April 30th, 2012 
JW 
Posted in It’s been a crazy weekend here at the Gab. The 2012 draft went by quickly. Kudos to the staff for doing a terrific job. Now that I’ve gotten some time to look into the 2012 Giants Draft Class, I’m ready to dissect it here for you.
Round 1: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech (5-10, 206)
I’ll be the first to admit it. At first, I wasn’t loving this selection. I knew from various Giants sources that Wilson was not the highest rated player on the Giants board at the time of their selection and Ralph Vacchiano of the NYDN confirmed my report, too. He was rated higher then RB Doug Martin, though. I still think the Giants would have been better suited going after a defensive player, or even trading down. After looking into Wilson more, I like the selection more and more as each day passes. The Giants haven’t had an explosive back since RB Tiki Barber a long ways back. Wilson, who was a track standout, will offer a tremendous blend of speed and power. He will add a dimension of catching the ball out of the backfield, too. That’s something the Giants haven’t had since Barber, either. Wilson can add value as a returner on special teams, but something tells me the Giants might not use him there. Don’t want to see him hurt.
Overall, I like the selection. I don’t love it, I like it. Wilson will make the Giants offense more explosive and versatile. Hopefully, OC Kevin Gilbride will use Wilson in ways he should be used – creating mismatch nightmares for defenses.
Round 2: Rueben Randle, WR, Louisiana State (6-3, 210)
This was the best value selection the Giants had all draft. Many draft pundits had Randle as a first round pick – heck he was rated a top 25 player by some. The big, tall 6-4 receiver can come in right away and play. He will be a “Z” receiver in the Giants offense, which will allow WR Victor Cruz to remain a slot receiver in three wide-out sets. Before the draft, the Giants had two starting wideouts who you could pencil in for 1,000 yard season. But behind that? Nothing. Barden hadn’t shown much. Jernigan was inconsistent at best last season and Hixon is coming off back to back ACL tears. Randle will provide some depth at the WR position, too.
Randle fell because of his lack of elite, break away speed. But as Giants GM Jerry Reese pointed out, Randle has break away game speed like his new teammate Hakeem Nicks has. Randle will be effective in the Giants system with his solid route running. I have a feeling QB Eli Manning will love Randle’s large frame, too. He’ll go up and get. This was probably the best pick the Giants had all draft.
Round 3: Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech (5-10, 178)
I loved this selection, too. Hosley was one of the top corners in college two years ago, snathching 9 interceptions. His stock slipped due to failing a drug test at the combine and nagging injuries which plagued him last season. Although underzised, Hosley will be a good slot corner who has great awareness in zone coverage. He can come in right away and play in nickel packages. Aside from CB’s Corey Webster, Prince Amukamara and Terrell Thomas, the Giants have no other corners signed after this season. Hosley will provide some depth at the corner position. Hosley could wind up being the best selection in this draft in the long run. Another solid pick.
Round 4: Adrien Robinson, TE, Cincinnati (6-4, 264) & Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn (6-6, 314)
Not sure I love the Robinson selection. Reese likened him to a “JPP” of tight ends. He has great upside, but the Giants might have been better suited drafting a tight end who can contribute more right away now. As Reese said, “He’s just a big, gigantic man with long arms and he’s a really good athlete.” The Giants have one of the best tight end coaches in the NFL in Mike Pope. I’m excited to see what he can do with Robinson. He won’t put up flashy numbers right away, but if Pope can get him to block consistently, then I’m fine with the pick. The Mosley selection was a good pick for me. I know some didn’t like it, but I think Mosley has the potential to be a starter down the line, which is something they need. Mosley could probably come in right away and play and it wouldn’t kill him. He might not be great right away, but with his mean streak, he can fight. He’ll be a fighter, that’s for sure. Mosley is a former defensive end and tight end who will be versatile in the NFL. He can play right tackle or guard. If he can be a swing linemen, a Kevin Boothe like, then the Giants got a steal.
