Third pick a surprise

by Ed Valentine on Apr 28, 2007 10:50 PM EDT in New York Giants News

The giants used their third-round pick on Jay Alford, a 6-foot-3, 304-pound defensive tackle from Penn State.

I am very surprised by that choice. There were several linebackers still on the board who figured to be mid-third round type selections -- including Zak DeOssie (Brown), Stewart Bradley (Nebraska) and Tim Shaw (Penn State). I would have gone after one of those guys with this pick.

Another option here would have been tight end Ben Patrick of Delaware.

That is not to say, however, that choosing a defensive tackle was a horrible idea. If it means less playing time for the useless William Joseph, or the possibility he could be released altogether, fabulous.

Alford, however, seems to be a bit of a reach. Most boards had him going in the middle of the second day, so GM Jerry Reese and the Giants must see him differently than other teams.

Here is the skinny from Yahoo! Sports.

The good: Alford has the explosive first step and quick hands that give him a fast advantage over blockers early in the down. ... Alford shows fine instincts to locate the ball quickly and the closing burst of speed to make the big play. ... He is an explosive, disruptive, one-gap type of tackle with a fine first step.

The bad: His lack of prototypical size will probably put him behind the top prospects, but his playmaking ability and production can rival most prospects in this class. His lack of bulk makes it difficult for him to stack on the inside and hold the point of attack against NFL-caliber linemen.

Outlook: He is a quick, undersized defender with the athletic ability, big-game experience and production to become an NFL tackle - but only in the right scheme.

Your thoughts?

Tweet Comment 1 comment | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Third pick

This guy was a definite reach from everything I read. The Giants must see something though. I'm guessing he'll play the same spot Fred Robbins plays while Cofield and Ball play the other? I know the Giants distinguish between the style of their two defensive tackles, but I am not sure if that will still be the case in the new defense.

www.billkohut.com

by bk0831 on Apr 28, 2007 11:18 PM EDT reply actions