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Top 5 Giants Draft Picks of All-Time

gmen9892 : 1/17/2014 5:01 pm
Slow day. Figured id open up a little discussion. Based purely on your opinion, who do you think were the 5 best draft picks in NY Giant history.

For me:
1. L.T. - Revolutionized the LB position. Arguably the best LB of all-time. 2 time champ
2. Eli - Already has 2 Super Bowl rings and MVP's. Will most likely finish his career and the best offensive player in Giant history stats wise.
3. Gifford - 8x pro bowler. 6 time all-pro. NFL Champ. Changed positions mid career and was a prow bowler at both spots.
4. Carl Banks - 2 time champ. pro bowler and named to the 1980 all-decade team shows what kind of player he was playing second fiddle to the GOAT.
5. Simms - Held most records until Eli cam along. 2 time champ. SB MVP. Pro Bowler.

Honorable Mention: Hampton, Shockey, Nicks, JPP
Too young to remember Roosevelt Brown?  
MOOPS : 1/17/2014 5:05 pm : link
.
Eli  
YAJ2112 : 1/17/2014 5:06 pm : link
was not drafted by the Giants
gifford  
hankb1126 : 1/17/2014 5:08 pm : link
changed position 3 times in his career he was originally an all pro defensive back
I believe Harry Carson would easily trump...  
MOOPS : 1/17/2014 5:10 pm : link
Carl Banks.
I don't think Eli makes this list yet, in my opinion  
sjnyfan : 1/17/2014 5:10 pm : link
1. LT
2. Rosey Brown
3. Gifford
4. Strahan
5. Huff/Carson
...  
yatqb : 1/17/2014 5:16 pm : link
1. LT.
2. Rosey Brown (27th round?)
3. Justin Tuck (3rd rounder)
4. Strahan (2nd rounder)
5. Tie: Gifford (1st); Rosey Grier (3rd); Fred Dryer (1st); Sam Huff (3rd); Troy Archer (1st and a terrible loss); Harry Carson (4th).
What about Homer Jones at WR?  
Bobby Epps : 1/17/2014 5:18 pm : link
Still holds the NFL record for yards-per-catch: an incredible TWENTY-TWO yards per catch!!!
Good call, Bobby.  
yatqb : 1/17/2014 5:20 pm : link
Also Erich Barnes, but I think we traded for him.
RE: ...  
GIANTSr01 : 1/17/2014 5:21 pm : link
In comment 11461658 yatqb said:
Quote:
1. LT.
2. Rosey Brown (27th round?)
3. Justin Tuck (3rd rounder)
4. Strahan (2nd rounder)
5. Tie: Gifford (1st); Rosey Grier (3rd); Fred Dryer (1st); Sam Huff (3rd); Troy Archer (1st and a terrible loss); Harry Carson (4th).


No way in hell is Tuck ahead of Strahan (or half those other guys).
How is Tiki Barber not on this list?  
JOMO25 : 1/17/2014 5:22 pm : link
Value wise, Jesse Armstead was outstanding as a Rd 8 pick
Some guys who would come right after 5th  
gmenrule1986 : 1/17/2014 5:22 pm : link
Tiki, Hampton, Leonard Marshall, Spider Lockhart, Bavaro, Mark Collins
Jessie Armstead in the 7th round deserves  
mfsd : 1/17/2014 5:22 pm : link
honorable mention, as does Ahmad Bradshaw
yatqb: IIRC we got Barnes  
Bobby Epps : 1/17/2014 5:23 pm : link
in a trade with the Bears.
1.) LT  
beatrixkiddo : 1/17/2014 5:24 pm : link
2.) Gifford

3.) Eli

4.) Strahan

5.) Carson

This can't just be about who were top picks.  
Jimmy Googs : 1/17/2014 5:28 pm : link
like Eli and LT and became great.

Lets go with the underdogs a bit that were picked in later rounds in their respective drafts...

