2009 Draft

The Giants entered the 2009 draft with ten overall selections including five premium (top 100) picks. They had three extra picks: New Orleans' second and fifth round selections (45th and 151st overall) for Jeremy Shockey, as well as an extra third round (#100 overall) compensatory pick.

Despite all the pre-draft trade hoopla, the Giants ended the weekend holding onto their picks and drafting nine players, including five in the top 100. They gave Philadelphia their fifth round pick (#164 overall) in order to move up six spots (from #91 to #85) in the third round to nab WR Ramses Barden. The Jeremy Shockey trade yielded LB Clint Sintim (#45 in the 2nd round) and QB Rhett Bomar (#151 in the 5th round).

Selections by Round:
1 (29): WR Hakeem Nicks
2 (45): LB Clint Sintim *from New Orleans
2 (60): OT William Beatty
3 (85): WR Ramses Barden *traded #164 to move up from #91
3 (100): TE Travis Beckum *compensatory
4 (129): RB Andre Brown
5 (151): QB Rhett Bomar *from New Orleans
6 (200): CB DeAndre Wright
7 (238): CB Stoney Woodson

The Giants' obvious pre-draft need was the passing game and it therefore came as no surprise that they used three of their five top 100 premium selections to draft two receivers and a pass catching TE (as well as a RB with solid hands at #129). With the defense already bolstered by the additions of Canty, Bernard and Boley during free agency, it was also no surprise that four of their five premium picks were spent on offense. Indeed, the fact they went defense with any of their premium picks - their second selection no less - indicates they were very high on LB Clint Sintim.

The choice that threw me was using their 5th round pick from New Orleans on a QB. The Bomar selection suggests that, after a one year experiment, the Giants will likely once again carry three quarterbacks on their 53 man roster. I've been advocating dumping the third quarterback for years and was therefore underwhelmed by the decision. If Manning and Carr both go down at any point, having Bomar on the roster isn't going to get them to the promised land. Using the 151st pick in the draft on a QB appears to be a "bet" that they can develop him into Carr's future replacement or as trade bait in 2-3 years. Although not one of their top 100 premium picks - and clearly any player taken at #151 isn't guaranteed a roster spot on the Giants' SB level talented roster - I would have preferred a safety or a kicker - or seen them trade the pick.

The Giants will open 2009 without either their #1 or their #2 starting receivers from 2008. Moreover, there are no established veterans competing for those positions. One name - Hixon, Smith, Manningham, Moss, Nicks or Barden - will end up going down in the record books as the leading receiver for the 2009 NY Giants. Who "starts" will likely be in a state of flux throughout the year and there is a good chance - if not liklihood - that the top three wideouts in December bear different uniform numbers than those in September.

Raw physical talent - such as that possessed by Hakeem Nicks or Mario Manningham - will likely be afforded increased opportunities and playing time than would normally be the case in a more usual setting. And the coaching staff is likely to try to create situational opportunities for Barden, Beckum, and Brown. The passing game will be an interesting sideline story to the entire 2009 season and will be fun to watch. And two (or more) of these young men are likely to become the face of the NY Giants receiving corps for the next 5-10 years.

Holding five of the top 100 premium picks, this was an important draft for the NY Giants franchise. That they used three of those premium picks (and four of their first six picks overall) to address the obvious void in their passing game must raise a cautionary red flag in the mind of any objective observer. Did the Giants allow a dire need to dictate their draft? Having two extra premium selections is not an opportunity that comes along very often. Only time will tell whether Nicks, Sintim, Beatty, Barden and Beckum are names Giants fans are cheering five years from now. For better or worse, this draft will be viewed as a critical factor in the Giants' failure or success over the seasons to come.