DraftAce Blog

Year round coverage of the NFL Draft.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Draft Grades: Giants

I'm rarely a fan of taking a wide receiver in the 1st round, but its hard to find another hole on the Giants roster so I can't argue with the selection of Nicks. Receivers are never a sure thing, but Nicks is close. He catches everything thrown his way, which should be enough to at least make him an adequate starter despite his lack of speed.

Clint Sintim was a steal in the 2nd round. He'll compete for playing time at the strong-side linebacker position and I wouldn't be shocked if he won the starting job of Danny Clark at some point this season.

William Beatty didn't fill a need, but he was arguably the best available player in the late 2nd round. He has the ability to play left tackle and could take the starting job fro David Diehl down the road.

Ramses Barden is one of my favorite prospects in this year's draft class. He was nothing short of dominant at Cal Poly and I think he can be a serious red zone threat for the Giants from day one. He may be too slow to be a true number one receiver, but he'll find ways to make an impact.

Travis Beckum was a risky pick, but if he stays healthy he's a perfect fit in New York. He's essentially an over-sized receiver, and will be a nice compliment to Kevin Boss who is more of a blocker.

Andre Brown doesn't fill a need, but was the best available player. He'll compete with Danny Ware for the 3rd-string running back position and I expect him to win the job.

I don't think Rhett Bomar has much upside, but the Giants didn't have any holes to fill and felt as though he was worth the risk. It was probably a smart move, because it comes at no costs with a potentially high reward.

Neither DeAndre Wright nor Stoney Woodson has much upside. The Giants top three cornerbacks are locked in (Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas) so they'll compete with others for the 4th and 5th spots on the roster.

This was a great draft for the Giants. Nicks, Barden and Beckum are all capable of contributing right away and will be used in situations to best fit their skill set. Those three, as well as Beatty, have the potential to develop into starters.

Grade: A

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Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Pro Days: Wisconsin

Wisconsin held its pro day on Wednesday with 11 players working out.

RB P.J. Hill weighed in at 218 pounds, down 4 since the combine. Hill, who was listed at as much as 244 during college, has rapidly dropped weight in an effort to become quick enough for the NFL. He's still a 6th or 7th round prospect, the effort he's put in to get into shape is definitely impressing teams.

TE Travis Beckum, who is still recovering from a broken leg, worked out and ran a fairly impressive 4.59. The athleticism he showed was encouraging and definitely helped his stock. The injury concern was threatening his chances of being drafted at all at one point, but he showed enough today to solidify his place in the 4th-7th round range.

Two of the Badgers top prospects, linebackers Jonathan Casillas and DeAndre Levy, sat out with injuries. They are expected to work out on April 2nd.

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