NFL

Eli endorses Giants’ young WRs

David Tyree is not the most accomplished receiver ever to wear a Giants uniform, but he did make the greatest catch in team history, his miracle helmet grab in Super Bowl XLII ranking as one of the most memorable in NFL annals.

Tyree admits he’s not an expert on the class of receivers coming out of college but he has paid particular interest to Big Blue’s first-round pick Hakeem Nicks, who earned Tyree’s “stamp of approval” after he viewed one particularly outrageous reception. Nicks is something of a YouTube legend for his behind-the-back catch and run for North Carolina against West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

“I told people, I never include my catch, but that was probably the best catch I’ve seen in a very, very long time,” Tyree said. “Just the awareness to run across the field, catch it behind with one hand and . . . I just don’t know. That’s why I believe in miracles.”

Nicks does not have to duplicate that highlight to make an impact with his new team. Neither does Ramses Barden, the 6-foot-6 tower taken in the third round, or Travis Beckum, a pass-catching tight end. Adding three targets is big news for Eli Manning, but, using history as a guide, he cautioned against expecting too much from these rookies.

“After being here five years and seeing how rookies come in, it is a learning curve, it is a process,” Manning said. “So we’ll try to see what they can do and how they can help us next year.”

Prior to the draft, Manning seemed to anticipate and endorse a trade for the Browns’ Braylon Edwards, saying he felt GM Jerry Reese “knew we have some good receivers here, some young guys who can play good football, but that we might need a No. 1 receiver.”

Manning didn’t directly address the issue yesterday.

“Looking at the receivers we have right now, I’m very confident with the guys that we can go out there and play at a high level,” he said.

Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon, two players affected by the departures of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer and the influx of receiver talent, said they will try to help ease the transition for the rookies.

“What Plax and Tooms did for us, I’ll try to pass that on and give some advice,” Hixon said.

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In his first comments since replacing Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator, Bill Sheridan said he will keep the defensive system in place, with a few minor changes. He said the defense will be more “streamlined.”

paul.schwartz@nypost.com