No. 19 Pick in 2011 Reader Mock: Giants on the Clock

[Walter]

Voting for the No. 19 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Who will be the pick?

Results and some comments will be posted here.


http://walterfootball.com/draft2011reader.php


1. Panthers - Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
2. Broncos - Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
3. Bills - Cam Newton, QB, Bengals
4. Bengals - A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
5. Cardinals - Von Miller, DE/OLB, Texas A&M
6. Browns - Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
7. 49ers - Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
8. Titans - Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
9. Cowboys - Tyron Smith, OT, USC
10. Redskins - Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
11. Texans - Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina
12. Vikings - Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
13. Lions - Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
14. Rams - Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
15. Dolphins - Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
16. Jaguars - Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
17. Patriots - Cameron Jordan, DE/DT, California
18. Chargers - J.J. Watt, DE/DT, Wisconsin


Akeem Ayers
Gabe Carimi
Mikel Leshoure
Corey Liuget
Mike Pouncey
Kyle Rudolph
Derek Sherrod
Jimmy Smith
Nate Solder
Muhammad Wilkerson

[Thiergow]

I voted Mike Pouncey.
With Anthony Constanzo off the board the choice was much easier. The Giants need to upgrade their aging OL. Some would argue that LT is the top priority but I don't agree. Even though David Diehl is far from being a good tackle, he has done the job for years. He is often useless against speed rushers but Eli gets rid off the bowl pretty quickly and avoids sacks for the OL. Plus I'm not done with Beatty yet. The guy he's entering his 3rd year in the NFL and I believe that he can still be a good tackle. And if Shawn Andrews can find a way to stay healthy, then the Giants will be just fine at that position.
So yes, the situation at the T position still doesn't look so good but it looks worse at G and C. Seubert AND O'Hara are coming off big injuries and we don't know yet if they'll be able to play in 2011. Guess what? Pouncey can play both positions. Some have concerns with his snapping skills (especially in the shotgun) but if the Giants found a way to make Rich Seubert - the guy had never played C before 2010 - and Adam Koets - M. fumbled snap during each training camp - snap then they can make something of Pouncey. And if Seubert or O'Hara can play, then you can put Pouncey at guard while he learns how to snap correctly.
But this pick isn't just about need. Jerry Reese likes to pick the best player available regardless of the team needs. I believe that Pouncey is the best guy on the board. He his the top interior lineman and skilled just like his brother. Moreover, picking an OLB (Ayers) or a DT (Liuget) would be a reach for the Giants right now.

[Classic Silver and Black]

Despite some struggling in the last couple of years, the Giants don't have that many blatant needs. An aging offensive line and a similarly old linebacking corp is where some youth may be needed.
Considering Akeem Ayers poor postseason, no 4-3 LB is worth being drafted this early and surely this is not a team known as reaching for players.

When it comes to pass protectors, the best guess would have been Castonzo if available, the New York front office just loves Boston College players. Unfortunately, he's already been drafted in this mock.
Mike Pouncey automatically becomes the next best guess. He may be the BPA on their big board at this point and all in all the Giants have less bench depth in the inside of their offensive line than they have at tackle (Beatty, Andrews).

[aaah]

When your picking 1-20 and miss the playoffs, you get development players in later rounds. In the first round, you must try to get a player who will start now. The Giants were solid on offense. Heck they were solid on defense. BUT, what is typical of Tom Coughlin Teams, their Special Teams suck. Turnovers were also huge. SO I am voting for Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado.

[BobLoblaw]

Coughlin has publicly said the team needs a new center, and he seemed to regret not drafting the other Pouncy last year. I think if Mike's available, Coughlin will leap forward in an aggressive manner akin to that of a tiger seeking to capture its prey.

[Finnegans Wake]

Chose Carimi. OT provides better positional value, and Carimi can upgrade McKenzie as the Giants see whether they have anything in Beatty; Carimi may even be switched to LT at some point. IMO, OG, ILB, and CB value can follow in succeeding rounds.

