New York Giants Draft Review

1st Round, Pick #19: Prince Amukamara (CB Nebraska)

One of the bigger surprises on draft day was Prince Amukamara sliding down in the draft. Most people thought that Prince would go no later than 13 to the Lions. However, with the surprise fall of Nick Fairley, that sent Prince into an area of unknown. New York had some bigger issues at offensive tackle, where they could have gone with Anthony Castonzo or Gabe Carimi. But with a top ten player available to them at #19, they couldn't pass him up. The Giants were pretty thin at cornerback last year, and often had to play three safeties to make up for it. Prince can step in right away and give them three corners that have lock down ability.

Grade- A+

2nd Round, Pick #52: Marvin Austin (DT North Carolina)

I'm not a big Marvin Austin fan, but I think if there is any situation where he can succeed, it is here. The Giants continue their trend of taking Defensive Lineman in the first 2 rounds, and here they get what is a Top 15 Talent, but a guy who has a lot to prove. When on the field Austin has flashed the talent to make you think he would be that Top 15 pick, but he still was very inconsistent, and didn't seem to be very tough physically or mentally. I think he is a boom or bust player who has a ton of talent, but I just don't see the dedication, effort, or determination from him. If he works hard, he can be a Pro-Bowl lineman, if not, he will struggle to get a 2nd contract. Great value at pick #52 though

Grade- B+

3rd Round, Pick #83: Jerrel Jernigan (WR Troy)

At the time the Giants first made this pick, I wasn't a big fan of it considering their holes elsewhere, but they obviously knew better than I did, picking up James Brewer and Greg Jones later on, at positions of need. I think Eli Manning is the most overrated player in the league, and I believe he needs all the help he can get, so any extra weapons at his disposal is always a good thing. Jernigan will work well out of the slot, demand defensive attention, and will likely step in from day 1 and be the teams main kickoff and punt return man.

Grade- B

4th Round, Pick #117: James Brewer (OT Indiana)

I think this was a very good spot for Brewer to go, but I was actually very surprised to see him last this long, as Brewer seemed to be a late riser for the draft, and he was expected to go in round 2. New York's offensive line has been solid for a long time, but they are getting older, and aren't the group they used to be, so getting a young prospect this year was necessary. James Brewer is very talented, and from a size and athletic standpoint, he is elite, but he lacks the intangibles to round out as a player. He has great size at 6-6 325, and moves very well, but he lacks toughness, is very raw from a technical standpoint, and has been injured a lot. He will do good to sit for a while before stepping in, and with some good coaching, he could turn into a very good player in the league.

Grade- A-

6th Round, Pick #185: Greg Jones (LB Michigan State)

In my opinion, this was one of the best values of the entire draft. I have been saying for the past 2 years on the site how much I love Greg Jones, and how underrated he is. This is the perfect team for him to go to, and I think he will wind up being one of the biggest steals of the draft. While he is not a workout warrior and his drill times and measureables don't wow people, Greg Jones is just a terrific linebacker who's play speaks for itself. Greg Jones was an impact player at inside linebacker for the Michigan Sate Spartans for the past 4 years, he was the unquestioned leader of that defense, a tackling machine, racking up over 100 tackles the past 3 years. His skill set doesn't quite translate to Inside Linebacker at the next level, but I think he would be a great fit as a Weakside Linebacker in the Giants 4-3 scheme

Grade- A+

6th Round, Pick #202: Jaicquian Williams (LB South Florida)

This was 100% a special teams selection. Williams is one those Safety/Linebacker Tweeners who is not big enough to play linebacker, but not athletic enough to play safety. He is an excellent athlete though, and will look to earn his roster spot by running around on special teams trying to knock players helmets off.

Grade- C

7th Round, Pick #221: Da'Rel Scott (RB Maryland)

Another steal here by the Giants, as Da'Rel Scott was a 3rd-4th round prospect in my eyes. Scott has the talent to be a 1st round pick, but injuries, inconsistency, and some stays in the doghouse have knocked him a bit. Scott is 5-11 and 200 pounds, so he has good size and strength. Combine that with his 4.34 40 time, and you've got a guy who has got it all from a talent perspective. If he can stay healthy, I have no doubt that Scott will be a starting running back in the league. Excellent value late in the 7th round.

Grade- A+