Category Archives: 2010 Draft
by Zachary Powell / Football Reporters Online
- 1. A.J. Green – WR – 6’3” – 211 lbs. – Georgia
UGA's AJ Green
Combine Numbers (40T – 4.48; Cone – DNP) Draft Projection: 1st Round
Since Green declared for the 2011 Draft, he’s been the consensus number one receiver on the board. While not possessing top-flight speed, Green has been an extremely productive player (166 receptions, 1982 receiving yards, 24 TD’s); despite missing several games to suspension and injury during his three-year career as a Bulldog. His productivity is due to a blend of his excellent height and his crafty route running which allow him to get off the line quickly and his long strides allow him to get separation. Has long-arms and great hands. Exceptional body-control that makes him very tough to defend on the deep ball. Is considered a adequate run-blocker but will have to do a better job at finishing blocks at this level. A.J. does have the tendency to get outmuscled by bigger and more physical DB’s on occasion. He has the frame to add more weight without sacrificing speed. There isn’t much to dislike about Green and he should be the first of this deep receiver class to hear his name called.
- 2. Julio Jones – WR – 6’4” – 220 lbs. – Alabama
Combine Numbers (40T – 4.39; Cone – 6.66) Draft Projection: 1st Round
In terms of potential, there is none greater than Alabama’s own Julio Jones. Has excellent upside but is considered raw in a number of areas. His size and speed draw comparisons to current All-Pro WR Andre Johnson (Houston Texans). He has shown the ability to go over the middle, take the big hit and hold on to the ball. His biggest assets are his hands, which he uses efficiently in creating separation; he will rarely be jammed at the line of scrimmage. The biggest knock on Jones is his inconsistency. He struggles to locate the ball on deep routes; and has the tendency to get lazy and allow the ball into his frame, which results in a number of easy passes to hit the ground. There are few receivers with his combination of size, talent and effort. Was the 2011 winner of the Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellent Award. If Jones can put everything together, he has the potential to be an All-Pro type player.
Tagged NFL, nfl draft, wide receivers |
Giants Football Blog’s Partners at Football Reporters Online have made available the 2011 PRO DRAFT REPORT via a special agreement. Today FRO’s Anthony Carrillo ranks the top QB’s…
BY ANTHONY S. CARILLO-Contributing Writer/Reporter/Football Reporters Online
1. Blaine Gabbert-Missouri 6’ 4’’ 236 lbs 4.62 40 Junior
Gabbert is the most polished and NFL ready quarterback in this years draft class. He has great size as well as great speed, and can make every throw that a NFL quarterbacks needs to make. One knock on Gabbert is that in the Missouri offense there were only a few reads for him to make, and if you watch the game tape there are some points where his primary and secondary receiver are covered and he decides to run, but the third option is wide open on the weak side of the field. Coming from a shotgun spread offense does throw up some concerns, but during the combine and pro day process he has shown that he has the footwork and poise to be able to run a NFL style offense.
Tagged College Football, nfl draft, QB's |
Former Giants LB Pepper Johnson
Every body loves a “hot” coordinator. And right now every body loves Perry Fewell…including San Francisco, Cleveland, Denver, & Carolina!
So, if the man who put the “Crunch” back into “Crunch Bunch” leaves for a well deserved head coaching job…who’s on the Hot Seat to take his place on the sidelines for the Giants in 2011? If you look at history…Tom Coughlin usually keeps things close to the vest, utilizing coaches he is already familiar with.
Some have coached for him…some have coached against him, but I don’t see him leaning too far from the center of road. If the position bcomes available there are a few names that have already jumped out as leading candidates.
Tagged Dick Jauron, John Fox, New York Giants Blogs, Perry Fewell, Tom Coughlin |
After an embarrassing two weeks, the New York Giants are very likely only 6 days away from beginning preparations for 2011. With the new year approaching, I thought it would be smart to go through some of the current members of the organization whose futures with the club are either hot button issues or otherwise in doubt. The piece is a long one and it is broken up into three sections: Out/On The Bubble/ In. As always feel free to let GFB know what you think.
