[Brendan]

Yes two topics in one day. HANDLE IT!

The Giants will be drafting 4th in the NFL draft in April and I wanted to start exploring who they might select/need. All are welcome to make suggestions, but I have a good feeling it's just going to be me and Chris...Boylan...from America...currently residing in Michigan.

Here's my thoughts:
Obviously, the OL problems are getting rediculous, so it cannot be passed off to undrafted FA's. Well, whaddayaknow, there is an OT, Robert Gallery of Iowa, who is projected to be a top-5 pick. Another option is to take OT/OG Vernon Carey out of Miami in the early second round.

Secondly, the secondary needs an upgrade. FS Sean Taylor, also from Miami, is hard to pass up. He really looks like he could be better than Ed Reed and (Gasp!) Brian Dawkins. You can't let that get away, plus the Giants seem to have the players they want in the secondary for the other three spots.

DL and LB are also some other spots in need of upgrade. You can always find a DL that low, but as for LB, under #10 will probably be a reach.

QB and RB are very slight possibilities, but the Giants still have some time to address the QB spot and have other pressing issues. Barber and his fumble problems are really grating on me. The Giants could also pick up Kevin Jones of Virgina Tech, a big back with a lot of speed, ideal for a "smashmouth" style of football.

But if I had to choose what the Giants did I would go with:
1st round: FS Sean Taylor - Miami
2nd round: OL Vernon Carey - Miami or
LB Teddy Lehman - Oklahoma

As more underclassmen declare for the draft and the results of the combine come in, this will drastically change. But this is my view so far.

[Chris]

The consensus at BBI seems to be Taylor as well. As for the pick - I would guess that Kevin Jones would have the most immediate impact. RBs always adjust the quickest to the NFL as long as they are smart enough to understand that the holes are smaller and you have to keep moving (see: Ron Dayne).

However, I don't think that there are any glaring needs that can be addressed this year other than maybe Jones, so I default to best possible player available. It is almost impossible to get an OL that can contribute right away, so I would shy away in this round, but snap one up in RD 2 or 3. As I said in the other thread, the next vulnerable position is LB, so I'd like to see a Day 1 pickup there. Unfortunately, I am not well versed enough to name a player at this time as I barely follow college FB. I would also be very happy with a moderate trade down and a pickup of some other 2nds or 3rds.

[Brendan]

UPDATE-O-LICIOUS

So, with the draft two days away, my feelings about drafting Gallery or Manning have certainly gotten more positive. I think for this discussion and the fact that none of us really has the expertise to really get an idea as to whom the Giants could select outside the top 10, I'll just focus on the #4 overall pick.

The Giants had MAJOR OL problems. They lost Bober, Seubert is coming off what amounts to a shattered leg, and their main option at RT was IAN ALLEN. Then they signed some free agents, so the OL isn't looking terrible. They sure could use a dominant lineman though, so selecting Gallery would put him on the line and improve their depth.

The Giants also have a decent secondary. Shaun Williams is pretty good and the Wills do a good job when they're healthy. However, FS Omar Stoutmire has simply not done the job. I had more interceptions in a JV game in HS(2), playing MLB, than he had all last season (1). Selecting Sean Taylor would not only improve their secondary, but they would have a true playmaker at FS, who could be the best at his position in 3-4 years.

But what about Kerry? His contract runs out after this year, but he still has 4-5 good years left in him. It took the Giants almost a decade to find a good replacement to Phil Simms, I don't want to go on that journey again. The Giants could select Manning by trading up, but that would cost them a few picks, including their 2nd round pick, which is only two picks away from the first round. Manning is going to be, at the very least, a very good QB, but the Giants aren't just a QB away from title contention. Keep the picks and stay with Collins. They could get someone like J.P. Losman in the second, who could turn out to be just as good as the rest of the QBs.

But there's always a WR. So many good ones in this year's draft. Roy Williams(FROM!...) and Larry Fitzgerald merit the #4. I'd go with Fitzgerald, simply b/c he does all of the things that WRs need to do to be successful in the NFL. Why don't many WRs make an impact early in their careers? B/c they need to learn about using their body and running good routes. Williams will be great, but Fitzgerald could be the next Jerry Rice, but more athletic. The only viable WR the Giants have is Amani Toomer. after that, they'd be better off splitting Shockey out wide. They can get a WR that will be the player Hilliard was SUPPOSED to be. I don't really fault the Giants for Hilliard, he did have two season-ending injuries. Besides in the '97 draft, the Giants wisely chose him over Yatil Green, who blew out both of his knees, and Rae Carruth, who's in jail for conspiring to MURDER HIS PREGNANT WIFE. Good call considering.