Jesse Armstead - Rd 8
Dave Meggett - Rd 5
Harry Carson - Rd 4
George Martin - Rd 11
Ahmad Bradshaw - Rd 7

RE: RE: ...  
yatqb : 1/17/2014 5:30 pm : link
In comment 11461664 GIANTSr01 said:
Quote:
In comment 11461658 yatqb said:


Quote:


1. LT.
2. Rosey Brown (27th round?)
3. Justin Tuck (3rd rounder)
4. Strahan (2nd rounder)
5. Tie: Gifford (1st); Rosey Grier (3rd); Fred Dryer (1st); Sam Huff (3rd); Troy Archer (1st and a terrible loss); Harry Carson (4th).



No way in hell is Tuck ahead of Strahan (or half those other guys).


You're right. After LT I was just listing them as I thought of them, but MS was our best DE of all time, better than Robustelli, which says a lot.
Jimmy Googs: OK if we're going to do that, what about the  
Bobby Epps : 1/17/2014 5:31 pm : link
HOFer picked in the 27th Round- Roosevelt Brown?
I wouldn't  
PaulBlakeTSU : 1/17/2014 5:34 pm : link
consider LT a great pick for the sake of this discussion. Wasn't he the #1 pick for every team except for the Saints who fortunately for the Giants had the #1 pick?

Technically, the Giants didn't draft Eli, either.
Top draft pick  
Pete in MD : 1/17/2014 5:34 pm : link
that didn't work out with he Giants: HOFer Don Maynard, 9th round pick in 1957.
Totally into older guys like Rosie Brown  
Jimmy Googs : 1/17/2014 5:35 pm : link
making the list. From what I understand Rosie was the goods.

I was just staying with guys I got to watch play in the past few decades.
Jimmy, sadly for my aching bones, some of us did see those guys!  
yatqb : 1/17/2014 5:41 pm : link
Rosey was amazing. So athletic that they regularly pulled him from his LT position on sweeps right. And what a person...just a heart as big as he was.

Epps, yup, looked it up, got him after 3 years with the Bears. But boy was he something for his time...a 6'2", over 200 pound CB who hit like an SOB and blanketed receivers. He played WRs like Sherman does now, physical as all hell.
Yatqb - I just now understand your handle since you  
Jimmy Googs : 1/17/2014 5:58 pm : link
gave up your old age :)

Your personal comments on Rosie basically mirror what I just read on Wikipedia. Nice job, and try a very dry gin Martini for those aching bones (it may not help but couldn't hurt either!).

"Rosie Brown was drafted by the Giants out of Morgan State University in the 1953 NFL Draft. Brown was very quick on his feet which was very unusual for his era. He is considered one of the greatest "sleeper picks" in NFL history as he was drafted in 27th round of the NFL Draft."
You're going to bump LT because he was picked second.  
JoeCabbie : 1/17/2014 6:02 pm : link
just to include people that did better than their draft position? LT did better than his draft position. Ray Lewis wasn't at LT's lvl. He was the most amazing player I never saw. I've never seen another player with the ability to will his team to win like LT(Reggie White was close). He was hands down the best Giants draft pick ever, and Rosie Brown was second.

1. LT
2. Rosie Brown
3. Strahan
4. Gifford
5. Carson
GIANTS fan since '55 sez  
Red Dog : 1/17/2014 6:05 pm : link
1. LT. No contest. Best defensive player ever.
2. Gifford. Probably the most versatile player in NFL history, the NFL network's stupidity not withstanding.
3. Rosey Brown. HOFer, one of the greatest OLs of all time. Could do things no other OT could do, like pull of the line to lead running plays. Unusually lengthy career.
4. Harry Carson. "One hell of damn middle linebacker."
5. Joe Morris. Short but not small, was the best RB in the league for a couple of years. Super Bowl winner held many team rushing records when he retired.

Hard to argue with having guys like Michael Strahan, Jesse Armstead, Jim Patton, Dick Lynch, and Phil Simms on this list either.

Note that Eli was not a GIANT draft choice, nor was Emlen Tunnell, Andy Robustelli, Charlie Connerly, Y.A. Tittle, Alex Webster, Erich Barnes, Sean Landetta, Pat Summerall, O.J. Anderson, Jim Burt, or a lot of other really outstanding players for this franchise. Don't think Dave Jennings was drafted either.
RE: Yatqb - I just now understand your handle since you  
yatqb : 1/17/2014 6:08 pm : link
In comment 11461706 Jimmy Googs said:
Quote:
gave up your old age :)

Your personal comments on Rosie basically mirror what I just read on Wikipedia. Nice job, and try a very dry gin Martini for those aching bones (it may not help but couldn't hurt either!).

