As the semester comes down to an end and we are all thinking about what our grades will be, I think it’s a good idea to hand out a few report cards to the Giants and the Jets on their draft picks.
Jets: Mark Sanchez, QB (First round, pick No. 5)
Grade: B+
I’m not sold on Sanchez but if he lives up to all they hype, the Jets made a smart decision to trade up in the draft to get him. He’s only played one full college season which doesn’t give much of an indication of the type of pro he will be but he is already the best quarterback on the Jets’ roster.
Giants: Hakeem Nicks, WR (First round, pick No. 29)
Grade: A-
After releasing Plaxico Burress (which I give an F) and choosing not to keep Amani Toomer, the Giants made the smart choice of taking the best player available who just so happened to fit one of their most glaring needs. Couple Nicks with say, an Aquan Boldin or a Braylon Edwards, and the Giants’ offense might challenge their defense as the superior unit.
Giants: Clint Sintim, OLB (Second round, pick No. 45)
Grade: B
The Giants haven’t had much success drafting linebackers of late, but Sintim does have the build to be an effective rusher on the edge which the Giants covet. It’s the fact that he doesn’t do much else that should have fans concerned.
Giants: William Beatty, OT (Second round, pick No. 60)
Grade: B+
The Giants are set at the offensive line, but adding a player of Beatty’s caliber to be a backup will solidify the depth at offensive tackle. Best-case scenario, Beatty could end up as the Giants’ left tackle of the future, allowing David Diehl to move back to his natural position at guard.
Jets: Shonn Greene, RB (Third round, pick No. 65)
Grade: C+
Not a bad pick, but I think the Jets should have gone in a different direction. They already have a bruising back in Thomas Jones and perhaps the best change of pace back in the NFL with Leon Washington, so Greene probably won’t make much of an impact. Drafting a receiver that will grow along with Sanchez would have made more sense.
Giants: Ramses Barden, WR (Third round, pick No. 85)
Grade: A
In his rookie year, Barden can end up having a better year than fellow rookie receiver Nicks. In college at Cal Poly, Barden caught an astounding 78 touchdowns. While his stats were aided in the fact that he played in the FCS, his 6’6” and 229-pound frame should lead to success in the NFL as well.
Giants: Travis Beckum, TE (Third round, pick No. 100)
Grade: C+
The Giants are still without a legit No. 1 tight end but instead of going after Tony Gonzalez when he was on the trading block (another F on the off-season report card), they decided to draft Kevin Boss 2.0. Beckum, like Boss, is a speedy receiving tight end. In reality, he might be better than Boss but he’s still no Tony Gonzalez.
Giants: Andre Brown, RB (Fourth round, pick No. 129)
Grade: B-
The Giants have had a lot of success drafting running backs late in drafts. Brandon Jacobs was also a fourth round pick and Ahmad Bradshaw was a steal in the seventh round. Brown slid on many draft boards due to a broken foot he sustained his senior year at N.C. State, but taking him with the 129th pick could be a great bargain as he’ll compete with Bradshaw and Danny Ware for playing time behind Jacobs.
Giants: Rhett Bomar, QB (Fifth round, pick No. 151)
Grade: C
The Giants are already set at backup quarterback with David Carr signed on for another year. Bomar is being brought in to compete with Andre Woodson for the third-string spot, but in the fifth round the Giants could have addressed another need such as the defensive secondary.
Jets: Matthew Slauson, OG (Sixth round, pick No. 193)
Grade: B-
After trading most of their picks to get Sanchez, Slauson was the Jets’ third and final selection. Sixth-round offensive lineman don’t generally make much of an impact on teams but Slauson will add some depth to the unit that will be protecting their main investment: Sanchez.
Giants: DeAndre Wright, CB (Sixth round, pick No. 200)
Grade: C
Drafting Wright is certainly not a need pick since they are set at the cornerback position, but Wright should compete for a spot as the dime back.
Giants: Stoney Woodson, CB (Seventh round, pick No. 238)
Grade: D+
In seemingly every draft, the Giants stockpile cornerbacks near the end of the draft only to release them at the end of training camp. This year seems to be no different as, despite his cool name, Stoney Woodson would be lucky to end up on the Giants’ practice team.
Overall:
Jets: B+
The success of this year’s draft all boils down to the success of one player: Mark Sanchez. If he pans out and is named Rookie of the Year, the Jets made the right move; if he’s a bust, the Jets were wrong for trading away crucial draft picks. I’m calling it somewhere in the middle.
Giants: B+
Nothing too flashy for the Giants in the draft, which has been the norm for this team. It’s been working, so don’t fix what’s not broken, right?
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