(Sports Network) -
1 - David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech (5-10, 206); 2 - Rueben Randle, WR,
Louisiana State (6-3, 210); 3 - Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech (5-10, 178);
4 - Adrien Robinson, TE, Cincinnati (6-4, 264); 4 - Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn
(6-6, 314); 6 - Matt McCants, OT, Alabama-Birmingham (6-6, 308); 7 - Markus
Kuhn, DT, North Carolina State (6-5, 299)
Top Picks Analysis: After losing complementary running back Brandon Jacobs and
No. 3 receiver Mario Manningham from last year's Super Bowl-winning unit, the
Giants quickly found their intended replacements in the first two rounds.
Wilson, a track standout who offers one of the best blends of speed and power
among this draft's running back crop, is ticketed for a timeshare with the
notoriously brittle Ahmad Bradshaw and may be used on kick returns as well, an
area in which New York often struggled in 2011. Randle was a late first-round
candidate who surprisingly slipped to the last pick of the second, possibly
due to a lack of elite speed and explosiveness, but he's an inviting target
with a large catch radius that could fill Manningham's duties as an outside
threat in multi-receiver looks. The Giants again turned to Virginia Tech with
their next pick by nabbing Wilson's teammate Hosley, an undersized slot corner
with good awareness in zone coverage who also experienced a slight stock slip
after reportedly failing a drug test at the combine.
Best Value Pick: Randle had been considered a potential top 25 pick in some
circles, so staying patient and getting him at No. 63 overall was a nice call
by general manager Jerry Reese.
Questionable Calls: The Giants had a need for a tight end that can get on the
field immediately after having two players at the position sustain ACL tears
at the Super Bowl, but Robinson is a major project with only 29 career catches
to his credit in college. A contract dispute with the ever-disgruntled Osi
Umenyiora that could be looming made defensive end more of a priority that
Reese disregarded.
Summary: Reese did his best to try to ensure the Giants won't skip a beat in
defense of their title by plucking two young offensive pieces with upside in
Wilson and Randle as well as an interesting right tackle candidate in fourth-
rounder Mosley. New York's best-available player approach should pay some
dividends once again.
FINAL GRADE: B+
The Sports Network