"Rosie Brown was drafted by the Giants out of Morgan State University in the 1953 NFL Draft. Brown was very quick on his feet which was very unusual for his era. He is considered one of the greatest "sleeper picks" in NFL history as he was drafted in 27th round of the NFL Draft."


No shame in it, Googs. Better than the alternative. I just turned 64.

Saw the early golden years as a kid, the terrible years in between, and the great years since.

And I think I'll go for a great margarita or bottle of wine rather than a martini, but you're right, it can't hurt!

Regards, Yat
ok,  
section125 : 1/17/2014 6:11 pm : link
LT
Tiki
Roosevelt Brown
Frank Gifford
Harry Carson

honorable: Phil Simms, Joe Morris, Phillip Rivers
Unless you have knowledge of the team back into the 30's or so, what  
Moondwg : 1/17/2014 6:46 pm : link
use is making such a list? Or just say "in my generation" or something like that.
What is the criteria for this?  
robbieballs2003 : 1/17/2014 6:55 pm : link
Is it just the best Giants players that the team drafted? Does value play a factor?

Look at David Diehl. I, along with many others, have criticized him over the past few years but is that his fault? I don't think so. I think it was management and coaching. You can't blame the guy for trying his best to go out and compete. He was drafted in the fifth round. He started from his rookie year and every game after that until the tail end of his career when he got bit by injuries. He has played every OL position except for center for us. He held up at LT when Reese came in and cut Luke Pettigout which was a very unpopular decision. He was part of two super bowls. He was a big part of the Giants golden era of offense. We criticize Gilbride for a lot of things but Giants fans have never seen a better offense than his. I think Diehl should deserve some consideration based on value and what he meant to this team. Is he going to be a HoF player? Of course not but that doesn't mean he wasn't a great draft pick.
Lets start with worse picks  
mikepaz56 : 1/17/2014 6:57 pm : link
Nominated number 1. Rocky Thompson
Some of the worst picks  
Steve in South Jersey : 1/17/2014 7:10 pm : link
Joe Don Looney
Rockey Thompson
Eldridge Small
John Hicks
Larry Jacobson
Senorita Moss  
Jimmy Googs : 1/17/2014 7:44 pm : link
makes my list of worst.

At least in the past 20 years.
RE: RE: Yatqb - I just now understand your handle since you  
Jimmy Googs : 1/17/2014 7:47 pm : link
In comment 11461716 yatqb said:
Quote:
In comment 11461706 Jimmy Googs said:


Quote:


gave up your old age :)

Your personal comments on Rosie basically mirror what I just read on Wikipedia. Nice job, and try a very dry gin Martini for those aching bones (it may not help but couldn't hurt either!).

"Rosie Brown was drafted by the Giants out of Morgan State University in the 1953 NFL Draft. Brown was very quick on his feet which was very unusual for his era. He is considered one of the greatest "sleeper picks" in NFL history as he was drafted in 27th round of the NFL Draft."



No shame in it, Googs. Better than the alternative. I just turned 64.

Saw the early golden years as a kid, the terrible years in between, and the great years since.

And I think I'll go for a great margarita or bottle of wine rather than a martini, but you're right, it can't hurt!

Regards, Yat


Margarita, wine, martini...all work for me too. Have a good weekend Yat!
.  
BigBlueBull : 1/17/2014 7:51 pm : link
"Teddy Bridgewater" - BBI
Worst picks is easy  
RobCarpenter : 1/17/2014 7:54 pm : link
All of the Michigan RBs, Ron Dayne, and Cedric Jones.
Mark Bavaro  
DJ5150 : 1/17/2014 8:36 pm : link
not mentioned as well as Rodney Hampton
Amani  
oldutican : 1/17/2014 9:27 pm : link
Toomer
Thanks, Jimmy. You too!  
yatqb : 1/17/2014 9:38 pm : link
.
I just figured out yat's handle too  
oipolloi : 1/17/2014 9:44 pm : link
it's kind of obvious; can't believe i never noticed it before

and going for margarita sounds like a great idea. especially since it was 75 degrees today
Oy, oi!  
yatqb : 1/17/2014 10:02 pm : link
.
should be a no-brainer, but this is BBI  
Dylan fan : 1/17/2014 11:39 pm : link
1. LT
2. Rosie Brown
3. Strahan
4. Gifford
5. Carson

