by Eric from BigBlueInteractive.com Updated 7/19/2007
Draft Pick Scouting Reports
Rookie Free Agent Scouting Reports
Eric’s Take on the 2007 Draft
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2007 Draft Pick Scouting Reports
1st Round - CB Aaron Ross, Texas (6-0, 193lbs, 4.54):
Scouting Report: Ross did not start until his senior season at Texas because the Longhorns were loaded at cornerback. He would have been a 4-year starter at another school. Ross combines very good size and athleticism for a cornerback. Long arms. Has good quickness and plays faster than he timed at the NFL Combine. Fluid and smooth. Instinctive in coverage, he makes plays on the football. Plays well in bump-and-run, man-to-man coverage. Not as strong when he plays off the receiver. Reacts and recovers quickly. Sometimes will gamble and get burned. Has good hands for the interception. Will stick his nose in there against the run - physical, but he needs to become a more consistent tackler. Excellent intangibles – high character guy who works hard. Competitive and confident. Very good punt returner. Respected NFL.com analyst and former assistant NFL personnel director Pat Kirwan says: "There are a few teams right behind this selection that are upset. He was the target of a lot of teams in the bottom of the first round. Good ball hawk with 10 INTs and 33 passes defended. He was the third corner on everyone’s board." In 2006, he started all 13 games for the Longhorns and was credited with 80 tackles, 19 pass defenses, 6 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries.
Media Q&A With General Manager Jerry Reese:
Q: What was it about Aaron Ross that you liked?
A: His has played at a high level. He has size, he has speed. He fits our scheme. He fits our scheme – a big guy with long arms who can battle big receivers. He can play that press coverage that our coordinator thinks that we are probably are going to play more of this year. So he fits what we want to do. He was productive – six interceptions, 19 pass breakups. He has returned three punts for touchdowns in his career. So he had a lot of value. Will he cover Terrell Owens better than he will cover Santana Moss? Absolutely he will because he is a big guy, he is long-armed. Is he going to get some balls caught on him from little guys in front of him? He probably will, but he is going to battle those big guys that we play with the in the National Football League, which is a big-receiver league. So we felt good about him in that aspect. Very productive.
Q: How close did you come to moving up or down?
A: We tried to move up a couple of times and they wanted too much for us to move up. We just decided that we will stay the plan. We actually kind of thought this is where we would be at this point in the draft. A couple of guys kept falling. Let’s get up and try to get a couple of them, a couple of corners that we liked. They fell farther than we thought they would. We tried to get up a couple of times but the price was too high. So we moved on.
Q: Was the corner position the one that you wanted?
A: It was one of the positions. Obviously we can use some help in the secondary. So we wanted to address that. We didn’t want to reach for a corner but we saw the high-rated corners start to fall so, you get a little antsy and go up and take a stab at some of them.
Q: Was this more of a need pick or was it a value pick?
A: It was a need and a value pick for us. So we didn’t reach for this guy. With the players on the board, we did not reach for this player. So it was a need and a value pick for us. So that is a good place to be in when you can get a need and a value pick. Seldom do you get it like that.
Q: Was he the second corner picked?
A: He was the third corner picked. Revis was the first corner picked, then Hall, then Ross. He was the third corner picked.
Q: How high were you looking to go? Were you looking to get up close to the top 10?
A: No, we were not trying to get up in the top 10 because those guys were past the top 10; they fell past the top 10. We thought those guys might go in the top 10. And when they started to fall past the top 10 that’s when we investigated moving up to try maybe to secure one of those guys. But the price was too steep and we passed.
Q: Ross is going to be 25 starting this season? Is that a factor?
A: Twenty-five is not old. Twenty-five years old – we are not worried about that. We know he is going to be 25. That’s not an issue for us.
Q: Does that lead you to believe that he will be more prepared for this than if he were 22 or 23?
A: Not necessarily. Twenty-three, 25, is really not that big of a difference. That’s nitpicking.
Q: You said you were very interested in two other corners and you picked this one. Cornerback was obviously something you were interested in.
A: Sure, we were interested in corners. There were several other defensive positions that we were interested in. But this guy was sitting there with all of the production so it was the right time and the right place for us to pick him. So we picked him.
Q: Is it fair to say you felt cornerback was a bigger need than the linebacker position?
A: No necessarily. But where we had this guy ranked compared to some of the linebackers we had ranked, he was the best choice for us at the time; how we had him ranked on our board.
