'Prospecting:' Looking for 'sleepers'

by Ed Valentine on Apr 10, 2009 11:00 AM EDT in New York Giants News

We have spent our weekly 'prospecting' posts looking at guys who the Giants might take in rounds 1 or 2 of the upcoming NFL Draft. Let's take a different tack today, and look at some possible late-round selections or 'sleepers,' if you will.

I don't pay much attention to which players visit which NFL teams as the draft approaches. It's usually pretty meaningless. Pro Football Talk reports that a couple of those 'sleeper-type' prospects are scheduled to visit the Giants soon, though, so let's talk about them. One is wide receiver Johnny Knox. The other is cornerback Vince Anderson.

Here is some information about Knox.

Johnny Knox, WR, Abilene Christian

Knox is a small guy, just 5-foot111/2, 185 pounds, but has run a 4.34 40-yard dash.

Draft Countdown had this to say.

Elusive...Nice vision and instincts...Solid route runner...Vertical threat who can really separate...Really caught peoples attention with his performance at the Scouting Combine...Intriguing speed and production...Profiles as a slot receiver at the next level and can also contribute on special teams.

-- Draft Tek also has a look at a few other players who could be considered 'sleepers.'

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Comments

I like what I see of this guy.

If we trade for someone like Edwards or Boldin, he could be a nice pickup in a later round.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Apr 10, 2009 11:31 AM EDT reply actions

It's a habit I'm trying to break, but...

Sinorice Moss (and others) have left me feeling, OH, GREAT… here we go trading draft pick hopefuls for (WRs) we’ve invested years into, waiting to develop.

I know that you have to replace the guys that you figure aren’t going to develop any further, but starting over with a new “project” just doesn’t turn me on. I guess I’m burnt out by all the Tim Carters, Michael Jennings, Anthony Mix and Ron Dixons to name a few.

The bright spots are Steve Smith and Kevin Boss though.

I guess I’m tried of having my NYG hopes splattered on the ground, like they fell from 30,000 feet!!!
(Gettin old sucks!!!!)

by NY17NE14 on Apr 10, 2009 12:08 PM EDT reply actions

I hear you

But, almost all of these guys you take from the 4th round on can be classified as ‘projects’ in one way or another.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 10, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

There's a dude from

Rice Jarett Dillard. ESPN rated his super score as 17.4, second to Michael Crabtree. Other than Charles Rogers and Ashley Lelie (2 first rounders BTW), the Super score has been near perfect in projecting stars like Larry Fitzgerald and sleeper if you will like Greg Jennings.

Rice is nothing more than a 4th round pick like Knox. He didn’t really blaze a 40 time unlike Knox tho, but Dillard ran a 4.5, not exactly slow. He had incredible production in college, is small but not a smirf at 5’11.

If we can’t get a guy like Barden, then Knox or Dillard could each be a real find in the 5-6 round area.

by FreeBradshaw on Apr 10, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Jags fan here

i joined here to comment on the pick in the mock draft. I seem to have found some true fans of the game. Some researchers as well.

I recently wrote something up on Jarret Dillard. We do these things that sum up scouting reports. He is amazing!!! Im not trying to pump the site, but please go to this <a hrefhttp://www.bigcatcountry.com/2009/4/8/827447/better-know-a-draft-prospect-rice“> link to learn more about him.
I honestly do not know how he will not be a star in this league. He has a 42” vertical. He wants to move that up 5 more inches. He scored 60 td’s in 4 years!!

i mean wow. go learn about him, people will be impressed in 6 months when you knew who he was.

surreal to be teal

by Surteal on Apr 12, 2009 4:22 AM EDT up reply actions

my html is rough, sorry about that link

surreal to be teal

by Surteal on Apr 12, 2009 4:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Late rounder

Not sure how you guys will like this one, since you seem to be allot bigger Giants fans than myself, but i don’t typically like to see sleepers coming from non D1 schools, I just don’t feel they got the proper competition to move to the next level and make an impact before investing a ton of time in them.

For a late round sleeper at wide receiver i’d like to see a guy like Clemsons Aaron Kelly.
He had terrific prodution against top quality D1 competition, and although he is not going to be a deep threat, he could be a great redzone target with his height and excellent leaping ability.

by bforrer on Apr 10, 2009 12:27 PM EDT reply actions

Knox

He reminds me of a Wes Welker or Kevin Curtis type (and no, this isn’t just because of his race). Those two guys (Welk/Curt) are very smart and run perfect, crisp routes – and they also have wheels. Plus a majority of their damage is done out of the slot.

But do you know which WR on the Giants all of the above describes? Steve Smith. So I don’t think we need this guy. I’d rather go for size in this draft. A perfect example is Brandon Marshall. He went to the Broncos with the #119 pick. And do you guys remember who the Giants took in the draft in the 2nd round? S. Moss. Imagine if the GMen had taken Brandon Marshall instead of S Moss?!?

My point is this: WR’s (along with QB and CB) seem to be the biggest crapshoot in the NFL draft. I’, of the ilk that you would never trade up to the top of the 1st Round to get a WR because you never know how the guy is going to end up. On the Giants.com podcast last week they ran through all of the tremendous WR busts selected in the First Round (the list is long). I just don’t think its a good idea! I’d much rather go for best available in the First Round and roll the dice with someone that has potential.

by Cody K on Apr 10, 2009 12:58 PM EDT reply actions

(and no, this isn’t just because of his race).

watch the whole thing… hes just pale. (and what white guy runs a 4.3?)

by ryanwk628 on Apr 10, 2009 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL

And his name IS Johnny Knox and he’s #17……

by FreeBradshaw on Apr 10, 2009 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm with you all the way on that, Cody.

The Giants are going to trade up, but not to get a WR. Of course they could still use their #1 pick in a trade for a guy like Edwards.

by blue gonz on Apr 10, 2009 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

I think that the only reason the Giants would trade up is for a WR

Yea I do NOT think its as big a need as the media lets on, but if the Giants really want a WR like DHB or Nicks then they will trade up to get them. There really isn’t another hole on the Giants that requires them to move up.

Yea they need O-Line depth, and a true strongside backer who can rush the passer would be nice. But I think they can stay at 29 to get these if they want it.

And for Cody, I think that Steve Smith is NOT gonna be our slot guy this year. If anything he may leapfrog Hixon on the depth chart and go into Toomer’s place. So we still may need that slot guy.

And there very well may be a Brandon Marshall in this draft. Ramsese Barden is a dude that a lot of teams fans are looking at. He may be a reach in the 2nd round, but especially if th Giants trade down he could very well be the pick (I think they may trade down, but then parlay those even extra picks to move up at various points).

by FreeBradshaw on Apr 10, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Trade down, then trade up?

That wwould be a whirlwind. Very exciting. As for trading up for WR, there’re a lot of BBVers who think as you do. With all the WR busts we’ve seen, that seems very dangerous to me. I’d love to get a “blue cow” LOT (I think that’s whate JR calls them )who’d be with us ten years or more. Failing tha,t a can’t miss LB. On the other hand, there’s no question we need a WR. I still think it might come via a trade for a proven player (not a trade for a rook.) Just a few weeks and we’’l find out how JR sees it. If it’s a trade, we could learn sooner.

by blue gonz on Apr 10, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions

He looks good but...

Do we really need another Wes Welker type? Isn’t that what we have Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss and Mario Manningham for? If we got rid of Moss…say in a trade up…I’d like to have this guy late. He does look good. Want a sleeper? Glen Coffee RB, Alabama. I want him bad. (In a football way.)

I left my swagger in my other pants.

by HughG16 on Apr 10, 2009 5:11 PM EDT reply actions