[Phatal]

As, with the Patriots, Mike Pouncey is a viable option. Offensive line is a major need for the Giants due to the pressure that Eli Manning faced. Improving the offensive line will also result in a better running game, which was already one of the best last year in terms of ypg. While offensive tackles may be more important, the versatility of Pouncey, along with his ability, make Pouncey a better option than Carimi. Pouncey can run and pass block well. I think that he is the pick if available.

[SirA]

There are several Centers that will be available in later rounds. I went with Corey Liuget because it is doubtful Barry Coffield is going to be back because of contract issues and Rocky Bernard will be 32 next year and is on the chopping block. They drafted Linval Joseph last year to be the future NT and I think Luiget would be their future UT and help keep the Giants D in the top ten versus both the pass and the run.

[RazorStar]

I went with Nate Solder, with the Giants coaching staff this guy can really focus on perfecting his talents as a blind side tackle and be able to keep Eli Manning upright for the next 6 or 7 years. Carimi and Pouncey may be better players right now, but I believe in Solder's raw potential, and I think he's a better Left Tackle, which is a much bigger need for the Giants.

[stevenlourie]

Pouncey's stock is on the rise right now, as his brother's was at this time last year. Once a candidate to still be available to teams like New England at 28, Chicago at 29, and Pittsburgh at 31, Pouncey likely won't make it out of the top 20. I've seen him mocked to Detroit at 13, St. Louis at 14, Miami at 15, New England at 17, and here to the Giants at 19. Pouncey also tweeted that he would be surprised if he wasn't a Dallas Cowboy next season, which means the Cowboys at 9, who are looking to shop the pick, could move down into the early-mid teens to grab him, with a team like St. Louis (14), New England (17), or San Diego (18), moving up to 9 to take Julio Jones. Anyway, point is, Pouncey's likely a top 20 pick and since he's still here at 19, I think the Giants pull the trigger, given their need upfront. Rich Seubert is an injury prone 32 year old in a contract year. Pouncey can be his replacement at guard. He can also move to center in a pinch, another need of theirs.

[tbod10]

I was debating giving the Giants Liuget because of their potential need at DT if they don't re-sign Cofield, but I changed my mind the more I thought about it.

Their backup centers, Rich Seubert and Adam Koets, are almost guaranteed not to be ready for the start of the 2011 season if there is one. That leaves a potential hole at LG and backup C. Shaun O'Hara is also getting older and is coming off an injury riddled 2010 in which he barely played. Considering his versatility and the fact that they would go into training camp with no true backup center, the Giants will draft Mike Pouncey if he falls to them at the #20 pick.

[BroncosCon]

I chose Gabe Carimi because he can play OT and OG, much better value than a C/G.

[vikingsteve26]

Voted Mike Pouncey. BPA.

[Blazedestin]

Going with Mike Pouncey, but given that the Giants are my team, I'd like to look at each possibility.

Akeem Ayers - While a SAM backer is a need, the consensus is that Ayers would be best in the 3-4 Rush OLB role. I loathe Ayers as a prospect; he lacks the most important trait I want in defensive players: He's afraid of contact. Looking at his film (Vs. Temple is the most damning), and he doesn't have the beserker like mentality you want out of your defenders. He's too willing to yield yardage to avoid the big hit. You don't want that out of a running back; you sure as hell don't want that out of your linebackers. I would go insane if Big Blue picks him up in any round, let alone R1.

Gabe Carimi - Mostly a RT, Carimi might not be a bad fit with the Giants. Definitely a lunch-pail road grader that the Giants like, and Kareem McKenzie is starting to decline. Is William Beatty the answer? He hasn't looked like a solution at either tackle position so far.

Mikel Leshoure - Probably not. He's a small reach here, and while the Giants would probably take Ingram if he's around, Ingram provides real value. Leshoure does not. RB is not a dire need for the Giants.