So, what does this mean? It means the Giants will get someone great at the 4 spot regardless, so they don't need to move up. I'd sit at the four spot and take whomever is left in this order:
1. Robert Gallery
2. Eli Manning
3. Sean Taylor
4. Larry Fitzgerald.

I only put Manning ahead of Taylor, b/c he's too good to pass up at #4. Just sit where you are and make sure you're not selecting in the top-5 ever again. If you must have some wheeling and dealing, then maybe trade that 2nd round pick to get into the later 1st to get another player that you suddenly see as attainable.
That's how I see it. I occasionally end up having a decent handle on draft picks and how they pan out. I publicly said that the Giants should have drafted Shaun Alexander over Ron Dayne. But I also thought that William Joseph was a steal and that he'd be in a consistent rotation by mid-season. Time will tell if he ever pans out.

[Chris]

I couldn't agree with you more, but I'm not sure a trade isn't going to happen. It appears that all hell has broken loose in the draft. Manning has told the Chargers that he will not play for them, and desperately wants to go to the Giants. Although this has many salivating over at BBI, I think that it's a mistake. Not because Manning is going to be bad, but because it's just a bad move at this time for this team.

Even if he is as good as Peyton, look at how Peyton's contract has completely hamstrung his team. I think the Patriots have proven that it's better to have many good players than a few great ones. Now, while I think Gallery can be great, I just don't see a tackle being able to command Peyton Manning money in five years. There is an artificial premium at QB, so efficient cap distribution dictates that you must seek out a bargain here. I think that Kerry Collins is overpaid for this year, but a renegotiation would bring his contract in line.

That doesn't even bring into consideration the rebuilding that would be necessary under Eli. Strahan is the best defensive player in the NFL. You don't waste that on a rebuilding team. Look at the offensive weapons this team has. Are you just gonna wait two years for Eli to grow? Only to have Toomer, Tiki, and Ike ready to retire?

Gallery can step in now, and Collins has shown what he can do behind a good line. That being said, I don't want to trade up at all as the picks are worth too much. Sit back and pick from what is before you. I would prefer Gallery, but don't give up the house to get him. I would also like Taylor, but there's a good FS lurking at the top of Round 2, (I forget his name) but if they go Taylor, I'd like Casey in Rd 2.

Just please don't trade for Manning.

[Chris]

I can't get the BBI board to load, but they appear to say that the deal with SD is done, probably for Eli.

Sigh.

[Brendan]

I just hope it all works out and Eli doesn't have much of a learning curve. It looks like it's really going to happen, but I would believe that the Giants understand that they have some leverage and don't give away their second pick. I actually wouldn't mind parting with Hilliard. He's a good contributer, but he's not a starter.

[Chris]

If it's next year's 2 and hilliard, I can support the deal, but this year's two seems a hair much.

[Brendan]

Yeah it doesn't load each time, for obvious reasons, but I don't think they're saying it's a done deal yet, but it appears to be imminent

[Chris]

I have been thinking about asking if they(BBI) want to host the site here, because apparently they have it hosted on the worst server ever. In addition, their message board is some hodge-podge of Cold Fusion, and I have no idea what type of draw that takes on the server.

As for the deal, now that it is almost done, I feel I have to accept it and be happy or I'll hate Manning for the next 10-20 years. Who knows, maybe Manning will tear it up this year. Let's hope he and Shockey are the next Young/Rice.

[Brendan]

Yeah, acceptance may be the best option.

Maybe if you hosted the site you'd get some good info? It's worth a shot

[Chris]

And I'd be able to upgrade to a better server to everyone's benefit.

[Chris]

And now, Chris Mortensen is saying the deal is off!

[brian]

site wise maybe you can offer to be a mirror site?
to be honest i have no idea if that's even feasilbe for websites as it is for downloads.

either way, bbi has been craptacular all day and its only thursday. by the time this draft starts their site is going to be crippled beyond repair.

as for manning, i'm in the camp of he'd be great to get but the cost is probably too high. info is so all over the place on this its incredible. clayton has a new article up on espn this afternoon about how one move alone (by the raiders i beleive) can cause such a huge shift for everyone.