The Early part of the Draft- Positions of value

[MightyGiants]

There are certain positions that are given higher priorities in the draft

tier one-  QB, OLT and pass rushing DE

tier two- CB, WR and pass rushing DT or LB

These positions tend to cost more, in terms of their draft cost, than their ability to play their position would dictate.  By the same token the positions not on this list tend to provide the most draft value.   This does bode well for the Giants since their biggest needs are MLB, C, RT and run stopping DT. 

[bamagiantfan]

This does bode well for the Giants since their biggest needs are MLB, C, RT and run stopping DT.  

I'm not sure I agree Rich, because when the Giants select they may very well be looking at the best MLB (McLain/Weatherspoon/Spikes), C (Pouncey), and RT in the draft. In terms of need vs. value and best available athlete, the Giants may be stting in the best possible position with an opportunity to take the first MLB, RT, or C selected in the draft. There is also not a whole lot of seperation between the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best OLTs in this draft, IMO. They could be staring at one of them as well when pick #15 comes up. I think they are selecting in a great spot for their (perceived) needs.

[TONKA56]

DT is defintly tier one at this point in time...see my Shaun Rogers post for why.

[MightyGiants]

Bama,

I see Weatherspoon as a fan favorite, but I think teams consider him a second tier prospect.   If there are roughly 3 equal value players of need available at 15 I can see Reese making a trade downward.  If Spiller is still on the board I would think he could find suiters that would want to trade up to take him.   This could lead to the Giants picking one of their top players of need, that you listed,  at roughly 20-25.  If this scenario plays out the Giants could get a solid first pick and walk away with an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick.

[MightyGiants]

DT is defintly tier one at this point in time...see my Shaun Rogers post for why.

Tonka I think DTs have fallen to second tier.  When Tampa's defense was king and Sapp was a terror every team was trying to duplicate that formula, now that Sapp is retired teams are not valuing DTs as much as DEs.  Although I would include DE/OLB hybrids in the DE category. 

[bamagiantfan]

I could see the Giants trading down but more likely I see Miami trading out of their spot just above the Giants, not that they have Dansby. Someone will be wanting Spiller or McLain and they need to get above Seattle and the Giants to be sure to get them. I think the whole deck could be reshuffled when the Dolphins' selection comes up. After that, who knows how everything will shake out.

[TONKA56]

DT is defintly tier one at this point in time...see my Shaun Rogers post for why.

Tonka I think DTs have fallen to second tier.  When Tampa's defense was king and Sapp was a terror every team was trying to duplicate that formula, now that Sapp is retired teams are not valuing DTs as much as DEs.  Although I would include DE/OLB hybrids in the DE category. 

I don't think the position has fallen, in fact in the last five years I think the position has ascended and surpassed DE.  

[MightyGiants]

Bama,

McClain's pro day is today.  Unless he puts up some very impressive numbers (which I am doubtful of since he didn't run the drills at the combine) he is going to fall to the second half of the the first round.  My feeling is that he has been training for the combine.  Since I am not aware of any injury that needs to heal the only reason one would skip the combine drills is you are not putting up good numbers in practice and you are hopeful that the extra couple of weeks will allow you to improve (along with the friendly environment that comes with home field).   After all if you run at the combine you get two chances to put up good numbers, if you skip the combine you are putting all your eggs in the Pro Day basket, so to speak.


Tonka,

I agree that DTs that can consistently apply pressure are still a major element of a defense, I just don't see the position as highly valued at the draft.  

[TONKA56]

Tonka,

I agree that DTs that can consistently apply pressure are still a major element of a defense, I just don't see the position as highly valued at the draft. 

Aren't McCoy and Suh predicted to be taken in the first five selections?

[MightyGiants]

Tonka,

I have pass rushing DT's in the second tier, so I don't disagree about their value.  However they don't compare to the other group.  Look at QB.  There is a good chance that two QBs will be off the board in the first 5 picks.  Yet neither QB is a stand out at their position and are not ever top 15 players if you rank all positions.

[bamagiantfan]

Bama,

McClain's pro day is today.  Unless he puts up some very impressive numbers (which I am doubtful of since he didn't run the drills at the combine) he is going to fall to the second half of the draft.  My feeling is that he has been training for the combine.  Since I am not aware of any injury that needs to heal the only reason one would skip the combine drills is you are not putting up good numbers in practice and you are hopeful that the extra couple of weeks will allow you to improve (along with the friendly environment that comes with home field).   After all if you run at the combine you get two chances to put up good numbers, if you skip the combine you are putting all your eggs in the Pro Day basket, so to speak.

Maybe so. I look at it a bit differently. When almost everyone considers you the top MLB in the draft, you have little to gain in working out at the combine on their terms. I agree though, he needs to have a good day today. I hope his workout is indoors. It is a mess here today after the electric light show we went through last night and this morning. Mother Nature was apparently pissed off about something.

[nosebleed_section]

This list is based on Wes Buntings ratings and mock draft on the National Football Post. I did it as a hypothetical examination to see if teams really do pick the best player available in the first round. Of course, the undetermined variable here is that teams rank players differently. The answer comes back that 28% of teams in this scenario pick the BPA. Some of the picks are definitely “positions of value “ as has been proposed by MightyGiants (Bradford, Clausen, Okung etc).

If teams realty did pick BPA, then the high picks are quite different.
Suh, McCoy, Berry, McCalin, Pouncey, and Hernandez are the highest rated on the board. Looking at this, there seems to be only 3 teams truly taking the BPA. Chiefs, Giants and Saints.

I am trying to get Wes’s rankings from last year to compare to the actual draft for better data.

