BBH Draft Coverage 2012 - 1st round target list

[UKGiantsFan]

With only the 1st round today waiting 32 picks for the Giants to select will be agonizing and it could be even more so if, with a number of similarly rated players on the board, they get a good offer to trade out of the round altogether whilst they are ‘on the clock’. Can you imagine the response Roger Goodell’s announcement would receive from the crowd if they did that?! I think I’d put my foot through my computer if having stayed up until gone 4am in the morning that happened!!

Seriously though what do I think will happen? With Jerry Reese already on record as suggesting there isn’t much difference between the 16th and 35th best player the Giants will obviously hope one of their top 15 slips down to them so they get great value for their pick.

I obviously don’t know where they are rated by the Giants but its possible that the team could be be the beneficiary of a windfall from one of the following five players slipping down to them:

DE Quinton Coples (desire, maturity, character)
OLB Courtney Upshaw (athletic ability/speed are average)
OT Riley Reiff (short arms, lack of upside, better suited to RT)
OT Jonathon Martin (lack of strength, considered by some to be ‘soft’)
CB Dre Kirkpatrick (build, durability and character)

To me, either OT or Coples would be a ’no brainer’ due to their value and our needs at their respective positions but Upshaw should really only come into the reckoning if Osi is traded and Kiwi plays DE and Kirkpatrick were Prince Amukamara’s prognosis nowhere near as good as has been indicated.

In terms of players that they will target I found it hard to pinpoint in the 1st round as so many of those that I like and consider good ‘fits’ just don’t rate as 1st rounders in my view but instead sit just outside the 1st round in my overall top 40. I do find it hard to believe they would plan to take a WR in the 1st round despite some good ones being available so I’ve narrowed it down to RB, G, T, DE & DT

Last year the Giants took players I didn’t want in both of the 1st two rounds so with that in mind I’m prepared to be disappointed so if none of the potential ‘slippers’ falls far enough and the Giants do take a player with the final pick of the 1st round I’d expect their selection to be made from the following groups:

My top 7                        The Giants top 7
DE Whitney Mercilus           DE Chandler Jones
OG Amini Silatolu                 RB Doug Martin
RB Doug Martin                    DE Andre Branch
DE Vinny Curry                    OG Kevin Zeitler
OT Bobby Massie                   DT Devon Still
DT Kendall Reyes                 OT Bobby Massie
OLB Shea McClellin            S Harrison Smith

The 1st round pick no one sees coming (but would be a nice fit): WR Alshon Jeffrey/DT Jerel Worthy

Player who we would most likely select if trading up a few spots: MLB Donta Hightower

Player most likely to cause a change of direction from the plan if still available: WR Stephen Hill

• Tweet

[MightyGiants]

Ceri,

Why would you want Coples if he has desire, maturity and character issues.   That trifecta has all the makings of a bust.  In the NFL you don't reach the QB if you lack desire.   Giving a player lacking in maturity millions of dollars rarely works out well.  Finally why gamble on character issues with a first round pick? 

[President Rick]

OT J. Martin is on neither top 7, but mayock had him going to the Giants at 32 last night on his mock.  I doubt DE Curry will be there but if he is, he'd be a logical and fairly safe pick at 32.  I still will not be shocked if there's a trade involving Osi. 
overall, I have:  DE, TE, OL,  in 123,  RB & OL, in 4, and CB, S, WR in 5-6-7. 
too many prospects [and not enough info] for me to name names. 
But your work is great, Ceri.  Thanks.  Go Giants.

[UKGiantsFan]

Ceri,

Why would you want Coples if he has desire, maturity and character issues.   That trifecta has all the makings of a bust.  In the NFL you don't reach the QB if you lack desire.   Giving a player lacking in maturity millions of dollars rarely works out well.  Finally why gamble on character issues with a first round pick?

Coples also just happens to be the most destructive pass rusher in the draft and the sort of player who could become All-Pro if focused on his game. I like to think the Giants have a good coaching staff - they're all teachers who develop talent - and that added to the peer pressure from within the locker room would sort his head out and make him an absolute 'steal' at 32.

[Philosophers]

Ceri - I am getting the same feeling about Stephen Hill that you are in terms of availability and Giants interest.  With his height and speed and what looks like good character, I can see them agonizing over whether to take him if he's there.  As long as Eli is QB, I think the Giants will always look to provide him with weapons.  My only concern with him is that by playing in a triple option, he may be far behind other players in terms of NFL WR football knowledge.  Since it takes WRs a long time to develop in the NFL, I wonder if it will take him even longer.  When I think of him, I think of Thomas Lewis out of Indiana.  Why we took a WR out of Indiana is beyond me?

[files58]

If a WR is the selection Jeffrey from South Carolina would be an interesting choice.

[todge]

Interesting that you don't have Fleener on your list.

Living in CT - I saw every UConn game.  I just don't understand the love affair with Reyes.  He never once dominated a game and frankly was just another DL as far as I am concerned.  I think the team that gets him will perhaps like his average consistency, but if they are expecting great things out of him, they will be disappointed.

[XNYrnLA]

Thank you Ceri,
As usual your knowledgeable posts are really great to read and think about.
I don't see any realistic possibility of Coples or Reif falling past 20, let alone 32. For the rest my top preference would be Kirkpatrick, who I really think can step in at either corner or safety right away and be great.

[files58]

Can't see how Kirkpatrick falls to us. Isn't he the 2nd or 3rd rated CB?

[UKGiantsFan]

If a WR is the selection Jeffrey from South Carolina would be an interesting choice.

Wouldn't it just! I think he's terrific but sat on the fence a little with my ranking (33rd overall - I'll put the whole top 100 up later). That's solely because of his junior year and the questions about his work ethic. Put it this way, if he had done the things he did as a sophomore as a junior as well teams wouldn't be looking at him and wondering whether they are gonna get lucky at the top of the 2nd round they'd have been talking about how they could get him in the top 10...