Out
HC Tom Coughlin: While ragging on Coughlin has been an overused go-to option for writers and pundits league wide lately, the blade is swinging ever closer to his neck after yesterday’s loss. There is an argument for keeping him of course. His tenure thus far in New York has been an upgrade from a bleak stretch of time in the team’s history that spanned from 1992 through 2003. After a rebuilding period in 2004, Coughlin fielded an overall competitive squad from 2005 through 2008 and obviously brought New York an impressive Super Bowl win. But things have not been quite the same for the Giants since jumping out to an 11-1 start in 2008. Following up a Super Bowl run with 3 months of utterly dominant football, the Giants stumbled at home against Philadelphia that season and ultimately lost to the Eagles again in their first appearance of the playoffs. 2009 saw a 5-0 start turn into a 3-5 finish and 2010 saw a historical single game collapse, an unspeakable rash of turnovers, and an overall failure to execute on special teams. Coughlin, who is historically quite reliable when it comes to challenges, blew the Giants final challenge of yesterday’s game on an obvious unfavorable ruling and thus was unable to protest against at a late Eli interception on a key drive that was clearly caught out of bounds.
Tagged Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Devin Thomas, Domenik Hixon, Eli Manning, Hakeem Nicks, Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, Keith Bulluck, Kevin Boss, Mario Manningham, Mathias Kiwanuka, Matt Dodge, Ramses Barden, Steve Smith, Tom Coughlin, Victor Cruz |
Yesterday the Giants fielded only 2 offensive linemen in their normal slots. While Kareem McKenzie and Chris Snee stayed put on the right, the left saw Rich Seubert at C, David Diehl at LG, and Shawn Andrews debuting at LT.
The results speak for itself as New York stomped Seattle in a 41-7 rout. However, as mentioned earlier this evening, the victory had casualties. Both Diehl and Adam Koets (who spelled Seubert multiple times at C), suffered injuries. While the severity of the injuries are still unknown, the theme will likely be recurring in the near future.
Shaun O’Hara is not getting any younger or healthier. A Pro Bowler, team leader, and local product, O’hara has been a key member of the organization since arriving in 2005. Now, he is out indefinitely with a similar injury to the one that ended Strahan’s 2006 campaign prematurely. It is not likely that the Giants will continue to pay out a Pro Bowler’s salary in 2011 for an ailing player. (more…)
Tagged Adam Koets, Chris Snee, David Diehl, Kareem McKenzie, Mitch Petrus, Rich Seubert, Shaun O'Hara, Shawn Andrews |
As you already know, Mathias Kiwanuka is on his way to IR for the second time during his Giant tenure. While this is clearly unfortunate and undoubtedly a loss for the team, it is yet another odd resemblance to the 2007 season. The Giants, who were breaking in a new blitz-happy defensive coordinator after a 1-2 start, lost Kiwanuka mid season to a broken leg.
Though Kiwanuka would have been a welcome addition to the Super Bowl run, there was little doubt he would return for the ’08 campaign. This time around, things are not as certain. Kiwanuka is not under contract for the 2011 season and even if he was, he is dealing with a potentially career ending injury.
With the success that the Giants defense has enjoyed without Kiwanuka, and the steady emergence of young Jason Pierre-Paul, the Giants may not be in the market for the ailing DE’s services next year.
On a similar note: Keep an eye on the Domenik Hixon situation. The former Akron standout is certainly missed in the return game, but would likely find himself stuck at 4th receiver if not worse should he return next season. No longer under contract when free agency begins, do not be surprised if he looks to take his talents elsewhere in hopes of seeing legitimate time at receiver. The Giants will obviously want to retain him, but he just may be out of their price range if he gets interest from teams with less receiver depth.
Tagged Domenik Hixon, Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka |
“Great week of preparation for NYG, now just gotta execute and play physical G-men football!”- Terrell Thomas via Twitter
Not to state the obvious but he’s right. Nearly a week removed from the “Indy Incident,” the Giants have to regroup. Here’s how:
1. Ralph Vacchiano wrote this morning that the key to defensive success against Titans RB Chris Johnson is high level play from the linebackers. I couldn’t agree more. But while I haven’t been overwhelmed by any of them yet, my focus is on Jonathan Goff. Playing in a defense that looked like sleep walkers, Goff looked like he was still tucked in last week. He’s behind the play too often and a back like Chris Johnson will make you pay dearly.
