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With the 20th pick in SBN's Mock Draft the Giants select ... Paul Posluszny



The Giants selection came up faster than I thought it would, so here it is.

To me, defense absolutely has to be the priority with this pick. I would have taken Darrelle Revis, the cornerback from Pittsburgh, if he had still been available, but I'm thrilled to be able to select Paul Posluszny.

Posluszny seems like a natural fit for the Giants. Penn State is known as 'Linebacker U,' and the Giants have a long tradition of quality linebacking. 'Poz,' should be able to help restore that tradition.

He played both inside and outside at Penn State. The 6-foot-1, 237-pounder might not be the fastest linebacker available, but he is the most polished and the one ready to make the quickest contribution. New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is looking for guys who 'play fast,' and that's Posluszny. He would have been a top 10 pick except for a knee injury suffered during his junior season, from which he appears fully recovered.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin scouted 'Poz' personally at Penn State's Pro Day, so you know there is interest there. I think Posluszny would step right in and help solidify the Big Blue's front seven, which is the way you should build a defense, anyway.

Here's the skinny on Posluszny from NFL.com's Vic Carucci.

Positives: Outstanding speed, athleticism, and explosiveness. ... Shows superb instincts. ... Does an excellent job of diagnosing plays and reacting to them. ... Plays with good leverage. ... Exceptionally strong tackler. ... Can cover running backs and tight ends one-on-one.

Negatives: Not many, although he sometimes struggles to get through traffic.

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts. I am around tonight before heading off for vacation tomorrow, and will check in later on.