Q: How much is this a reflection of your new coordinator? The Eagles always tried to stock up on the defensive backfield.
A: Coach Spagnuolo gave us the type of players that he liked in his system. He didn’t say, "Well, I want this player." He didn’t tell us, "I want Aaron Ross or I want Leon Hall." He said, "These are the type of players that I like in the system that we are going to run." So we have a description of corners, we have a description of safeties. And we had the same thing with Tim Lewis as well. So it’s not new for us. This guy fits what we are going to try to do.
Q: At what point did you know that Ross was going to be a serious consideration? Was it the Combine, was it is workout?
A: Obviously we were looking at corners and we felt like he was the third corner. We had the other two guys that went before us. We had those guys ranked ahead of him and he was the third corner. So if those two guys went, obviously like we thought they would, he would probably be in the conversation at some point if the right people were still not on the board for us. And they were not on the board so he was a value pick and a need pick for us.
Q: Was it his Combine, or his workout, or just his season in general that left the biggest impression on you?
A: His whole body of work; what he did in the Combine, what he did during the season and over his career. He played at a high level on some championship football teams. So his whole body of work intrigued us.
Q: When the Jets moved up to 14th, was that when the conversations stopped about moving up?
A: When the Jets moved up?
Q: When they picked the corner is that when the conversation stopped for you?
A: No, we still made a couple of calls after that.
Q: Re: Offers to move down?
A: There were some offers to move down but for us to move down seven or eight spots, the guy had too much value for us to move down seven or eight spots. We talked about these scenarios. We talked about it and really we thought this guy may be a guy that could be there. And he was one of the guys that we talked about that could be there at the right time. We would sit and wait and see if somebody wanted to move up to our spot. We did get a couple of calls but they were nickeling and diming us and we picked.
Q: Do you expect this guy to be a big factor in the punt return game?
A: I expect him to challenge. Hopefully he will. I expect him to challenge because he has done it. He has three returns for touchdowns at a high level…So I definitely expect him to challenge and be back there at some point.
Media Q&A With Head Coach Tom Coughlin:
Opening statement: I think that in Aaron Ross we’ve certainly found a guy that is an outstanding physical corner; he can play in the press position. He is a physical guy who has been a good tackler while at Texas. Obviously he’s played in an awful lot of big games. He is a guy that uses the run away or bail technique when he is in the off position. He likes to press; he is physical as I’ve said with his hands. He is a guy that has also had tremendous numbers. His production is outstanding. Jerry (Reese) probably went over it with you, the 19 pass breakups in addition to the six interceptions. The fact that you have an aggressive secondary and he has played in the run support position; these have all been really positive things. The other thing about him is the punt return ability. That is a big plus for us right now as you know. Here is a guy that has done this. He has three touchdowns in his career on punt returns. He has a nice punt return average for his career. He gives you that added ability there. He has a good first step. He is a guy that has the ability to split it and go for it. He has good size, you are talking about a guy that is a little over six foot and 196 or seven pounds and has very good speed. We are excited about that. Whenever you are in a position like that in the draft you watch all these people leave the board and you are hoping that you’ll have an opportunity to combine value with need. I think in this situation we have been able to do that.
Q: How much of an impact do you expect him to have as a rookie?
A: They have to make an impact at this point in time. We expect him to come right in and compete and to be in a position where he can help us. He has played on the nickel teams, he has played inside, and he has played outside. As we said he is a good tackler and punt returner. He will help us. He has special teams value as well even if it is not as a punt returner.
Q: Did the first round progress as you expected it to?
A: There were some surprises. For a long time there were no trades in this draft. People were just waiting to see what is going to happen and players seemed to fall. I think the two offensive tackles in the first five; some people had it projected that way and some did not. Brady Quinn not having gone at this time, you’ve got an outstanding player that is going to go somewhere and have a nice career. I hate to see everybody zooming in on him as if something is wrong there. When the corners did go we had a little disparity in when the first corner and the second corner were taken. The top three were gone off the board as soon as that happened. To say that it is a typical draft; I don’t know if you can say that. Most people had these players pegged that this point in time and they are gone.
Q: Was cornerback your biggest need going into this draft?