Michael Boley’s play should also be an interesting variable. It is no secret that the Giants haven’t been thrilled with the fact that Boley has been a cornerback in training. He plays the pass well but his run game hasn’t been impressive during his time in blue. That said, CJ2K has unique speed instead of bulldozing power and a nifty player like Boley may be just what the Giants need to help contain him.
2. Adam Koets needs to have the mindset of a woman in labor because the interior line is going to have to push and push hard. I fully expect David Diehl to perform well now that Dwight Freeney isn’t his assignment but if Koets proves to be a liability in his first real NFL action, the run game could once again be stalled. For those of you wondering why Riche Seubert isn’t moving to center and letting Shawn Andrews see some time, the Giants feel that he hasn’t had enough time to learn the offense cold yet. Don’t be shocked to see him enter the game though if things get sloppy behind Koets.
3. Kevin Boss is back and that can only mean good things. He may not make a ton of noise every game but his absence is all too noticeable when he’s on the sidelines. Expect the blocking quality to go up and for the field to be a bit more spread when he goes out for a pass.
4. The final key I’m going to give in this very simplified version of a game plan (Cuse vs Cortland this afternoon and the tailgate’s a’ callin) is to get to Vince Young early and rattle his cage. This could be in the form of a sack, pressure, or an early interception. This sounds obvious, I know, but Young is once again skidding and startling him early can only help.
Jason Pierre-Paul is the future of the Giant D-Line, but can he become the present? Photo Courtesy of the NY POST.
Justin Tuck will not be 100% and most feel that his injury is hurting him more than he is willing to let on. If that is the case, I expect to see a lot more JPP in this game (especially if the Titans begin to trail by multiple scores and attempt to pass). Pierre-Paul has been a force on special teams (a lone bright spot), and has imposed his will on those that try to stand in his way. I want to see more of what this kid can do because he clearly is a future starter on this D-Line.
Tagged Chris Johnson, Justin Tuck, Kevin Boss |
Chase Blackburn will avoid surgery but has a sprained MCL that will cause him to miss an undetermined amount of time according to Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News:
Blackburn was more or less a lock to make the team if he stayed healthy. For the past five years he has been a quality reserve player, occasional starter, and special teams standout. The numbers game may hurt him though, as the Giants are likely to have several hard decisions to make when final cuts are due.
Tagged Chase Blackburn, Eli Manning, Victor Cruz |
The offense has done nothing other than take three tries to rush 1 yard for a TD.
Followed by a blocked punt, the Giants haven’t looked exactly stellar thus far. The only consolation is the fact that it is only the first pre-season game. If they look like this two weeks from now, there may be regular season implications.
Hello GFB community. I will be doing a weekly blog post, focusing on areas where I think the Giants could use some improvement. Expect to see me every Thursday.
For my first post I thought I would try to establish a rubric, so to speak, for my own dissatisfaction with the MLB situation. I know it seems sometimes that I (Igs) am only seeing this thing from the ‘glass half empty’ perspective, but in truth there are a number of important angles that inform my reservations:
How close are the Giants?
This speaks more to the general draft and personnel philosophy. Do you see the Giants as a team trying to figure out how to make a championship run or a team that has already put all the pieces together and won a ring? Quite a few of the players the Giants have drafted in the past two seasons would suggest the former, players that were two to thee years away on draft day, like Ramses Barden, Travis Beckum, Linval Joseph, and of course, Jason Pierre-Paul.
If these developmental players were taken late in the draft, did not cost multiple picks, or were drafted to a team without needs, I would be more comfortable with them. But some of these guys were drafted in places where players that filled a need could have been taken, like maybe a middle linebacker.
