Giants Draft: UDFA Review
TE Xavier Grimble, USC
DT Kelcy Quarles, South Carolina
DT Eathyn Manumaleuna, BYU
DE Kerry Wynn, Richmond
DE Emmanuel Dieke, Ga Tech
DE Jordan Stanton, James Madison
LB Justin Anderson, Louisiana-Lafayette
LB Dan Fox, Notre Dame
S Thomas Gordon, Michigan
S Charles Barnett, Ohio State
I like what the Giants did here. I've seen more of Grimble and Fox than of anyone else, but I've seen all of them a bit, and think the Giants did a good job and mostly kept the them of football player over athlete going, though UDFA and not the Draft is the place to swing for the fences with freaks with uncertain instincts.
Before the draft, I identified three big areas the Giants needed to hit. First was OL, where they got a perfect fit in the second, but didn't have anyone available who fit with their other picks. They also needed to replace Nicks, they did that in the first round. They also needed to add pass rush, and they added two productive pass rushers in the 3rd and 5th, one a 3 tech, the other an LB/Hybrid.
There was also a bit of a need for safety given Will Hill's issues. They hit that in the 5th.
After the draft, they did a lot more of the same, going after two more 3-techs in Quarles and Manumaleuna, and some Giant Type first step DE's in Wynn, Dieke and Anderson, all of whom are pretty intriguing. They also went for more LB's in Justin Anderson and Dan Fox. I think Fox will surprise everyone. He's a bit undersized, but that kid is a football player and could be a good weak side guy for us.
They also grabbed two veteran Big 10 Safeties in Gordon and Barnett. Those two along with Berhe and Cooper Taylor, they should give the Giants enough depth to withstand another Hill suspension.
I was surprised they didn't sign a small school tackle, but they did claim Jamaal Johnson-Webb a few days later to give them another young Tackle-Guard type,
From Jim Burt, to Zeke Mowatt, to Percy Ellsworth to James Butler to Victor Cruz to Hynoski, the Giants have often found useful player in UDFA. I've already written about Grimble and am hoping that he, Fox, and one or two of the DL's can help. Rotation, rotation, rotation.
posted by Kalel9 @ 3:07 PM
5 Comments:
They should give Walton reps at G. As some writer noted, it would be benefical to have Richburg and Eli work together for the remainder of Eli's career, starting now. So if Walton is fully recovered, he can provide valuable depth both at C and G, where Snee is also a question mark.
Walton said today that he doesn't and hasn't played Guard.
I hope he woukd be willing to learn if he gets beat out at C.
I'm not saying this is accurate, because I don't have a clue, but I think it's interesting that this report compares Grimble to Kellen Davis:
COMPARES TO: Kellen Davis, Seattle Seahawks - Like the well-built (and well-traveled) Davis, Grimble looks better walking off the bus than he does on tape. He possesses good enough hands and overall athleticism to serve as a short to intermediate threat, especially in the red zone (11 career touchdowns) and has the frame and strength scouts are looking for as a run blocker. He can play the role of a traditional security blanket tight end but a new-age hybrid seam threat, he is not.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1737107/xavier-grimble
Grimble was at USC for a lot of instability. Kiffin really didn't like throwing it in the middle of the field. So he didn't get featured like Davis or Byrd had. He could be a bit of a major college sleeper. Not fast, but has talent.
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