Steve DeOssie.

DeOssie was a linebacker and long-snapper for our New York Giants from 1989-93 after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. He was not a great player, but he was a solid contributor during those years. His best season was 1990, when he made 53 tackles.

DeOssie's son, Zak, is now the Giants' long-snapper. Memo to Zak: Hurry up and have sons, dude! Long-snapping seems to be an adventure for the Giants when a DeOssie isn't doing it.

Chris Canty, another free agent from Dallas, is the Giants' current No. 99. Let's hope his Giants' career turns out as well as DeOssie's did.

Kervin Wyatt, a rookie linebacker wore 99 in 1980 when he played in four games. He was the first player I could find who donned the 99.

[NOTE: This, obviously, ends our 'Giants By The Numbers' off-season series. I hope you guys enjoyed it, and learned as much from it, as I did. Some of you have requested this in book form, and I intend to deliver that at some point. Whether it takes the form of an e-book to be downloaded as a PDF or a full-fledged book via a publishing company remains to be determined, but I'm working on it.]

Jessie Armstead.

The last great linebacker drafted by our New York Giants, a team with a proud linebacker tradition rivaled probably only by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sadly, that was way back in 1993 -- in the eighth round, no less.

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Robert Harris.

Surprisingly, Harris is a fairly recent player who I still have zero recollection of. Maybe I'm just getting old. Harris, though, played for the Giants from 1995-99 after spending three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and posted some impressive numbers.

He had 24 sacks in five seasons spent mostly at left defensive tackle, including 10 in 1997. He also had 129 solo tackles as a Giant. He was a full-time starter his first four seasons in New York.

Other Notables Who Wore No. 97

• Cornelius Griffin (DT, 2000-2003). Had 12.5 sacks in four seasons before moving on to the Washington Redskins as a free agent. Griffin teased the Giants with a five-sack rookie season, but never matched that productivity again until after he left New York. He played 14 games for Washington last season and is still a productive NL player.
• Mathias Kiwanuka wore 97 his first three seasons in New York before switching to 94 last season. He had his best pro season in 2008 while wearing 97, registering eight sacks.
• Warren Thompson, a linebacker, was the first player I can find who wore the 97 jersey as a Giant. He played just three games in 1987, and had two sacks.

Barry Cofield.

Going through the uniform numbers in the 90s has been interesting. Most of them were not worn before 1987 by New York Giants' players, and this is another that has been worn by only a handful of players who have had more than a cup of coffee with the team.

Cofield may not be a great player, but he is easily the best Giant to have donned the 96. The fourth-round pick from Northwestern has been a solid contributor at defensive tackle since coming to the team in 2006. He has 6.5 sacks and 115 tackles in his four-year career.

Frank Nicholson (LB, 1987): The first player I can find who wore the No. 96 as a Giant. Played just three games.

Kanavis McGhee (LB, 1991-93): Drafted in the second round in 1991, but never really became an impact player for the Giants. Had just two starts and 1.5 sacks before moving on to Cincinnati and Houston to finish his career.

Jamal Duff (DE, 1996): Had four sacks as a reserve defensive end. Spent 1996 and 1997 playing for Washington.

Nobody, really. This is sort of like No. 35 was, way back when we did that one. A few players have worn the number but no one you would really like to honor. It currently belongs to Rocky Bernard.

• Adrian Awasom was a reserve defensive end from 2005-2007. He was released after being charged with a DUI prior to the 2007 Super Bowl.
• Frank Ferrara was a reserve defensive end from 2001-2003. Sort of the Dave Tollefson of those teams. Had 3.5 sacks in three years.
• Chris Davis, a linebacker, is the first player I know of who wore 95. He did so in 1987.

Michael Brooks.

Signed as a free agent from the Denver Broncos, was a good linebacker for the Giants from 1993-95. He had 92, 91 and 95 tackles in his three seasons in New York. Was a guy then-coach Dan Reeves brought with him from Denver.

Cedric Jones was one of the more disastrous first-round picks in franchise history. Selected fifth overall in 1994, Jones was pretty much a disaster right from the beginning. He played five seasons with the Giants and recorded 15 sacks, the first one not coming until his third season in the league. He did manage to work his way into the team's starting lineup his last two seasons, and was part of the 2000 Super Bowl team. Had a 7.5-sack season in 1999.

When the Giants took Jones, they thought they were getting "the most complete defensive player in the draft." Instead, they got a player who was troubled by eye and leg issues, and did not begin to play like an even competent player until his fourth season in the league.

William Joseph, of course, was another disastrous Giants' first-round pick who wore No. 94. Taken 25th overall in a 2003 draft that saw a huge first-round run on defensive tackles, Joseph never played up to his draft status. He compiled only seven sacks in four Giant seasons and had a career-best 20 tackles in 2004. He spent a few seasons after the Giants let him go bouncing on and off the roster of the Oakland Raiders.

Curtis Garrett, a defensive tackle, seems to be the first Giant to wear No. 94. He started three games in 1987, then disappeared from the NFL.

Mathias Kiwanuka wears the 94 currently, of course. Considering the number's recent Giants' history maybe that is not a good idea. Good luck with it, Kiwi!

Mike Fox.

A defensive lineman with the Giants from 1990-94, he was primarily a 3-4 defensive end if memory serves correctly. A decent player who compiled 9.5 sacks with the Giants before moving on to Carolina for four seasons.

• Brian Sisley was a reserve defensive end who played three games in his NFL career in 1987. He was the first player I can find who wore the No. 93 with the Giants.

Umm ... Gee ... Wasn't there a guy, used to play defensive end ... Had a funny gap between his front teeth ... Was pretty good at rushing the quarterback ... Heard he might do some TV work these days.

What was his name? ... Strahan? ... Yeah, Michael Strahan ... That's the guy.

Yes, all kidding aside Strahan is the obvious -- and only -- choice for No. 92. 

Strahan, a 1993 second-round draft pick, is the best defensive end to the ever play for the Giants, with apologies to old-timers who might  want to make an argument for Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli. Strahan is a lock to become the 30th Giant enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

To be honest, the Giants' defense still misses Strahan. Not only the incredible talent and the fact that he drew constant double-teams, but the presence and locker room leadership as well. The defense has simply not had the same swagger since Strahan took his Super Bowl trophy and rode off into the sunset, taking his gap-toothed smile and larger-than-life personality to television.

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