Sam Bradford QB, Oklahoma	grade 6.8	pick 1	Rams
Ndamukong Suh DT, Nebraska	grade 7.5	pick 2	Lions	BPA
Gerald McCoy DT, Oklahoma	grade 7.5	pick 3	Bucs	BPA
Russell Okung OT, Oklahoma St	grade 7.0	pick 4	Skins
Eric Berry FS, Tennessee	grade 7.5	pick 5	Chiefs	BPA
Jimmy Clausen QB, Notre Dame	grade 7.5	pick 6	Seahawks
Joe Haden CB, Florida	grade 6.9	pick 7	Browns
Bruce Campbell OT, Maryland	grade 7.0	pick 8	Raiders
Bryan Bulaga OT, Iowa	grade 7.0	pick 9	Bills
Derrick Morgan DE, Georgia Tech	grade 7.0	pick 10	Jags
Rolando McClain ILB, Alabama	grade 7.5	pick 11	Broncos	BPA
Dez Bryant WR, Oklahoma State	grade 7.0	pick 12	Fins
Anthony Davis OT, Rutgers	grade 7.0	pick 13	49ers
Jason Pierre-Paul DE, South Florida	grade 6.6	pick 14	Seahawks
Maurkice Pouncey C, Florida	grade 7.5	pick 15	Giants	BPA
Brandon Graham DE, Michigan	grade 6.8	pick 16	Titans
Kyle Wilson CB, Boise State	grade 6.8	pick 17	49ers
Mike Iupati OG, Idaho	grade 7.0	pick 18	Steelers
Jerry Hughes DE, Texas Christian	grade 6.5	pick 19	Falcons
Dan Williams DT, Tennessee	grade 6.6	pick 20	Texans
Arrelious Benn WR, Illinois	grade 6.8	pick 21	Bengals
Jared Odrick DT, Penn State	grade 6.8	pick 22	Pats
C.J. Spiller RB, Clemson	grade 7.0	pick 23	Packers
Terrence Cody DT, Alabama	grade 6.9	pick 24	Eggles
Aaron Hernandez TE, Florida	grade 7.5	pick 25	Ravens	BPA
Charles Brown OT, Southern Cal	grade 6.9	pick 26	Cards	BPA
Taylor Mays FS, Southern Cal	grade 6.3	pick 27	Girls
Jonathan Dwyer RB, Georgia Tech	grade 6.9	pick 28	Chargers	BPA
Sergio Kindle OLB, Texas	grade 6.4	pick 29	Jets
Kareem Jackson CB, Alabama	grade 6.4	pick 30	Vikes
Rodger Saffold OT, Indiana	grade 6.6	pick 31	Colts
Brian Price DT, UCLA	grade 6.9	pick 32	Saints	BPA

      

Left for round 2

Tim Tebow QB, Florida      grade 6.1

Jahvid Best RB, California      grade 7.0
Anthony Dixon RB, Mississippi St   grade 6.8

Brandon LaFell WR, Louisiana St   grade 6.8

Rob Gronkowski TE, Arizona   grade 6.8
Anthony McCoy TE, Southern Ca   grade 6.8
Jermaine Gresham TE, Oklahoma   grade 6.8

Matt Tennant C, Boston College   grade 6.9
J.D. Walton C, Baylor         grade 6.8

John Jerry OG, Ole Miss      grade 6.9
Mike Johnson OG, Alabama      grade 6.6

Eric Norwood OLB, South Carolina   grade 6.7
Daryl Washington OLB, Tx Chris.   grade 6.7
Sean Weatherspoon OLB, Missouri   grade 6.6
Navorro Bowman OLB, Penn State   grade 6.4
Koa Misi OLB, Utah         grade 6.4

Brandon Spikes ILB, Florida      grade 6.8
Sean Lee ILB, Penn State      grade 6.2

Arthur Jones DT, Syracuse      grade 6.8

Jason Worilds DE, Virginia Tech   grade 6.9
Greg Hardy DE, Ole Miss      grade 6.5

Chad Jones SS, LSU         grade 6.9
Larry Asante SS, Nebraska      grade 6.6
T.J. Ward SS, Oregon         grade 6.5

Morgan Burnett FS, Georgia Tech   grade 6.9
Nate Allen FS, South Florida      grade 6.7
Major Wright FS, Florida      grade 6.3
Earl Thomas FS, Texas      grade 6.3

Devin McCourty CB, Rutgers      grade 6.6

[jerseyguy]

I understand everyones right to their opinion about who will be our 1st pick in the draft but if we don't sign a veteran MLB in FA then it will be a no brainer what position we take in the draft, unless we all believe that Goff is the answer. Personally I believe that the Giants are going to bring in a vet who will fill the position and open up the draft for us so we can take the BPA at a position of need on the defense.

[bamagiantfan]

I understand everyones right to their opinion about who will be our 1st pick in the draft but if we don't sign a veteran MLB in FA then it will be a no brainer what position we take in the draft, unless we all believe that Goff is the answer. Personally I believe that the Giants are going to bring in a vet who will fill the position and open up the draft for us so we can take the BPA at a position of need on the defense.

That would be consistent with what the Giants have done in recent drafts. I like the idea of it but some discipline still needs to be exercised. When they drafted Kiwanuka my first thought was, "great player but where are they gonna put him?" Even with the departure of Strahan, I'm still asking that question several years later.

[TONKA56]

I understand everyones right to their opinion about who will be our 1st pick in the draft but if we don't sign a veteran MLB in FA then it will be a no brainer what position we take in the draft, unless we all believe that Goff is the answer. Personally I believe that the Giants are going to bring in a vet who will fill the position and open up the draft for us so we can take the BPA at a position of need on the defense.

I just don't see many vet MLBs available that can realistically be brought onboard to man the spot.