A: Obviously we have some needs to fill. I think you try to balance all these things out, that being one of our needs. Certainly the opportunity to take the value and put it along with a need is what you are trying to do always. There are a few things we want to get done in this draft and we hopefully at this point on in the first day we can answer some more of our needs along with being able to stay with good quality picks.
Q: How do you feel about the moves the team made this off season?
A: I feel good about that. Obviously the development of some of our younger players is going to be a very big factor in our improvement and I can tell you honestly I do see some very good things taking place here in the offseason. Until we get on the field and until we line up in the fall obviously it is just going to be speculation, but I do feel pretty good about it.
Media Q&A With Player:
Q: How does it feel to be selected by the Giants in the first round?
A: It is wonderful. I was outside playing catch with my little nephew and my mom called me because I guess they had my name at the bottom of the screen as a projection. I went in and got the call and immediately my hands started shaking, my heard started pounding, but I am full of excitement right now. I really don’t know how to explain it.
Q: Did you know how seriously the Giants were looking at you?
A: Not at all. Honestly they did not show me any answers. I did not go in to visit with the Giants and they did not call me like other teams. So if it was a poker game, they won.
Q: What can you do to help this team as a rookie?
A: I compete. I am a competitor. I compete in everything I do. With that value I’d never change myself. I am a driven player, a driven person, and I am very personable. I can get along with the team and figure I can fit in with the team pretty easily.
Q: Do you think you’ll be able to step in right away and compete for a job here?
A: Yes. I have to say that I am a competitor so I am not coming there to sit on the bench. I am coming there to battle for a position, but of course respect the veteran players and get under some of the veteran’s wings to learn the plays and to learn the systems. It is a job; you have to compete for a starting position. I am going to get under the players, let them teach me, learn from them, and see what happens.
Q: How much press coverage did you play in college?
A: We played quite a bit my freshman, sophomore, and junior years. This past year we played a lot of quarters due to injuries in the secondary.
Q: Is playing press coverage a strength of yours?
A: Yes. I feel like that is my strength to get down there and lock up on a guy. That is something I did in high school and like I said in my first three years of college. I really love to man up on guys and take them out of the game.
Q: What do you think the toughest adjustment will be at the NFL level?
A: I think being star struck. Facing T.O. Facing Chad Johnson. Making myself realize that they are not on a video game anymore or on Sunday Night Football. I am up against them on the other side. Once I get over that I feel like I will be straight.
Q: Who did you talk to when the Giants called?
A: I am not sure.
Q: What did they tell you about how they saw you fitting in?
A: They said they liked me a lot. They did not really get into details. They just said they really liked me as a player and as a person and that you are a Giant. That is when I heard my name called and they were calling me back to get on conference calls.
Q: You are a little older than the average rookie; do you think that is an advantage?
A: Yes. It has made me mature a lot faster. I had to sit out for two years. Those two years were really good for me. I had a chance to be with my mom, to be with my pastor, and everyone. It kept my mind right.
Q: Where did you think you were going to go in the draft?
A: The whole projection I kept hearing was between 17 and 27 so I am excited I went at 20. I thought I was going to be at least 26 or 27.
Q: What kept you out two years?
A: Transfer issues. I went to two high schools and one of the schools did not have one of my grades on the transcript and it was mixed up for two years. It cost me two years.
Q: Do you like returning punts?
A: Yes, I love returning punts, I love doing that. Especially since I have an offensive mind, that is my way to play a little bit of offense.
2nd Round - WR Steve Smith, USC (6-0, 197lbs, 4.45):
Scouting Report: Average size and not a blazer. However, Smith is a tough, productive receiver who knows how to change speeds and set up defenders. Quick and smooth. Reads defenses well, runs good routes, and has a feel for getting open against zone coverage. Can create separation on shorter routes with his burst out of cuts. Will go over the middle and work back to the quarterback. Smith adjusts well to the football and has good hands. Clutch player. Dependable. Very productive in college. He could struggle with press coverage and gaining separation at the pro level. Some scouting reports say he can get open against man coverage due to his quickness. He was not really a deep threat at USC. However, that may have been due to the way he was utilized as Smith was primarily the Trojan’s underneath receiver. Works at his run blocking. Most project him as a #2 or #3 receiver. Started 12 games as a senior and finished the season with 71 receptions for 1,083 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Media Q&A With General Manager Jerry Reese:
Q: What did you like about Steve Smith?