Starting w/ a list of Hall of Famers would seem to be a phenomenal place to start looking @ the best players - except for a bunch of BBIers. Anyone who hasn't seen these players doesn't have to try too hard to figure why they were HOFers, starting w/ info about each HOFer @ http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/alphabetical.aspx. Whether or not they saw him play (I didn't see Gifford or Brown), why would anyone doubt that a HOF player like Brown, who was a 9-time Pro Bowler, 6-time First-Team All-Pro & NFL Lineman of the Year, or Gifford (8 PB/4 AP) were better players than Joe Morris (2 PB, 1 AP), Tiki (3 PB, 1 AP), Homer Jones (2 PB, 0 AP) or Carl Banks (1 PB, 1 AP)? Brown was a shitload closer in accolades to LT (10 PB, 8 AP) than any of those guys. It's obviously impossible to compare stats among different positions, so the awards are the next best thing.
These threads always make fun reading but there never seems a way  
wgenesis123 : 1/18/2014 5:24 am : link
to win the argument. Even with a player as great as LT there are always those who think he should not be on the list. Some day I would like to see a list for each age group of fans. Of course that would make it a tougher list for older fans since the Giants have so much history. I don't think the guys 50 and older would mind though.
Jumbo Elliot was not drafted by the  
giantranger : 1/18/2014 7:39 am : link
Giants/ he'd should at least be an honorable mention.
Great value picks, through the years:  
Big Blue Blogger : 1/18/2014 7:42 am : link
Roosevelt Brown (1953 #321)
Jimmy Patton (1955 #92)
Sam Huff (1956 #30)
Jim Katcavage (1956 #45)
Homer Jones (1963 #278)
Carl "Spider" Lockhart (1965 #169)
John Mendenhall (1972 #75)
Brad Van Pelt (1972 #40)
George Martin (1975 #262)
Harry Carson (1976 #105)
Lawrence Taylor (1981 #2, and worth any price)
Billy Ard (1981 #221)
Mark Bavaro (1985 #100)
Michael Strahan (1993 #40)
Jessie Armstead (1993 #207)
Tiki Barber (1997 #36)
Justin Tuck (2005 #74)
Ahmad Bradshaw (2007 #250)
Someone correct me if I am wrong but Jumbo Elliot was a 2nd round  
wgenesis123 : 1/18/2014 7:52 am : link
draft pick by the New York Giants.
Giantranger: Jumbo was the Giants' second round pick in 1988.  
Big Blue Blogger : 1/18/2014 7:52 am : link
He was the saving grace from a terrible draft.
When we were lousy thank you for drafting  
Headhunter : 1/18/2014 7:53 am : link
Brad Van Pelt

John Mendenhall

Troy Archer

Phil Simms

They have lousy teams hope
Simms  
RetroJint : 1/18/2014 8:20 am : link
has to be Top 5 because of the primacy of the position he played. Plus it took enormous guts for GY to take an unheralded QB from a small school . Remember the chorus of boos that granted his selection.

BVP, Mark Collins & Pepper Johnson are personal favorites although none are top 5. Including Rosie & Phil in the top 5 leaves the 3 HOF defensive players. LT , Harry & Strahan are musts.

Shockey, Bavaro & Sehorn had careers that when they were at peak they were among the all-time great Giants.
I thought so  
giantranger : 1/18/2014 9:38 am : link
that \ was supposed to be a ?. I'm surprised he isn't a popular pick to this question.
Not a best 5 ever response, but rather 5 favorite OL OF  
BlueLou : 1/18/2014 9:53 am : link
all time who were all great value. Rosie Brown was before my time, so I'll name Kevin Belcher, Billy Add, Karl Nelson, Doug Reisenberg and of course Davib Diehl. Praying to add Mosely to this list starting next year.
Simms  
Big Blue Fan 74 : 1/18/2014 3:10 pm : link
Simms should be on that list.
Mine:  
Big Blue '56 : 1/18/2014 5:47 pm : link
LT

Eli

Rosey Brown

Simms

Carson
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