2013 NFL Draft Recap-New York Giants

Coming off what was a disappointing effort to repeat as Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants had some very specific needs to fill in this year’s draft. Specifically, Big Blue was looking to improve both its offensive and defensive lines, add some depth in the secondary, and potentially fill a decade-long search for an impact linebacker. However, with the 2013 NFL Draft now behind us, it was a selection at a position that is currently New York’s strongest that had the most people talking.

1st Round (No. 19 overall)-Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse This pick of a 3-time Big East All-Pro certainly surprised most. According to Giants GM Jerry Reese, the team couldn’t afford to pass up on a player who is as versatile as Pugh. Big Blue has him pegged as a player who can play all five positions along the offensive line. Having seen him play in person at Syracuse, it is clear that Pugh, who’s biggest criticism was “short arms”, can play tackle, guard, and center, and could start as soon as this year. While Notre Dame TE Tyler Eifert probably would have filled a bigger and more immediate need, Pugh certainly strengthens the New York offensive front.

2nd Round (No. 49 overall)-Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State I can’t recall the last time the Giants took two players as large as Pugh and Hankins with their first two picks of a draft. For a squad that struggled against the run last year (25th overall) the Giants could definitely use some size on their defensive front four, and that is exactly what Hankins brings. With Linval Joseph and Cullen Jenkins the probable starters going into the season, Hankins certainly has a great chance to get real and significant playing time. For Big Blue’s sake, Hankins will hopefully develop quicker than 2011 2nd round DT draft choice Marvin Austin, who has 8 tackles in two years.

3rd Round (No. 81 overall)-Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M Moore is an extremely versatile player, spending serious time at both defensive end and linebacker while in college. Scouting reports list Moore as a great blitzer, which should fit very nicely into the Giants’ NASCAR scheme. As a negative, Moore isn’t described as extremely athletic, which limits his versatility at linebacker. Moore was a first round selection in a lot of mock drafts, so this registers as a value pick for New York. A marijuana arrest in 2011 makes him slightly risky, but clearly that is the kind of behavior that Tom Coughlin has never tolerated.

4th Round (No. 110 overall)-Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse Arguably the most surprising pick of the draft for any team. After being rumored to go as high as #8 overall, Nassib plummeted to the 4th round, and with the Giants clearly going for value, they traded up six spots to take Nassib. However, Nassib probably shouldn’t plan on starting anytime soon. As Jerry Reese said after the pick, the ideal situation for the Giants involves Nassib never seeing the field. It wouldn’t be bad, though, to have a quarterback they can feel confident in behind Eli Manning, and Nassib could very well be that player, especially after a great senior year which concluded a year of improving every season at ‘Cuse. Shamarko Thomas, another Syracuse player, went the very next pick to the Steelers and might have made more sense for Big Blue at safety, but if the goal is taking the best available player, the Giants accomplished that with Nassib. I don’t see Nassib as Eli Manning’s eventual successor, but you never know.

5th Round (No. 152 overall)-Cooper Taylor, S, Richmond Taylor is huge for a safety, coming in at 6’4″, 220. The Giants can always use as many bodies as possible in the secondary after being decimated by injuries last year. Taylor’s athletic build and quick 40 time (4.49) make him a real threat to receive a lot of snaps in 2013. A heart condition definitely affected Taylor’s stock, and is certainly something to look out for. His ability to stay on the field will probably determine entirely define this pick down the road.

7th Round (No. 225 overall)-Eric Herman, OG, Ohio The Giants went back to assessing their needs in the trenches with their first of two 7th round picks with Herman. He is described as incredibly tough and physical, two good attributes for a guard. Herman will probably have to really impress in training camp to see time in the regular season, but depth is what 7th round picks are meant for.

7th Round (No. 253 overall)-Michael Cox, RB, UMass A transfer from Michigan, Cox hopes to re-create the late 7th magic provided by Ahmad Bradshaw. Cox barely played at UMass after transferring, but with the order of the New York RB depth chart very much in the air, there’s no reason Cox can’t put together a few good runs in the preseason to earn a spot as the third running back.

Overall, this was a pretty standard Giants draft. Most needs were met (Offensive and Defensive lines, secondary), and there was one pick that really made people talk (Nassib). However, the selection of a player that could one day become a threat on offense wasn’t made, and that was something I thought the Giants had to do. A wide receiver in the 1st or 2nd rounds could have made sense, especially with Victor Cruz’s contract situation still unresolved. The Giants, more so than the average team, know exactly what they are doing when it comes to the draft, so there is a good chance that some of these picks turn out to be producers down the road.