Round 6: Matt McCants, OT, Alabama-Birmingham (6-6, 308)
I don’t really see this selection, to be honest. Why draft another tackle in this round? With the addition to Sean Locklear and now Mosley in the fold, the line is crowded. Almost too crowded. McCant’s might not make the team. He’s raw. He won’t be playing right away. The Giants will start him at LT and try and develop him. With LT Will Beatty entering the final year of his deal, I guess I can see that being their logic, but I don’t love this selection.
I watched film of both Mosley and McCants and they are two very different players. Different in almost every way. I see McCants being a ROT and Mosley being a LOG.
I think from day one they will do what every Giants offensive lineman do, they are fed all positions. Some can assimilate all this information and some cannot. Boothe did and that made him such an important contributor, but he was not a rookie.
Mosley might also be able to play center, not so for McCants who has ROT even LOT written all over him. I like the picks and it says two things as I have stated before. One- Brewer did not put the work in during the off season. Two- After they reviewed film Reese and Coughlin realized how bad Diehl played. He will be a very late cut like Blakburn was. Unless someone gets hurt early he will be sitting home waiting for a call during the season for emergency activation.
Honestly I would have picked Cordy Glen he was there or moved down a few spots for DeCastro. But none of use ever built an NFL team so what do we know? More than Matt Millen…ha ha.
I’m not sure I understand the “pick a project OL” philosophy … we’ll see.
Don’t forget, JPP was sort of a project pick of sorts, too. He wasn’t supposed to contribute right away, they wanted to bring him along slowly.
Again i think Big Daddy is on point. They drafted a couple guys to allow Diehl to be released. I think McCants is going to be a back up OT for his career, better suited for the left side, and Mosely is not far off from being a starter. Mosely has all the potential and played against half the d line, and LB prospects that were drafted in the first couple rounds. If there is a injury to the RT position I can see him stepping in and not relinquishing that position.
Either way we had the worst run game in the league which should lead to getting better at both RB and O line. BJ was painfully slow and Bradshaw will never be healthy. And i would argue Davidson at that point in the draft was the only Day 1 impact ability type player for the giants. McKenzie and Diehl have got old which is why we had to draft how we did. Go Giants.
Have to disagree with you there, Chris. Diehl only has two years left on his current deal. I don’t see the Giants cutting him. He’ll have one year left on his deal after this year. They’re certainly not cutting him this year. He can play LT if need be and is a starting guard in this league. Don’t forget, he, too, battled injuries this season but played through them.
He won’t be cut. Let’s say he has another poor year. Do you really see these rookies ready after one year to be a plugged in starter with no competition? Don’t see it.
Diehl’s contract was restructured, meaning non-guaranteed money was converted to guaranteed money. If you then cut him you qualify for worst GM of the year.
I disagree, you are the worst GM if you keep an aging poorly performing veteran on the roster taking a spot for a young player with upside.
The last game Diehl played he did not play well in, but got through it, the super bowl. His overall performance this past season was abysmal, especially at guard.
I cannot see him getting better as father time and mother natural erode his already limited skills. He always played with his heart and out played others because of desire not talent.
Reese rewarded a true football warrior and is keeping him around as insurance.
Reese isn’t cutting Diehl. He struggled at times this year, but lets not forget Reese knows when it’s time to cut an “aging” linemen loose. He cut O’Hara and Seubert, and neither played on a team this year. How did it work out for the Giants this year? Pretty good. Diehl has some left to offer, and that’s exactly why he’ll be starting this season – none of the rookies will start, or, as the Giants hope, make much of an impact this season.
Nobody is saying he’ll get better, but he’s adequate enough to start still. The Giants line needs stability, not turnover and constant injuries, which has happened. He has been relatively healthy and has done all the Giants have asked. Few linemen could start at LT, bounce over to LG in a season and now maybe be a RT.
That proves another part of the point I made – he won’t be cut.
I doubt he will be but it is a possibility if the 2 lineman Reese drafted and Petrus play well. There is a lot of possibilities. I would like to see him play one more year and retire as a Giants player. I think he represents what the Giants are all about, as did O’Hara and Seubert.
Thank me later..check it out..
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6901616
Nobody questioned his ball skills and speed, in fact it is probably the best in the draft class. It was his size, in other drafts he might have been a first round selection even with da weed man. If this kid can survive the NFL he might be the steal of the draft.