New York Giants fans know that the team needs to begin looking for a long-term replacement at center for Shaun O'Hara. By no means is that to say that O'Hara, who will be 34 next season, is finished. After 2010, though, when injuries limited the three-time Pro Bowler to just six games, it is time for the Giants to be realistic about O'Hara's future.
O'Hara might return from his offseason achilles surgery in top form and have several healthy seasons remaining. Then again, he might not. It is time for the Giants to address the possibility of having to replace him with more than stop-gap solutions. Rich Seubert did an excellent job sliding over from guard, but his career is now in doubt as well. Adam Koets did an adequate one before he suffered a season-ending knee injury, but Koets is not a long-term answer.
A player like Wisniewski, who offers positional flexibility, could go a long way toward protecting the Giants in the event that the recoveries of either O'Hara or Seubert do not go well.
Let's look at the scouting reports.
Stefen Wisniewski
C, Penn State
6-foot-3, 299 pounds
Projection: Round 2 or 3
Scouting Reports
From Sideline Scouting:
Positives: Outstanding NFL bloodlines... Athletic... Versatile, will get equal looks at Guard as well... Intelligent, heady, good football IQ, good awareness... Good pass protector... Good quickness, quick pass set... Quick initial step, fires off the ball... Natural knee bender... Plays with good hand placement and arm extension... Good agility, carries his pads well... Good lateral movement and slide... Does a good job reacting to stunts and zone drops... Reasonably good lower body strength... Good anchor, does a nice job holding his ground... Very solid run blocker... Good punch... Good strength at POA, very solid upper body strength... Can move defenders off the line... Plays with good leverage... Stays low and drives his legs on contact... Understands angles and positioning... Can pull and trap block well... Can get to the second level... Good flexibility and body control, breaks down reasonably well in space... Does a nice job blocking on the move, can explode into his blocks... Good overall technique... Very solid balance... Plays physical.
Negatives: Narrow base... Will lunge into some blocks... Inconsistent balance... Not especially strong at POA... Lacks ideal size at Guard, will need to add some bulk.
From Draft Countdown:
Strengths:
- Extremely smart with elite instincts and awareness
- Polished technician with great hand use and footwork
- A top-notch understanding of positioning and angles
- Intense, competitive and plays with a nasty demeanor
- Quick with nice balance and able to adjust and recover
- Strong with a wide base and stout at the point of attack
- Great toughness and gets a nice push in the run game
- Tenacious and will lock on and doggedly sustains blocks
- Ability to pull, play in space and reach the second level
- Versatile and is capable of playing multiple positions
- A hard worker and leader with outstanding bloodlines
- Durable with a ton of experience versus top competition
Weaknesses:
- Just average size and frame is probably maxed out
- Is limited athletically and a bit of an overachiever
- Feet aren't real nimble and does not slide smoothly
- Not necessarily physically dominant or overpowering
- Will get pushed around at times but never gives up
- Sometimes walks line between being too aggressive
Overall:
Could project to either center or offensive guard and has extensive experience at both --- Certainly isn't very flashy or the most impressive physical specimen but compensates with first-rate intangibles and there is virtually no chance he won't be successful at the next level --- Will win a starting job and enjoy a long NFL career.