BBV Community Mock Draft 2011: With The 52nd Pick, The Giants Select ...

Stefen Wisniewski, C, Penn State. [Full profile]

Yep. Nobody Beats The Wiz. In the guessing game over who I would grab for the New York Giants in this spot those of you (Simms-McConkey) who banked on me taking Wisniewski, the Penn State center/guard, were on the money.

When discussing the draft a few weeks ago Giants general manager Jerry Reese said fortifying areas where the Giants had injury concerns was a priority. Coach Tom Coughlin specifically mentioned the center position, where Shaun O'Hara is coming off two leg surgeries and will be 34. So, getting an interior lineman capable of playing both center and guard -- and getting on the field early in his career -- is a high priority.

I am always a believer in drafting the best player available regardless of position and I believe the Giants try to do that. Let's be realistic about BPA, though. Every NFL team's judgment of the best player available is shaped by its needs and overall philosophy, meaning the way the team plays and the type of players it likes.In other words, the philosophy winds up being 'best player available -- for your football team.'

At this point in our Big Blue View Community Mock Draft Wisniewski is the best player on the board for the Giants. He offers them many things they like, and need. He is the best center prospect on the board -- apologies to Rodney Hudson fans. He offers the Giants the positional flexibility they crave in offensive linemen at two positions where they have questions -- center and guard. He is athletic enough to pull, trap and reach the second level -- something the Giants always seem to look for in their interior linemen.

The one knock on Wisniewski, 6-foot-3, 313 pounds, is that he is not a mauling, push-the-pile run blocker. In reality, what Giants' lineman is? Maybe Shawn Andrews when he is healthy, that's it. Better question is when have the Giants ever drafted the massive, straight-ahead mauler types for the interior of their line? That's not O'Hara's game, or Rich Seubert's, or even Chris Snee's. The Giants want linemen who can move, who can lead, who can get up the field. Even last year's fifth-round pick, Mitch Petrus, is a guy who was a former tight end and has the athleticism to block in space.

Wisniewski offers the Giants the type of interior lineman who seems to fit their profile, and he offers them a player who should be able to get on the field quickly at a position where they have huge question marks. Not much wrong with that, from where I sit.

Were there other players on the board I found it difficult to pass up? Without a doubt.

Passing on Illinois running back Mikel LeShoure was difficult. He's great value at this point in the draft and would fit with the Giants. Yet, you can't run -- or keep Eli Manning in one piece -- if you can't block. There are a plethora of running backs who will be available in Round 3 or later who can plat at the NFL level. In this draft, there doesn't appear to be another NFL-ready center quite like Wisniewski.

Passing on Villanova offensive tackle Ben Ijalana was also not easy. There is no doubt he is a player the Giants are interested in, otherwise they would not have sent four team officials to the Villanova Pro Day. Ijalana has the athleticism, long arms and high upside the Giants love in offensive tackles -- it would be sort of like drafting Will Beatty all over again. With the current state of their offensive line, though, can they really draft a guy they might have to wait two or three years for when there is a player with good value on the board (Wisniewski) at a position of need who can likely help immediately.

The other guy it isn't easy to pass on is Virginia cornerback Ras-I-Dowling. I read a stat the other day that 70 percent of starting NFL corne rbacks arre drafted in the first two rounds. That tells me that if you are going to get a truly good one you better take him early. Again, the value is there and it is at a position I could see the Giants addressing. Yet, I think Wisniewski's value for the Giants as currently constructed is greater at this point in the draft.

OK, gang. The floor is yours. Your thoughts on this pick?

Round 1

Round 2