New York Giants - NFC East

New York Giants - NFC East, 2008 Draft Selections & Prospects

New York Giants

The Draft Was ... An amazing feast of value. Kenny Phillips would've been a top ten pick last year and is better than his senior season would indicate. Getting Andre Woodson in the sixth round is a ridiculous break. Mario Manningham should've been gone 30 picks earlier.
Best Value Pick: Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky. 6th round. There was a time a few months ago when he was talked about as a first rounder and possibly the second quarterback taken. Coach him up a little, work on the hitch, and he'll be great in a few years. The Giants have time.
Biggest Reach: Terrell Thomas, CB USC. 2nd round. Miami LB Tavares Gooden or Penn State's Dan Connor would've filled a more immediate need. There were still decent corners on the board later on.
They Should've ... Gotten a linebacker earlier. There's no faulting the pick of Phillips at the end of the first round, he might be the best safety in the draft, but Bryan Kehl and Jonathan Goff are prospects, not stars, and the Giants needed a linebacker who could come in and shine from day one.

#	Pick
31	31	1st Round     Kenny Phillips, SS Miami While he was considered a bit of a disappointment last year thanks to some ridiculously high standards, he still came up with 82 tackles and two interceptions. No, he's not Ed Reed or Sean Taylor, and he's a bit lanky and thin at 6-2, 212 pounds, but he's a nice athlete who doesn't miss many tackles. The biggest problem isn't raw speed or his inability to live up to the tremendous hype, but it's his lack of big plays. He's a steady player, not a spectacular one. While he'll be plugged in and will start for a long time, he's not going to be a highlight reel performer. CFN Projection: First Round    CFN Position Rank: 1
32	63	2nd Round  Terrell Thomas, CB USC Strong with good size and good quickness, he's a good form corner who isn't afraid to take chances, for good and bad, and isn't afraid to hit. While he's not a blazer, he's able to keep up with the speedier receivers and can bully the smallish ones. He's had injury problems and he doesn't have the talent to be a No. 1 NFL corner, but he'd be a good two and he could end up moving to safety as his career goes on. CFN Projection: Third Round   CFN Position Rank: 15

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NY Giants   Mario Manningham, WR Michigan While he hasn't timed like an elite blazer, he's been more than fast enough, hovering just under the 4.5 range, to be called a speed receiver. He's certainly not a physical one. Extremely thin, he can be bounced around a big and he isn't going to push anyone around. While he needs more work than many might believe as a route runner and in some basic techniques, he's ready to contribute right away if he's not forced to be a No. 1 target. He's a big play, big game receiver who never shied away from the big moment, and while he's a bit of a diva, the great NFL receivers usually are. CFN Projection: Late First to Early Second Round   CFN Position Rank: 5

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4th Round (from trade)      Bryan Kehl, OLB BYU At 6-2 and close to 240 pounds, he has the size to play on the inside or either outside spot, and he has good enough speed to become a pass rusher. He'll work his tail off and will do whatever it takes to get on the field and make a team, but he has to get functionally stronger. He was great in the off-season workout circuit and stood out next to the other linebackers. CFN Projection: Fourth Round   CFN Position Rank: 21

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5th Round  Jonathan Goff, ILB Vanderbilt He was toying around with the idea of coming out last year but stuck around and had his best year at Vandy with 113 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss, He also made himself a much better pass defender. A smart, tough leader with great character, he's the type of player who could be a main man for a corps ... at least from the head up. He's just not fluid and he doesn't play tough enough against the power running teams. He makes a lot of tackles, but he's not necessarily a top hitter. CFN Projection: Fifth Round      CFN Position Rank: 23

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6th Round  Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky Deadly accurate for long stretches, he proved he could be a precision passer, but he also has the arm to power the ball when he has to. He has the size at 6-5 and 235 pounds to be a presence in the pocket and be able to shake off tacklers, but he tends to get hit way too often and he doesn't have the mobility to make things happen on his own. He'll need some serious coaching to correct a fundamental flaw in his delivery; he hitches it a bit and doesn't have a compact motion. He's not going to be the answer for anyone right away, but if someone can be patient and give him about two years he could be the type of quarterback to build around. There's not the ceiling on his potential like many scouts seem to believe there is. CFN Projection: Late Second Round    CFN Position Rank: 4

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6th Round  Robert Henderson, DE Southern Miss At 6-3 and 280 pounds he has good size and enough moves to grow into a big pass rusher. He's not a great athlete and has to show he can bring it at a high level game in and game out. He was a nasty playmaker in Conference USA and could get overlooked because of the lack of high-end competition. CFN Projection: Free Agent    CFN Position Rank: NR