Why 1979? Well, if you know your New York Giants history -- and you should if you are around these parts -- you know that is the year George Young became general manager of the Giants. The year that a moribund laughingstock of a franchise finally did something right and got headed back on the path toward winning.
So, when I started looking at draft successes for the Giants I realized there have been soooooo many since that point in time that it was sort of ridiculous to look back any further. To tell the truth, it is virtually impossible to pare the list to 10 as it is.
I decided not to hold the list to the first round. In my opinion you can have draft successes in later rounds, but you really can't have busts.A late-round pick is a late-round pick because no one else sees a star, either. So, you can't call that player a bust.
Anyway, on with our successes.
No. 10 Jeremy Shockey
Let's forget the way the Shockey era ended with the Giants. Instead, let's remember how good of a player Shockey was in his first few seasons. Drafted in the first round of the 2002 draft, 14th overall, Shockey was a tremendous player. He brought attitude, passion and big-play ability the Giants had not seen in many years. He made four Pro Bowls and caught 371 passes in six Giants seasons.
Shockey, along with Tony Gonzalez, was a prototype for the multi-dimensional match-up nightmare tight end that is so common the way the game is played now. It was inevitable that Shockey's body would break down before his spirit did, and that he would have a difficult time adjusting to a lessened role. Yet, let's not forget how good he was.
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