As last year’s nightmarish season dragged on, it became clear the Giants — just a year removed from the best record in the NFC — had some holes to fill. The running game, for example, struggled, and the defense had all sorts of problems, not all of which will be solved by a new coordinator. A lot of this had to do with injuries, but nonetheless, weaknesses were exposed. So what will they do to help correct this with the Draft’s fifteenth pick tomorrow night?
The buzz of late is that, if he’s available, they’ll go after Clemson running back C.J. Spiller. That’s a pretty big “if,” but it’s possible the Giants could trade up a couple of spots if he starts to drop and they don’t think he’ll make it to them at fifteen. Just to be safe, the Giants made sure to get Spiller’s phone number, in case they need to get in touch tomorrow night.
Assuming Spiller isn’t a realistic option, inside linebacker Rolando McClain is a popular pick in a lot of mock drafts, though he wouldn’t come without some concerns. It’s not certain he’d fit into a 4–3 defensive scheme, and they’re likely to at least take into consideration that he suffers from a mystery ailment that may or may not be Crohn’s disease: He’s admitted that there are days when his stamina is affected by whatever he’s suffering from, though he’s never missed a practice because of it. And if they’re looking for speed at the position, they might be better off with Missouri’s Sean Weatherspoon.
There’s also a chance the Giants could deal Osi Umenyiora, in which case they could take a defensive end in the first round. In that case, Georgia Tech’s Derrick Morgan and South Florida’s Jason Pierre-Paul could be options. And, for what it’s worth, we’ve heard Idaho guard Mike Iupati’s name mentioned more than once, so he’s worth keeping in mind, as well.