Corey Liuget, Muhammad Wilkerson - They're talented enough, but the Giants took Linval Joseph in anticipation of Barry Cofield leaving in FA. DT will be a depth issue, but we think that Joseph might be able to do something in the NFL.

Derek Sherrod, Nate Solder - Diehl is a decent left tackle, but these guys would be able to make him slide inside. Again, not an awful idea, but Diehl is a serviceable left tackle.

Jimmy Smith - Sorry, but the Giants don't tend to draft players with severe character concerns, and we're not so horribly deficient at CB that we need to spend a 1st rounder on the position. We have a pair of decent starters, and Aaron Ross has to get healthy eventually... hopefully.

Kyle Rudolph - Kevin Boss is a pretty good TE. He's not explosive or flashy, but Kyle Rudolph would have been the 3rd or 4th TE off the board last year. Simply not worth #19 overall.

Back to Pouncey, he's a quality Guard with experience at Center who would be able to step in for Rich Seubert immediately, and would be a better backup than Adam Koets at center. Pouncey would give us a very good piece on our offensive line that can make an impact at multiple spots. If he's 75% as good as Maurkice, the Giants will be happy with what he becomes.

[EL Guapo]

They could use a guard but I don’t think they draft Pouncey unless they feel he could play center. Guards are cheaper and easier to find and Diehl can play it well if he’s not playing left tackle. Andrews can play guard too is he’s on the team and healthy and they have Petrus who I don’t know how they feel about. I haven’t heard anything negative. I think they would draft Pouncey in this scenario hoping for a future center.

[Ckane138]

In this spot I think they'd take Carimi with the idea of bringing him along at left guard or right tackle before eventually moving him to left tackle like they did with Diehl.

[pheltzbahr]

Lots of naysAyers about Akeem's ability to be effective in the 4-3. Giants Pounce on a versatile interior lineman to LeShoure up their Oline. Mikey it is.

[Phatal]

Lots of naysAyers about Akeem's ability to be effective in the 4-3. Giants Pounce on a versatile interior lineman to LeShoure up their Oline. Mikey it is.

Puns...I think Ayers fits better in the 43 than the 34. He can do almost everything at a good level for a college prospect except rush the passer. Makes me think he will be a good OLB.

[Daniel Brown]

The year the Giants need a LT is the same year the LT's blow. I'll stick with Pouncey.

[jamroadbeers]

The logical pick would be best lineman available, whether the Giants rank Pouncey higher than Carimi or Solder is beyond me. However, I'm a believer that lineman (unless top of the first round grade) should be selected in rounds 2 and beyond. As we've seen in past drafts the Giants rarely move up (I assume no different this year). With this 19th pick, it seems to be in that sweet spot where teams will move to scoop up a falling QB or trade back into the first round to reach for a 2nd tier QB. I voted for Leshoure because I think all the lineman that the Giants grade high will be off the board and they will eventually trade down to the end of the first round and select the Jacobs replacement. If I had to guess, I could see Seattle moving up from 25 to snag Mallet or Locker.

[SwAg Dynasty]

As much as I would like to write a really good analysis of the Giants pick - I can't. I honestly don't know who they are going to pick at this selection - normally I would give them either Castanzo or Ingram, but both are off the board at this juncture, so who do they take? They could take another OT, but I don't know if they would. I leaned toward Liuget and Ayers, but I don't know if the Giants would spend a 1st round pick on an OLB for their 4-3 and didn't the Giants just spend their first 2 draft picks last year on the D-Line? I don't see them taking Mikel Leshoure this early and I don't see Kyle Rudolph as a realistic option here (I know he just had his Pro Day and he has some momentum, but Kevin Boss isn't horrible). I think they could trade out of here, but no one ever predicts trades correctly in mock drafts. All of this being said, I think the pick comes down to either Gabe Carimi or Mike Pouncey - gun to my head, I'm dead because I couldn't pick for the Giants.