A: We liked Steve Smith because he is a gamer. He has played a lot of football, he has been real steady the whole time. Quarterbacks like this kind of receiver. This guy is polished, he is fast. He has the size. He can catch the ball and do something after the catch. So we like him for all of those characteristics. He is a real polished receiver that quarterbacks like. Quarterbacks like these kind of guys because they can depend on him. He can go in traffic and make plays. So we like that stuff about him.
Q: Does this have a lot to do with insurance in case Amani Toomer’s recovery doesn’t go as fast as expected?
A: We think about that. We think if Amani is not coming around like we hope he will, we have another guy in the receiver fold that we can throw in there. We think he is polished enough to put in there right away and he could play for us.
Q: Aaron Ross said something interesting. He said he had not heard from the Giants; you hadn’t called him, he had not visited. Is that unusual for you to take a player in the first round without that type of communication?
A: We did all of the work we needed with Aaron Ross at the Combine. We don’t bring everybody in. We felt good about him. We didn’t have any extra stuff that we needed to do with him so we felt good about our interview with him at the Combine. We didn’t feel like we needed to bring him in for any extra interviews or anything like that.
Q: Was picking Smith a case of the best available athlete at the time?
A: The best available athlete. There was value there and there was need there for us as well we thought. It was both; just like the first pick, it was value and need for us.
Q: Did you try to get up at all in the second round?
A: We did try to get up a couple of times. There were a couple of players up there that we tried to get up and get. But again the price was too high. So we just stood pat.
Q: Did Cleveland try to take your first round pick?
A: No. In the first round there were guys who were trying to nickel and dime us to move seven spots back. We weren’t going to do that.
Q: Is Smith more of a slot kind of guy?
A: No, I think he can play in the slot and I think he can play on the outside. He can play anywhere you want to put him.
Q: Scouting reports talked about him as a possession guy. He ran a 4.44.
A: He ran 4.48 on our clock. We think he is fast. We think he is faster than the other receivers up there. So he is fast enough.
Q: Would you compare him to an Ike Hilliard-type player?
A: No, I think he is faster than Ike. Ike is a slot; this guy is not a slot. This guy can play out wide and make plays. What happens to us, guys, is they double-team number 17; they double-team number 80 and you have to have somebody. So we have three different guys. Now, we hope one of those guys can beat somebody one-on-one. That is what you have to have. So we have three guys now that we think that maybe somebody can beat somebody.
Q: You have been looking at somebody like this for awhile; a dependable option.
A: A dependable option. So if they are going to take away number 17, they are going to take away number 80, you have to have somebody else. Toomer went down and then we had some guys that just didn’t do it for us. Sinorice – we think he can do it – but he was hurt most of the season last year. So now we have a couple of options. David Tyree is in the mix as well.
Q: So it is no reflection on Sinorice?
A: No, it’s no reflection on Sinorice at all. We will go into the season with five receivers easy. We do it every year.
Q: If Sinorice had played last year, there might not have been as pressing a need for a receiver.
A: Maybe not. If Amani was healthy and didn’t have to have the knee – we don’t know if we would have taken a receiver right here. We don’t know if he would’ve had that much value for us at this time. So there are a lot of things that went into us taking this pick. So I think there was need and a lot of value for us as well.
Q: You talked about Smith being the kind of guy a quarterback can trust. It sounds almost like you are describing Amani. Is he similar to Amani?
A: They are similar in a lot of ways, I think. But I think this guy would probably run a little faster than Amani did we he came out. People see him as a possession type receiver, but he does run fast. He plays fast. He carries his pads fast. He runs fast and he carries his pads fast.
Q: Not having selected a linebacker, how comfortable are you at that position right now?
A: We have linebackers. Will we look to try to get another linebacker? We might. So we will see how the draft continues to unfold. But if that position presents itself for us, we will see what is there.
Media Q&A With Player:
Q: Reaction to being picked?
A: I was relieved to hear my name and definitely being in the Big Apple is exciting.
Q: Did you know the Giants were interested in selecting you?
A: No I did not, not at all. I got a call from the Seahawks saying that they were going to pick me up and I was really happy that the Giants came before them.
Q: Do you have an idea how you will fit in here?
A: Coach Coughlin, I talked to him. He said I will fit in well with the offense and that they are excited for me to get out there and get to mini-camp May 11th.
Q: Would you describe yourself as a possession receiver?
A: Not necessarily. I had multiple plays in my offense at USC. I wouldn’t really say that about my game, I am a multiple threat as a receiver.
