Chargers screw up the plan

by Ed Valentine on Apr 9, 2008 8:22 PM EDT in New York Giants News

Oh, crud.

With the 27th pick in the SBN Mock Draft the San Diego Chargers have taken Kenny Phillips.

The pick was made by Rob Zepeda of Bolt Hype. He was a guest blogger since SBN does not have a Chargers blog. Damn you, Zepeda! What's the big idea coming in as a 'guest' and screwing up the first round for the defending Super Bowl champions.

Argh! Go back where you came from!

So, what now Big Blue View Nation?

Two linebackers who have been linked to the Giants, Jerod Mayo of Tennessee and Dan Connor (Penn State) are currently on the board.

The big offensive tackle from Boston College, Gosder Cherilus, is a guy the Giants seem to like.

How about North Carolina defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer? Oklahoma safety Reggie Smith? Maybe even the talented, but enigmatic Michigan wide receiver Mario Manningham?

Pay attention to the picks that come down during the day Thursday and let me hear your opinion. I was locked in on Phillips, and now I'm not sure which way I should go.

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draft pick #31

If Phillips is off the board #31 is easy....Mike Jenkins.

by gianthinker on Apr 10, 2008 1:36 AM EDT reply actions

Jenkins

Unfortunately, in this mock Jenkins is also already off the board (Arizona, 16). I really think by the end of the day this might come down to which of the two linebackers (Mayo, Connor) is there.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 10, 2008 7:25 AM EDT reply actions

Take one for the team ETVal

cover yourself..........with Mayo
(sorry when the volley ball is up you have to spike it.)

by big blue wrecking crew on Apr 10, 2008 7:45 AM EDT reply actions

Oh, geez

I feel really dirty now. I better go shower. LOL!!!

by Ed Valentine on Apr 10, 2008 7:49 AM EDT up reply actions

shameless homer

Dan Connor, he's a beast. When he had the ridiculously large neck roll we used to call him lurch. When he tackles people all I can see in head is Jon Favreau's character in The Replacements, snarling and growling. I'm telling you, he plays LB mean

by queler on Apr 10, 2008 8:21 AM EDT reply actions

If we go linebacker

I think the choice might go best toward Dan Connor. If Danny Clark was signed to compete as a starter at OLB, while the Giants still develop the talents of Wilkinson and Kiwanuka on the outside, then Dan Connor could help spell and eventually replace Pierce.

by rzor on Apr 10, 2008 9:36 AM EDT reply actions

You gotta go with Connor or Mayo

At this point, drafting for "need" would be ridiculous. So, drafting the best player available makes the most sense to me. Both Mayo and Connor fit that bill (the scout dude Miller has them ranked #1 and 2 on his best available).

You can't go wrong with either. If you had to pick one... ehh, I'd say Connor for no other reason than who doesn't like a Penn State LB??

"We're only going to score 17 points?" ~ Tom Brady

by mwilli on Apr 10, 2008 10:21 AM EDT reply actions

Dan Connor

Mayo doesn't excite me, except on french fries

Don't knock it till you've tried it

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Apr 10, 2008 10:35 AM EDT reply actions

Mayo or Connor

Seems like that is likely the way to go. Some 'experts' like one, some the other. Tough to go against a Penn State linebacker, though.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 10, 2008 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Mayo on fries

is an entree in Bumfuck, Idaho.

by george cronin on Apr 10, 2008 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions

actually

in Paris, they literally package Mayo as "fry sauce" in fast food restaurants. (I can't remember the French word for it....frite something or other). It's pretty dang good

by cjmulrain on Apr 10, 2008 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm going with the crowd

Connor would be my pick. Like someone else said, he's just nasty, and I like linebackers from Penn St. Plus, the last 2 LBs we took in the first round worked out pretty well (Banks & LT)

by cjmulrain on Apr 10, 2008 11:27 AM EDT reply actions

Safety Net Required

I don't know about other Giants' fans, but I thought that our weakest link on defense last year was James Butler. That combined with the departure of our best safety in Gibril Wilson and the fact that the three safeties left on our roster (Knight, Butler, Johnson) are all strong safeties tells me we need to draft Reggie Smith. He's a true centerfielding free safety and will give our young raw corners (Ross, Webster, Dockery) and our older slower corners (Madison, McQuarters) some confidence. I'm really not concerned about our LB corp at all. Pierce, Kiwi, Gerris/Clark sounds good to me. The truth is that our nickel corner will be on the field more often than our third linebacker. Why not draft a guy who'll be on the field on every snap?

by RedEyedAndBlue on Apr 10, 2008 2:26 PM EDT reply actions

Problem with that is

This is a weak crop of safeties and Phillips was clearly the best of the lot -- and the only sure-fire first-round talent among the safeties. At least, that's how I feel. Connor, Mayo, Balmer are guys who 'should' be first-round picks. I don't want to 'reach' for a need and take a guy who shouldn't be a first-round pick.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 10, 2008 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Damn good argument, Red

That's the way I feel, but I also have a prediliction for the best player available. If Smith can upgrade our secondary as a starter from the get go, we should grab him. I don't believe Connor or Mayo can become starters in their first year.
I do believe that all our chatter might be quite beside the point because I suspect very strongly JR is going to make moves, including some before or during the draft. Last year I had a hunch about Kiwi to LB; this year, that Shock will be traded. The great thing is that aside from safety, the team has no glaring deficiciencies

by george cronin on Apr 10, 2008 4:08 PM EDT reply actions

Kiwi

I think he stays at LB ... unless Strahan retires. In which case, he goes back into the DE rotation with Osi and Tuck.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 10, 2008 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

If Kiwi goes back to DE, then a LB

becomes a definite need (less of a one than safety.) I guess that's why we hear Stray and Jr are keeping communication channels more open than last year. If Stray isn't coming back, the sooner JR knows, the better.

by george cronin on Apr 10, 2008 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

Cornerback?

For the mock draft, I've stated already that I'd like to see us take Reggie Smith (though I admit that taking the best player available is hard to argue against). As for the actual draft, however, I would not be surprised at all if Reese traded UP for a cornerback. With his probing Seattle about Trufant and Atlanta about Hall; this tells me he's very uncomfortable with our CB corp. I could see him making a move for McKelvin or Rodgers-Cromartie like he wanted to do last year for Revis or Hall. Maybe he packages our 1st rounder and Shockey for the Saints' 1st rounder? I'd hate to see Shockey go, I love the guy...but in Reese I trust.

by RedEyedAndBlue on Apr 11, 2008 1:58 AM EDT reply actions

Draft

Nothing would surprise me, except Reese giving up a bunch of picks to trade up. There are probably 8-10 possibilities here depending on how it plays out. That's why this mock draft stuff is fun, but ultimately futile.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 11, 2008 7:22 AM EDT up reply actions