Quality of depth
Do you agree, like much of the projections, that the Giants will find their next Mike backer in the depth chart? I think if you’re honest with yourself, many of the candidates just wont look viable. Let’s start with the completely unlikely. Gerris 
Wilkinson doesn’t have a chance. You just don’t take a guy that failed miserably at Will and expect him to become your next starting Mike, a position that requires greater lateral quickness, instincts, and a certain kind of smarts. Precedent-wise, has anyone ever failed so miserably at WLB and gone on to success at MLB?
Phillip Dillard was a productive college MLB. But he is a thumper. He’s a run-stopping specialist, great at filling, but not so great at covering TEs, slot receivers, and RBs. That’s a serious liability in a pro 4-3 defense, especially in a Tampa 2 system, where the MLB has a greater coverage responsibility. Linebackers like Dillard really can’t start unless they’re in a 3-4 playing next to another coverage MLB.
Then there’s Brian Kehl, who hasn’t quite flourished yet, but makes a lot of sense as Michael Boley’s understudy. Again, just the fact that he has yet to be successful as a weakside linebacker is pretty much a guarantee that he can’t play the middle.
Johnathan Goff, Chase Blackburn, and my favorite dark horse, Micah Johnson are the three MLB prospects that have a realistic shot at starting. Blackburn just isn’t enough of an athlete and his lack of success at the position is well documented, though he brings some good veteran experience to the table.
Goff has questionable coverage skills and instincts. Johnson, the UDFA, has a chance to really emerge from this large group of backup players. Johnson nursed foot and knee injuries during a very productive 2009 campaign (105 Tackles, 51 Solo) and carried those injuries into the pre-draft period, which would explain a very slow 40-time.
Relevence of the MLB in the 4-3 system
How important is all this MLB talk anyway? John Fennelly proposes that the Giants organization places relatively low value on LBs. And I think he’s dead on.
Reese’s recent decisions indicate that he thinks the position is negligible. And it’s funny that Coughlin, this season’s sacrificial lamb, plays along, because he never had LBs in Jacksonville, and that team spent a lot of time not quite getting there. But I just can’t think of a successful Giants team that lacked great linebackers. From LT. Harry Carson, Carl Banks, to Jessie Armstead, Antonio Pierce and Kawika Mitchell.
I can’t think of one successful period in the modern history of the Giants where they haven’t had great LB play. So when did the organization adapt this ridiculous stance? Are they haunted by the ghost of LaVar Arrington?
Furthermore, though the Giants still have major question marks at DT, this is a relatively complete defense outside of this MLB. But in a 4-3, how viable is it to have a complete defense without the MLB that brings it all together, a Brian Urlacher, a Ray Lewis, a Gary Bracket, an… Antonio Pierce.
One has to question the wisdom of the great Jerry Reese for leaving this very strong defense without its quarterback, particularly when there were quite a few great candidates available in the draft, one of them a surefire 10 year starter: Sean Weatherspoon, Donald Washington, and Jamar Cheney among others. These guys actually fit in the Tampa-2 system.
We’ve discussed all these issues in the past on the Giants Blog on some level, and I’m sure all of us are holding out some kind of hope that things workout this season. And by “workout” I mean this team wins a Super Bowl. But if you can put all these angles together and not have just a little bit of apprehension about this season, then I have to wonder if you have a pulse.
Yesterday John Fennelly reported that Goff and Dillard are receiving the bulk of the MLB reps. So one would assume that Goff has emerged as the starter and Dillard as his backup. But one has to ask the question, emerged from what? From Gerris Wilkinson, Brian Kehl, Chase Blackburn, and two UDFAs?
I’m just not convinced. You have a very good 4-3 defense that lacks the most important cog, MLB, as well as some good leadership. Most of the candidates to start don’t look viable. Meanwhile, you’re fielding three RE, two that have proven to be a liability in the run game. Your GM doesn’t think it’s an issue. Maybe Coach Coughlin will cover all those offensive players making money in the middle of the field with a safety.
Oh wait. It’s 2010. Defenses don’t really get away with that kind of stuff anymore.
Tagged Jonathan Goff, New York Giants, New York Giants News, Phillip Dillard | ← Older posts
