of The Year with his amazing breakout season. Nice start with 91 catches and 12 TDS.

Rueben Randle
2012 | 2nd round | pick 63
Solid wide receiver who is evolving. At times inconsistent, but his role is always changing between primary and secondary wide receiver. His second year under offensive coordinator Ben Mcadoo’s system will be telling.

Jerrell Jernigan
2011 | 3rd round | pick 83
Show some bright spots in 2013 especially at the end of the season. Spent the majority of the season on injured reserve.

Hakeem Nicks
2009 | 1st round | pick 29
Was our premier Stud wide receiver with exceptionally strong hands, he commanded to double-team freeing up other members. He struggle his last two years with the Giants to stay healthy. Eventually he left in free agency to join the Indianapolis Colts.

Ramses Barden
2009 | 3rd round | pick 85
Jerry Reese was high on Ramses Barden and actually traded up in the draft to get him. Similar size and frame to Plaxico Burress but never panned out.

Mario Manningham
2008 | 3rd round | pick 95
Manningham caught 18 touchdown passes in 4 seasons with the Giants. He also left in free Agency but injuries mainly kept him on the 49ers PUP list.     Now he is mainly remembered for his sideline catch in Super Bowl XLVI.

Steve Smith
2007 | 2nd round | pick 51
Was Eli’s main target in 2009. He racked up 107 catches for 1220 yards and & 7 TDS becoming the first Giants receiver in history to break 90 catches in one season. One bad knee injury and one impulsive jump during free agency landed Smith with the Eagles and never returned to his old glory.   

In summary Jerry Reese drafts wide receivers, and he drafts them well. Now keeping them on the team or keeping them healthy is another story.

The post Jerry Reese Drafts Wide Receivers first appeared on Bleedbigblue.com.

1. Shaq Thompson (OLB/RB, Washington)

2. Dante Fowler (DE/OLB, Florida)

3. Landon Collins (Safety, Alabama)

4. Brandon Scherff (Tackle/Guard, Iowa)

5. Benardrick McKinney (OLB/ILB, Miss. St)

9th Pick Of The 2015 NFL Draft was written by Guest blogger Brian Lazor. Please leave feedback in the comment field below, I would love to know what you think.

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Should The Giants Look At Amari Cooper? Cooper is projected to be the first Wide Receiver taken in this years upcoming draft. We can safely say The Giants will be slotted pretty early in the draft for 2015. The Giants have tons of holes to fix, but its tempting to picture Beckham, Cruz, Randle & Cooper. I know you are already screaming for them to draft an Offensive linemen, but this years class of offensive linemen might be poor. Could the Giants have the same plan as last year, Grab a stud WR in the 1st round & O-line in the second. NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver Chris  Carter believes in the talent of Amari Cooper, should we?

I don’t know what he’s going to do in the pros, but since Ozzie Newsome, Alabama has the best wide receiver that they have had in the history of their school and his name is Amari Cooper. He is a true junior from Miami and he is fabulous. His ability to run routes- I met Amari when he was in high school at a football clinic and he’s probably the most advanced wide receiver that I have seen at a young age since Randy Moss. He has unbelievable speed, unbelievable demeanor, route running, the sky is the limit.

I think right now on Mel Kiper’s Big Board he’s number three, but he could be the first pick in the draft as a wide receiver and he has everything from a character standpoint that you would on and off the football field. One reason why the University of Miami is not good is they’ve got kids leaving Miami in their backyard going to play for places like Alabama. Amari Cooper, he’s worth the price of admission.

Take a look at some of highlights of Cooper Below.

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