As Mike mentioned Friday today stinks for New York Giants fans. The playoffs begin today, the Giants did not earn an invitation and that other team that plays in New Meadowlands Stadium still has a shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
So, aside from making sure you guys root for Peyton Manning and the Colts KO Rex and the Jets tonight, how else can I cheer you up? Certainly not by talking any more about Perry Fewell. Or starting an argument about Kevin Gilbride. Or by dissecting Eli Manning's 25 interceptions.
I know. How about we turn to every amateur general manager's favorite off-season NFL subject -- the 2011 NFL Draft. It's too early for daily draft discussions (at least, too early for me). But, let's poke around at some of the most recently updated mock drafts and see if there are any trends emerging when it comes to the Giants.
Here is a quick caveat. Let's keep any draft discussion, today and over the next several months, as friendly as we can. No one here is an expert, though some folks think they are and some folks spend a whole lot more time pouring over players and digesting draft information than others. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone is entitled to it. As we saw last year, the Giants obviously don't think about the draft the way the rest of us do -- rightly or wrongly. So, I would suggest trying not to get so hung up on one player or one position that you get yourself into the 'if we can't draft this one guy we are wasting our time' mentality.
Anyway, on with a look at some of mocks. The Giants, by the way, select 19th in the first round.
- SB Nation -- Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
- Walter Football -- Ayers
- CBS Sports (Reuter) -- Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
- CBS Sports (Rang) -- Tyron Smith, OT, USC
- Football's Future -- Castonzo
- Sideline Scouting -- Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
- Great Blue North -- Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
- Consensus Draft Services -- Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma
- Draft Tek -- Mikel LeShoure, RB, Illinois
- Fanhouse -- Castonzo