Might as well start today's New York Giants notebook with a promo for tonight's 'New York Giants Talk' radio show hosted on Blog Talk Radio by myself and Patricia Traina (Inside Football.)
The show is on from 8-9 p.m. ET. We have a pre-recorded interview with sports agent Ralph Cindrich, and Giants tight end Kevin Boss will also drop in for a few minutes.
Call in or use the chat function to drop us a line if you have questions or comments.
There are a few Giants-related items to discuss this morning.
- Let me begin here. I don't want to steal C.J.'s mock draft thunder, but I have to mention a couple of updated mocks. Mel Kiper has the Giants taking Rolando McClain, but in his side-by-side mock Todd McShay of ESPN has the Giants taking Idaho guard Mike Iupati. I've heard whispers that Giants GM Jerry Reese loves Iupati, so among all the possibilities this would not be a huge stunner. At the National Football Post, Wes Bunting has the Giants taking Florida center Maurkice Pouncey in Round 1 and, incredibly, Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon falling to them in Round 2. No way, absolutely no way, it works out like that.
- Since I haven't mentioned Pro Football Focus in a few weeks, I have to point out this story. The folks at PFF have done a study of the drop percentage for receivers in 2009. Among tight ends, the previously mentioned Boss had 42 receptions and one drop, a drop percentage of 2.33%. Only Jeff King of Carolina (25 catches, no drops) was better. For numbers on the wide receivers, you can look here.
- The Giants are hosting a workout for local pro prospects today. Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News has the most complete list of invited players I have been able to find.
- Following up on 'Free's' Albert Haynesworth FanPost I do have some sources in D.C. Fat Albert is apparently on the block, but the Giants are not thought to be one of the suitors.
- Give Lawrence Tynes points for honesty. He knows his kickoffs were not good enough in 2009, and understands why the Giants would consider signing a kickoff specialist.
- This is not a Giants item, but it does highlight a point I have been making for a while. I think it will be a huge mistake for the St. Louis Rams to draft Sam Bradford No. 1, and that it will end up costing Steve Spagnuolo his job. Seems former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer agrees with me.
"In my opinion," Dilfer said of Bradford, "he is not even close to the best player in this draft."
Dilfer sees Bradford as extremely raw and a player who hasn't performed in a system even remotely close to the ones preferred by NFL teams. He thinks Bradford's accuracy falls off as the Oklahoma quarterback goes through his reads.
Further, drafting Bradford could be a "catastrophic mistake" for the Rams if they did not handle him properly.
"Bradford is a talented guy," Dilfer said. "I understand why the perception has become what it is -- because he looks good in shorts. But that is the way he has played football, too. He has played in a 7-on-7 environment, not an 11-on-11 environment." - Think Rolando McClain will fall to the Giants in the draft? The folks at SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, Mile High Report, hope that doesn't happen.