NFL

Giants’ Gilbride: Bucs rookie ‘further along’ than Wilson

After Trent Richardson, the two top-rated running backs in the 2012 NFL Draft were Doug Martin and David Wilson and they will be on display Sunday when the Giants with Wilson face the Buccaneers with Martin. Giants general manager Jerry Reese insists Wilson was the top-rated back on his draft board and that he would have been the pick even if Martin was available.

It sounds as if the man running the Giants offense might not agree with that ranking.

“Different styles,’’ offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said on Thursday. “I think David has great explosion and great speed. I think Doug Martin looked more, what’s the word I want to say, versatile, ready to do all aspects, pass protection, pass catching as well as running. What they did offensively and what Virginia Tech asked of David are two completely different things. In some respects, [Martin] is a little further along in those aspects at playing the position.’’

The Giants didn’t get a shot at Martin when the Bucs traded up into the first round and took him with the 31st overall pick. At No. 32, the Giants took Wilson. Asked if would have preferred Wilson, Gilbride said “Oh, I’ve got no say. You have to talk to the general manager about that one. I have zero say.’’

Martin, predictably, has gotten off to a faster start in the NFL. He’s the starting running back for the Bucs and ran for 95 yards in a 16-10 victory over the Panthers. Wilson fumbled the ball away on his second NFL rushing attempt and didn’t get a third.

“[Fumbling] was something that we were worried about, we’ve tried to do everything we can to make him cognizant of how important it is that he focus on that aspect, and as you’re concentrating on everything else, that it’s second nature,’’ Gilbride said. “You try and do that and as much as you say it, sometimes it takes an experience like that before you get hit over the head. Hopefully he’ll respond the way we expect him to, which is, running as hard as he can, and doing everything he can, that he’ll know first things first, you can’t turn the ball over.’’