Big Blue Huddle

I have a brilliant idea.  Find a Ceri for each of the 32 NFL teams (i.e. being a passionate fan of 1 team).  This "Ceri" will know the schemes of his team, the needs, the type of players that the team typically covets (i.e. DEs who are 6'5" 270 pounds with long arms), the type of players or positions that the team does not draft in round 1, etc.  Assemble all 32 Ceris then have them put together a mock draft that makes sense.

Like the rest of you, it drives me insane to read a mock that has for example the Giants drafting a player who either does not fit the scheme at all or has some type of strange size (i.e. strange for the Giants) that they never go there.

Guys like him or your man crush Anthony at LB would be a nice 2nd round defensive pick up for us.  I can see us going defense in round 1 and 2, especially if we get a real three down rush/pass DL in round 1.

Right now my head is spinning.  I say that then watch us go offense in rounds 1 and 2.

I think the Giants have a particular love for relatively local product from Syracuse over to BC down to UConn.  With Jones, they see Jason Sehorn type athleticism and someone who can play meaningful minutes but with good upside.  I think Byron Jones is a Giant if he is available in round 2. 

Ceri - Do you have any thoughts about Byron Jones out of Connecticut as a free safety as he played safety at UCONN his first two years there before converting to safety?  He's 6'1" 199 pounds, runs a sub 4.4x 40 and broke the world record for the broad jump?

We are completely in sync on Preston Smith as I have said the past month or so how much I think he's Justin Tuck 2.0.  I think he is the absolute prototype for the Giants.

Hoping you add Preston Smith to your Monday addition Ceri.  Nice summary on the others

I see your point. 

Guys just seem to grown in the NFL.  Can he gain 15 pounds without losing speed?  Isn't Aaron Donald playing the 3 Tech at something like 290?

Your point is well taken Ceri.  We have to stop the run first and take that element away from an offense.  Can Bennett become a better run stopping DT?  I think he certainly has the aggressiveness to do it as he is a 100% motor guy.  What would be the reason to think he can't?

I guess my feeling is that if teams are now playing nickel and dime defenses as base units given the much higher level of passing, then isn't it more important now to have a 3 Tech to be a pass rusher to help take away a QB stepping into this throws?  For that reason, I love Michael Bennett as he has been extremely productive as a 3 Tech. 

I think Young excelled academically enough that he was going to law school while playing in the NFL.  Not saying he is or is not of the caliber of the other player.  You raise a very valid point though about this player's interest outside of football which in this case is a very legitimate career in medicine or science.  As you noted, a team might view that really positively or wonder if his head is really into playing in the NFL.

Is it possible that given the thinness at safety in the draft plus the fact that they signed some DL in FA, that they may actually target 2 OL players in round 1 and 2 such as a tackle in 1 and a guard in 2 assuming say White and Cooper are gone by the #9 pick?  If they did that and those two players worked out, they likely could be set at OL for 5+ years and could forget about that position group for a while?  This doesn't seem inconceivable to me given that they may want a swing tackle as many of us have advocated here, plus more interior help.  Make that kind of investment at OL, Eli gets better protection, the Giants RBs (plus newly acquired Vereen) get more beef up front and may be more productive, then the Giants can target safety in round 3 or later along with other areas.  Thoughts?

Maybe not that much different than Steve Young being a lawyer and we know how that worked out.

I just can't help but think that John Mara's words about getting a big, strong RT are going to be the dominant theme guiding the Giants #9 pick unless someone falls that they did not expect like one of the WRs.  I am firmly convinced Ceri your conclusions fall in line with what the Giants are thinking as well.  I think it's Collins or Peat in their minds for the better option at tackle with Scherf a secondary consideration at this point.

Ceri - I'm glad you wrote about Mason's blitz pickup blocking.  The few times I watched him, he looks like he absolutely loves to pick up the blitzer and really puts as you said his helmet into the chest of the oncoming blitzer.  Additionally, he looks to sink into his stance so he doesn't get pushed back.  I think he gets drafted in the second round.  Unlike a lot of guys who may get picked ahead of him, Tre Mason actually played really well in the big games against the best competition.  I like that attribute a lot.