New York Giants News and Notes: NFL Draft Day 2 Edition

Good morning fellow Giants fans. So late Thursday night, the G-men selected running back David Wilson from Virginia Tech, stunning a lot of pundits and draft experts who fully expected Stanford tight end Coby Fleener's name to be called. That's not to say RB isn't a huge need, and the Giants picked a speedster who apparently likes to do back flips. I can just see the YouTube clips of Wilson and JPP already. Meanwhile, the second and third rounds are tonight, and the Giants draft 31st in each round. You have to wonder if they would consider trading up for Fleener, and Osi Umenyiora should keep his cell phone turned on just in case (I kid, I kid.....well, maybe not). Let's see what else is being said this morning.....

2012 NFL draft: NY Giants pick Virginia Tech running back David Wilson in first round, No. 32 overall - NY Daily News
It would’ve been more appropriate if he had celebrated with a backflip or two. That would be more like the Virginia Tech running back whom the Giants selected with the 32nd and last pick of the first round of the NFL draft. He’s known as much for his blazing speed as he is for an eccentric personality and a penchant for backflips. In fact, in a recent YouTube video during which he rips off 21 backflips, he calls himself "the best acrobat in the NFL." The Giants think he’s a pretty good football player, too.

NFL.com news: Giants throw curve in NFL draft by adding David Wilson
"My whole career, I have been in a two-back system," Wilson said. "I am a good team player. In this league, one running back can't do it all. I look forward to working with those guys and making the Giants closer to the top of the league (in rushing)." Tom Coughlin always wants a balanced offense. The Giants' passing game is in better shape than it's ever been, and the addition of Wilson gives them a chance of remaining a run-heavy team when they need to be.

New York Giants nab former Virginia Tech running back David Wilson - Roanoke.com
Just when it seemed like Virginia Tech running back David Wilson wouldn’t be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night, the Super Bowl champion New York Giants swooped in and selected him. The Giants took the former Hokies standout with pick No. 32, the last of the first round. Wilson is Virginia Tech’s first running back to go that high since Kevin Jones went to the Detroit Lions with the 30th overall pick in 2004.

ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk used the words "acrobatic" and "backflips" in this interview. You have to wonder at what point TC puts the brakes on that stuff.

Giants see special traits in RB Wilson

Despite winning a world championship, the Giants saw a major issue with finishing last season with an average of 89.2 rushing yards per game, their lowest under head coach Tom Coughlin. So the Giants did something about it in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, making running back David Wilson their first running back to be chosen in round one since Ron Dayne was plucked out of Wisconsin back in 2000.

Pierre-Paul sides with Umenyiora on Giants contract issue - NYPOST.com
Jason Pierre-Paul is sticking by the side of fellow defensive end Osi Umenyiora when it comes to his most recent contract dispute with management. Pierre-Paul, who took over the starting right defensive end position after Umenyiora missed the first three games of 2011, believes that the veteran deserves a new deal from the Giants. "You know, if you look at his resume, he has put up numbers," Pierre-Paul told The Post at an Axe SportsBlast Combine House event with Kate Upton at SPiN NYC.

Did you guys see the photo of JPP and Upton? It sure puts his size in perspective, and it amazes me that guys that big can be that fast. Just thinking out loud, here, RG3.

Patriots move up to draft Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower in a dramatic shift in strategy - Yahoo! Sports
Belichick got aggressive late in the first round, trading a third-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals to move up from No. 27 to 21 and pick Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones. Then, minutes later, they handed over a fourth-rounder to Denver to move up from 31 to 25 and secure Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

At some point, do you have to start thinking of the Patriots as a long-term rival of the Giants, more so than the Jets?

Cruz still wants slot even if Giants draft WR - Giants Blog - ESPN New York
Cruz and Ramses Barden believe the Giants already have enough at receiver. But if the Giants do draft another wideout, Cruz doesn’t expect it to change his role much and his time spent in the slot. "I have gotten comfortable with it throughout the year and that is my position," Cruz said on Wednesday night at the ESPN Magazine pre-draft party. "So I think whenever we go third down and three-receiver sets, I will be in that slot position for sure."

Taking Eli Manning off ESPN-1050 is result of growing Jets-Giants airwave war - NY Daily News
Why did the situation change? Who put the kibosh on Manning continuing his relationship with 1050? All paths lead to the increased flow of bad blood between the Jets and Giants. It finally occurred to Giants brass that having the face of their franchise as a featured voice on the radio home of the Jets was a terrible idea. Although the Giants walked away from last season on top of the football world, management is still angered over Jet brass covering those Giants Super Bowl logos with curtains in MetLife Stadium before Jets hosted the Giants on Christmas Eve. They also haven’t forgotten how Gang Green put a picture of Manning being crushed from behind by Calvin Pace on the cover of their defensive playbook heading into that game.

2012 New York City Marathon -- NYC Marathon gives Ryan Hall post-Olympics goal - ESPN
Among the professional athletes on hand for "Opening Day" of the 2012 New York City Marathon on Wednesday were former New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer and James Blake, a former top 5 tennis player who is trying to return to form following knee surgery last November.

Tony Romo: Won't watch 'boring' and 'monotonous' NFL Draft
Romo told news media at the Cowboys' Valley Ranch training center he finds TV coverage of the draft "monotonous," said reporter George Smith on ESPN's Wednesday morning SportsCenter. "(Romo) added there's nothing more boring than watching people analyze the future," said Smith.

Do you guys ever get the feeling that playing football is not high on Romo's list of priorities? Did he make those comments while vacationing in Mexico?

Bring on Day 2, fellas!