There are now two days until the 2015 NFL Draft, and the rumor mill has reached an absolute frenzy. Some of the idea being tossed around are absurd. Some have merit. Most are probably works of fiction, ideas floated simply to keep other GMs off the trail of what teams really want to do. Let's look at some of the rumors affecting your New York Giants.
Giants a landing spot for Marcus Mariota?
Giants' GM Jerry Reese said the other day that the draft is "always upredictable."
"You can look up and some of those quarterbacks they think are going to be in the first couple picks could be - not off the board until 15 or 20. You never know," Reese said. "I learned that a long time ago in the draft. Funny things can happen, so expect everything to happen."
Still, almost no one expects Mariota to still be on the board when the Giants pick at No. 9 on Thursday night. And the idea that the Giants would select Mariota if he were somehow still available seems far-fetched. Still, veteran NFL writer Mike Freeman floated the possibility recently in a post about Mariota:
"I'm going to give you one long-shot team to watch: the Giants. If for some reason Mariota enters into a free fall, watch them. Eli [Manning] is getting older."
Well, yes, we are all getting older. And yes, Manning is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. The idea of the Giants taking a quarterback with the ninth overall pick is, however, way out there beyond the left field fence somewhere. They haven't made the playoffs for three consecutive years and have had two straight losing seasons. The roster isn't exactly overflowing with talent at every position. The Giants hope to get a cornerstone type player with the ninth pick. They need one who can help immediately, though. The day will come when the Giants do need to find a new franchise quarterback. It hasn't, however, arrived yet.
Trading down for Landon Collins?
Former NFL general manager and current executive director of the Senior Bowl has some draft day advice for Reese.
Maybe biggest void on any #NFL team's depth chart going into draft is SAF position @Giants. Slide back to 12 or 14 and pick Landon Collins!
— Phil Savage (@SeniorBowlPhil) April 28, 2015
Savage even gives Reese the blueprint for how to get that done.
IMO, expect @Browns to depart from philosophy and move up for remaining best WR at #8 or #9…Devante Parker. Must get ahead of STL and MIN.
— Phil Savage (@SeniorBowlPhil) April 28, 2015
Cleveland has the 12th and 19th picks in the first round. We have discussed trade-down scenarios previously, including moving to the 12th spot. Is that move you would make? Is it still too early for Collins?
One liners
Philip Rivers trade dead? Titans willing to deal No. 2 NFL draft pick | The MMQB with Peter King
Mehta: Jets should trade down for Stanford's Andrus Peat - NY Daily News
2015 NFL Draft: Mike Mayock's top 100 prospects - NFL.com
WalterFootball.com: NFL Draft Rumor Mill
2015 NFL Draft's biggest boom-or-bust prospects - NFL.com
We will, of course, keep you posted when it comes to the latest news and rumors leading up to the draft.