Q: Do you see yourself as the heir apparent to Amani Toomer?
A: Is he still there?
Q: Yes. He is coming off of knee surgery?
A: I have seen him many times watching games and he is just a solid player. Definitely one of the guys that moves the chains and really consistent out there. Hopefully he gets back from that injury and can help us out.
Q: Did you feel overshadowed by Dwayne Jarrett at USC?
A: Not quite. He was catching a lot of the touchdowns. You can’t really be upset with all the winning we had. We won so many games and national titles; really that overrides all the individual notoriety.
Q: How difficult was it to come back from injury?
A: It was not difficult at all. I came back and finished the season strong. I had three big touchdowns in the National Championship game.
Q: Where are you calling from?
A: I am at my high school coach’s house. In southern California.
3rd Round - DT Jay Alford, Penn State University (6-3, 304lbs, 5.19):
Scouting Report: Alford lacks ideal size, but he is a quick penetrator who is instinctive, heady, intense, and active. Agile and has very quick hands. Makes plays. Hardworking. Hustles and chases. Disruptive and closes well. Can have problems at the point-of-attack against the double-team block. Needs to play with better leverage against the run on a more consistent basis. One-gap-type. Can rush the passer. Needs to get stronger. Started all 13 games in 2006 and finished the year with 32 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries.
Media Q&A With General Manager Jerry Reese:
Q: Re: Jay Alford?
A: Jay Alford is a defensive tackle that has played at a high level, very productive. We really like his motor and how hard he plays. He has 16½ sacks for the last couple of years. He has been a productive player for them. We really like how he would fit in our rotation as a hard charger, an inside player to help shore up our defensive front.
Q: Is this another example of matching value with need?
A: It is similar to our first two picks. We wanted to get another guy inside to help our defensive front, so it was a need and there was value there as well. We had a nice grade on him. Again, he has been productive. You win football games with this kind of player.
Q: Is he more of a run stopper or pass rusher – how would you characterize him?
A: He has a lot of production as a pass rusher. But over his career he has 32 tackles for a loss. So he is more of a penetrating gap-charger than a point-of-attack two-gapper. But he is 304 pounds.
Q: Just how would you characterize the three picks today in general?
A: We helped ourselves with some quality high-level football players. Defensively we just talked about the guy up front, we like him. You win football games with guys like that player. The corner we drafted in the first round, he fits our defensive scheme that our new defensive coordinator is going to try to run. So he has been productive and making plays on the ball all of his career. He played at a high level. He also returned punts, so we will give him a shot in there to see how he does as a punt returner. And also Steve Smith, the receiver – a gamer. That is how I would describe him – he is a gamer. He has been steady the whole time at USC and played at a high level the entire time; he is polished. I think we can stick him in there and shore up the receiver corps. Quarterbacks like these kind of players. You throw the ball to them and they make something happen with it. And he is polished in his understanding and reading the defenses. So we feel good about the first pick. They are good football players who are team players. We feel like these guys are all team-type players. I want guys who buy into the team concept and all of these guys do that.
Head Coach Tom Coughlin on Alford: "This is a guy who we were very, very impressed with. A real penetrating inside pass rusher who I think, and (Defensive Line Coach) Mike Waufle agrees, is going to be a very good football player for the New York Giants. A guy that can play the run as well. Just very, very quick and athletic, and not only that, a guy that really wants to be a Giant. That was pretty exciting for me, that he wants to be a Giant…He has played over the center. He has a very, very quick move which is something that jumps right out at you. First of all his sack total for his career was very productive compared to some of the other guys at that position. He has played on the nose, or on the center, and he has played very effectively there, but he has also played in the three-technique position. His versatility is something we will take advantage of. Certainly on third down he can play at either spot. I would say probably at this point in time in first and second down he would be a three-technique. We are going to get him in here and get him on the weight program and he will come in at 304 or 305 right now and probably maybe when we go to camp 307 or 308 with that quickness which is really going to help."
Media Q&A With Player:
Q: RE: Overall feeling about being drafted by the Giants?
A: I can’t even explain it right now. I’ve been watching the draft all day just waiting for my name to be called. Just to hear it being called is unbelievable. Unbelievable.
Q: Where are you right now?
A: I’m on my way back home. I’m just coming back from Hooters. On my way home to talk to my grandmother.
