WIDE BODY: Johnathan Hankins of Ohio State was one of several selections in the NFL Draft who made Big Blue even larger. (AP)
The Giants did not know which specific players they would select in the NFL Draft, but they did have a definitive strategy as to what areas of need they wanted to address. Sure, they always attempt to pick the best player available when their selection rolls around, but this year — more than most years — they had a pre-set goal in mind.
Get bigger and tougher up front.
“Well, we went in with some pretty set ideas about what we wanted to accomplish going forward,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said after the Giants added four linemen with their seven picks. “We did go ahead and address our offensive and defensive lines with some competitiveness achieved with regard to that.’’
No one can predict the quality of the players taken, but there’s no doubt about their size. The first three rounds added 880 pounds, with right tackle Justin Pugh of Syracuse expected to challenge for a starting job, 320-pound defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins of Ohio State expected to be an immediate rotational run-stuffer and defensive end Damontre Moore from Texas A&M filling some sort of pass-rusher role. Heck, even Ryan Nassib, the quarterback the Giants surprisingly traded up to get in the fourth round, is a linebacker-ish 6-foot-2 and 227 pounds.
The safety they took in the fifth round, Cooper Taylor of Richmond, actually is almost linebacker-sized at 6-foot-4, 228. Their seventh-round pick, guard Eric Herman of Ohio, is a 320-pound grinder, and the running back taken later in the seventh round, Michael Cox of UMass, is a big back at 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds.
“We think this year we did a good job,’’ said Marc Ross, the Giants director of college scouting. “We were fortunate it was a strong draft for offensive linemen. We got a couple offensive linemen so that helped. You could say Ryan [Nassib] wasn’t a need. It was a good year for DBs and we think we got a good DB. It was a good year for defensive line; we got a good defensive lineman that we think will help, so I think it was a good blend, a good mix this year for us.’’
One draft cannot cure everything that might ail a roster. The most glaring omission was the lack of a single linebacker selected.
“I think you are always concerned with trying to be the best — have the best players you can,’’ Coughlin said of the linebacker position. “I’m sure there will be other looks at what is available out there prior to going to camp.’’
It was also surprising the Giants did not take any cornerbacks.
“We weren’t able to get the corner situation,” Coughlin said. “It seemed like each time we picked we weren’t in a position to do anything about that.’’
Taylor transferred to Richmond from Georgia Tech and will join a safety corps that includes Antrel Rolle, Stevie Johnson and Will Hill. Taylor is the biggest of the bunch and, given the way defenses line up against the many spread offenses in the league, he could eventually fill the hybrid linebacker role Deon Grant played in the Super Bowl-winning season of 2011.
“I can envision him, honestly, on special teams with that size and speed,’’ general manager Jerry Reese said of Taylor. “I can envision him being that third safety in some of the three-safety looks that [defensive coordinator] Perry Fewell likes to use sometimes. A big, tough guy, we like his skill set. He’s got some redeeming qualities that we liked and he’ll create some competition in the backfield with our safety group.’’