FINAL DRAFT THOUGHTS BEFORE 4PM

Cushing, Maualuga, Matthews

1) Trade for Edwards as long as the Browns are not asking for something ridiculous.

2) Do not go for a WR in the 1st round.

3) If you must go for a WR in the first round, let him come down to you at #29.

4) Do not trade up. Garafolo/Vacchiano think the Giants are pining for Heyward-Bey, may trade up. You do not do that for a WR in my opinion. Is Heyward-Bey that much value in the low 20’s? Let him fall. If he is taken ahead of you, then there will be value for you at #29. As Wonder has stated, HBey can be feast. Or famine? I’ve seen him on video. He looks good. But the idea of TRADING UP IN ROUND #1 FOR A WIDE RECEIVER IS ANATHEMA TO ME. I do not believe in drafting WR #1 in the first place. Trading up also? NOPE. If the Giants do it, I will be rooting as hard as anyone to see that the guy makes an impact for our team. I just do not believe that it is necessary. We have seen enough 2’s, 3’s and 4’s that were Giants make good pros. Toomer, McCaffrey, Patton, Jurvicius won 6 titles, none were first rounders. None were traded up for in the first round. And three of them went on the merry-go-round to other teams before finding a title, yet another reason for picking up a WR instead of drafting him and waiting 3 years. I am as patient as anyone, but I’d rather patiently build defense with LBer than build it with WRs. If you want to be patient with WRs, why not be patient with Moss, Smith and Manningham??????????????!

5) Speaking of LBers… I like the USC LBers. Maualuga is an animal. Matthews has the most explosiveness to the ball. And then Cushing runs an onside kick back for a TD a la Sehorn. If you are going to trade up, trade up for one of these guys. Trade up for defense. Defense wins championships. Having our defensive line, combined with Boley and one of these guys (would not be Matthews since both are WILL), and then Webster and Phillips anchoring the secondary… this could be the best defense since 1997. LBer. 25 years. It is about freaking time.

6) Speaking of defense… Darius Butler, Rashad Johnson???!!! Would you really mind if the Giants came away with a CB in Rd #1 and a Safety at the end of Round 2?

7) Are the Giants and Browns doing a smokescreen on a trade? We’ll find out soon enough.

8) Updated Ultimatenyg NFL Draft Tracker pdf in printable format. Contains Wonder’s detailed flow chart of choices at each pick in Rounds 1-3.

9) We’ll blog throughout the draft. We’ll be rooting for Andre Smith and Maybin and Vontae Davis and Josh Freeman to go early… that will mean something will fall to the Giants. SOMETHING VERY GOOD. Maybe if those things happen it will stop the Giants from trading up. And maybe then will the Browns become more motivated to trade to the Giants for their good pick. Lots of moving parts. Stay tuned.