Q: Where is the Hooters?
A: Hooters in Wayne, New Jersey.
Q: Did you grow up a Giants fan?
A: Yeah, I definitely did. I grew up a Giants fan. It’s right around the corner, so of course I had to grow up a Giants fan.
Q: Thoughts on playing for your childhood team?
A: I get to play for my childhood team and it’s unbelievable. I can’t even explain how I feel right now. I’m so ecstatic right now. It’s tough. I’m trying to talk to you and get it together but it’s tough.
Q: What went down when your name was called? Were you still at the restaurant?
A: Well, we were on our way back (to my house in Orange, NJ) and I got the call from coach and I stopped the car and I got out. I couldn’t drive anymore. I got out and I pretty much ran down the street. Not down the street, I ran down the sidewalk. So I was good.
Q: Which coach called you?
A: I think it was coach Waufle. He called me as soon as it happened, I think, because like I said I wasn’t watching the TV. As soon as he called me, I got out of the car and then I knew that’s what it was.
Q: What are you going to tell your grandmother?
A: That I’m home and I don’t have to go anywhere. So I’m happy. I’m home.
Q: What’s her name?
A: Diane Reynolds. She raised me my whole life.
Q: Was she hoping you’d be drafted by the Giants?
A: She wanted me to be but she was being that grandmother. So she was like, ‘Jay, wherever you go I will be happy for you but I’m hoping you go and am praying for you.’
4th Round - LB Zak DeOssie, Brown (6-5, 250lbs, 4.63):
Scouting Report: Son of former Giants’ linebacker Steve DeOssie. Zak combines prototype size with good speed. Long arms. Most likely projects to strongside linebacker but he also might be able to play inside at the pro level. Smart. Reads and reacts to plays well. Pursues well. Runs well for his size, but he is on the stiff side. Can run with tight ends in coverage. Shows good awareness in zone coverage. Aggressive hitter and blitzer, but DeOssie needs to take on and play off blocks more aggressively - needs to shed quicker. Will miss some tackles in the open-field and over-pursue. Somewhat raw given his collegiate level of competition – he needs technique work. Long snapper who should be a special teams standout. Started all 10 games and accrued 110 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss, and 1 sack as a senior.
General Manager Jerry Reese on DeOssie: "Zak has the size and he has the speed. It was the same theme as the other guys (the team’s three first-day selections). It was value and it was need for us. We helped ourselves at linebacker, plus he can long snap. We have a long snapper (Ryan Kuehl), but we don’t know how long he’s going to go. He can help us as a long snapper and play on all the core special teams. We like that about him.
"He had an outstanding workout at the Combine. He’s the biggest linebacker we discussed. He is 6-4 and 250 pounds. And he runs fast; his best time at the combine was 4.58. He has size, speed and great character. He’s a team guy, just like other three guys we picked. We think we got a good player here, a productive player.
"The level of competition bothers you some. But there are plenty of guys that come from low-level competition and are good players in the National Football League. You try to evaluate everybody the same. You have to weigh that he plays at Brown and not at Auburn. But you evaluate him the same."
Reese’s post-draft comments on DeOssie: "I think he has a lot of value. Number one, he is big, he is fast, he is athletic. His gymnastic numbers at the Combine were off the charts. The low level of comp, you have to weigh that. But you evaluate everybody the same. So we weigh in that he played at Brown. So we also weigh in that he is big, he is fast, he plays hard, he has great character, he long snaps. Ryan Kuehl is going to be here for a couple more years, maybe, but after that, this kid could be your long snapper, save you a roster spot. So he had value in a lot of ways. He can actually run down the field and probably make a tackle. And he will play on all special teams…He is always going to play on the core special teams. You want big, fast athletes on your core special teams. The long snap is something (that adds value). At some point in his career the guy is going to battle for a starting spot…We did talk about him in the third (round). But the defensive tackle had more value at that time for us. He was still there in the fourth (round) and we were very pleased that he was still here. I think we got a real value pick right there."
Media Q&A With Head Coach Tom Coughlin:
Q: On Linebacker Zak DeOssie
A: Zak DeOssie is a guy who has multiple value for us, because he is a long snapper, a special teams performer and a physical linebacker – a big linebacker who runs very well and has tested very, very well. His numbers at the Combine were outstanding. We think in Zak DeOssie we have a very versatile football player.
