2009 NFL Draft review

Sure, we might not be able to tell the “true value” of any of the prospects from the 2009 NFL Draft three to four years down the road, but it’s simply too much fun to analyze who the winners and who the losers were. Every NFL fan out there wants to see how their team fared in the draft and the first part of my 2009 NFL Draft coverage—I’ve decided to unveil one of the teams I thought graded the best, “The New York Football Giants” as Chris Berman likes to say. So let’s get down to it shall we!

The Giants landed receiver Hakeem Nicks from North Carolina late in the first round. His performance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against West Virginia was simply spectacular.

Even though the Tar Heels lost, Nicks clearly came out a winner and saw his draft stock skyrocket because of his performance in that game. He made one of the greatest catches of the 2008-2009 college football season when he caught a pass from T.J. Yates and switched the football from his left hand to his right behind his back. Listed at 6’1, 215 lbs.

Nicks should be a dominant possession receiver in the NFL, he might not have elite speed, but he does more than make up for it with his excellent hands and physical nature. He was one of the best receivers in the draft and the Giants were lucky to get him so late in the first round.

In the second round, the Giants went with linebacker Clint Sintim out of Virginia. This is an excellent pick to help bolster the Giants linebacking corps’ and Antonio Pierce. Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan has said that Sintim will be a strong side linebacker for the Giants but he will also be used to rush the passer in third down situations. Sintim was one of the best pass-rushing linebackers in the draft, he racked up 27 sacks over his four-year career in Charlottesville, Va. Even though he played in a 3-4 scheme at Virginia—look for Sintim to thrive on a defense that has a lot of flexibility and a lot of weapons.

In the second round, the Giants also drafted offensive tackle William Beatty out of Connecticut. This guy is super athletic and is one of the biggest reasons that Donald Brown became one of the nation’s premiere running backs over the past few seasons. When you watch his highlights you have to like this kid’s hustle, he never gives up on running plays downfield and is constantly looking for somebody to block. He has tremendous potential and has the chance to blossom into a starter for the G-Men.

In the third round, the Giants selected one of my favorite “sleeper” picks for the 2009 NFL Draft, wide receiver Ramses Barden out of Cal Poly. Listed at 6’6, 226 lbs. with 4.55 speed, Barden is blessed with the complete package you would look for in a possession receiver in the NFL. He has superb hands, size, leaping ability, and moves remarkably well for somebody his size. If anybody could make the Giants fans forget about Plaxico Burress, it’s definitely Barden. His hands are massive and measure 10 ¾ inches, so look for him to be a “red-zone killer” for the G-Men. He will be flat out unstoppable in the red zone, Peyton Manning can just close his eyes and let Barden go up and get it.

Don’t be fooled, just because he’s from a lower-level school, doesn’t mean he’s not as talented. He caught 206 passes for 4,203 yards and 50 touchdowns during his career for the Mustangs. He also caught a touchdown catch in 20 consecutive games, breaking a record previously held by Jerry Rice. He’s definitely a name to remember, Eli Manning has to be drooling as we speak.

The Giants also took another excellent player in the third round, former Wisconsin tight end Travis Beckum. As a junior, Beckum hauled in 75 passes for 982 yards and six touchdowns. He battled a few injuries this past season and only played in six games. He likely would’ve been a first-round selection if he was healthy and he’s definitely a steal in the third round. The guy has phenomenal leaping ability, body control, and hands, and he’ll be a big-time mismatch for linebackers in the NFL. The Giants already have a stud tight end in Kevin Boss, so I would look for the Giants to possibly employ some two tight end sets this season. Beckum was one of the best tight ends in college football and I think he’ll show a lot of people how dominant he can truly be.