MMQB: Draft heavy on defensive talent; Malik Jackson a Giant? More notes

Sometimes, you can go for weeks without reading anything in Peter King's "Monday Morning Quarterback" column that relates to the New York Giants. Thus, this week's column, with several Giants-related mentions, is a bonanza for Big Blue faithful.

King & Mike Mayock talk NFL Draft

With the NFL Scouting Combine this week the two heavyweights sat down for a chat about this year's draft class. Oft interest to the Giants:

• Mayock believes this is a defense-heavy draft and that 19 of the 31 first-round picks could be defensive players. Mayock believes as many as a dozen interior defensive linemen could end up with first-round grades.
• Mayock believes that Eastern Kentucky defensive end Noah Spence, often mocked to the Giants, is "One of the most talented kids in the draft," but also a player teams need to investigate carefully.
• Want a player whose stock is rising? Mayock says that would be Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, whom he calls "one of the great three-technique prospects in the draft this year."
• Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib, brother of Giants' backup QB Ryan Nassib, might be the most interesting player at the Combine, per Mayock.

Other Notes

• King said he believes Denver defensive tackle Malik Jackson will go to the highest bidder on the open market, and lists the Giants as one of two teams -- the Atlanta Falcons being the other -- that might pony up as much as $12 million annually for Jackson.
• King puts the odds at 55-45 that Tom Coughlin will be an NFL head coach in 2017.