Q: On DeOssie’s level of competition in college?
A: You do worry about it. But with this young man, because of his bloodlines, you worry less. His dad played in the league for a long time and was a very, very physical football player. He was a long snapper. I know his dad very well. I was on the staff when his dad was here with the Giants and I was on the staff at Boston College when his dad was in college there.
Coughlin’s later post-draft comments: "Zak is a guy that brings multiple versatility to your football team. He is a long snapper much as his dad was. He is a big linebacker who runs extremely well. He has outstanding numbers when you think about the Combine and the things that he was able to accomplish there. He will be an outstanding special teams performer. He will be a physical linebacker much as his dad was. He runs better and will cover. If he ever becomes the long snapper, he will cover and do a good job from that standpoint. We feel like in Zak DeOssie we have a guy who fits a need obviously as a linebacker, a big linebacker, a big physical linebacker. He will also help us on all special teams but has the ability also to contribute as a long snapper…This is a big strong, fast, physical, and healthy football player that has nothing but upside."
Media Q&A With Player:
Q: Reaction to being picked?
A: I am very excited.
Q: Did you have any idea the Giants were looking at you?
A: I always considered it, especially since I visited last week. I knew I was up there on their list somewhere, but you never know how it goes. Like I said, I’m honored to play for the New York Giants.
Q: Is it special to be drafted by a team your father played for?
A: I broke down right when it happened. My old man was right next to me. Football is a big part of my life, a big part of my family’s life, and I couldn’t see a better fit for myself.
Q: Did your father give you any tips about playing in New York?
A: He said look for a spot in Hoboken, it’s a great place. I am just ecstatic. It still hasn’t hit me. I am just excited to play.
Q: Did you see playing in the NFL as a goal coming from Brown?
A: Not necessarily going into college. I just knew I wanted to play good college ball and get my degree, which was my main concern. Once football started taking off and I started getting bigger, stronger, and faster I entertained the thought a little more. It finally materialized after my senior year and I haven’t looked back. I know the Ivy League stereotype is there. Non-scholarship, small school; it’s all there but you just have to ignore it and keep doing what you can do. That is all I have control over and I am just happy where I am today.
Q: What was your father’s reaction to you being selected by the Giants?
A: It hasn’t hit him either. He is ecstatic. My whole family is just going nuts. We couldn’t be happier.
Q: What does it mean to have seen the NFL game before through your father?
A: Fortunately I was old enough to remember when my father was playing. He retired when I was in the 5th grade. I used to go to the Patriots training camps. As you guys know I was a ball boy for the Pats. I know how these organizations run. I know how the players compose themselves as well as the coaches. I am hoping that I can do the same. Having my father at my side the entire time has been a huge help. It has given me somewhat of an edge and to know what to expect. It has been a good deal for me.
Q: Was long snapping something you worked on to make yourself more marketable?
A: I certainly focused on it my senior year because I knew it was a great asset to have. I never really focused on it until this year. It is just a great asset to have going into the draft. I figured why not and I’m going to run with it. My old man did it and it is just another chance to run down the field and get a tackle as well. I am all about it.
Q: Did you do all the long snapping this past season?
A: Yes I did. I did short and long snapping.
Q: What kind of linebacker do you see yourself as?
A: I think I am going to fit in as an outside SAM. I think my body type, my height, and my weight is a little more suitable for that position but you never know. It is up to the coaches. I will do whatever they ask.
Q: Did your father tell you any stories about the Giants leading up to the draft?
A: No. I have heard quite a few. Some of them might not be suitable for the press. I have heard quite a few. Actually it was a great moment when I walked into the Giants locker room when they were showing me around last week. I immediately called my father and asked him where his locker was. He directed me toward the locker and I was looking inside of it and he asked me over the phone if I could feel the greatness coming out of it. It was a nice little moment for my father and I. I can’t believe I am with New York. Like I said, it is just an honor.
Q: Where was his locker?
A: Right across from LT’s. Actually right in the middle there.
Media Q&A With Zak’s Father, ex-Giant Steve DeOssie:
Q: So you found the kid a job?
A: Go figure, right? I really felt the kid was going to get a job somewhere, it just turned up being one of the best places possible.
Q: Reaction to Zak being picked and how did you hear?
A: We heard it on the TV. The family is all together, the extended family is all together, and some of his buddies from school are here, and we are all sitting around the television. Zak was downstairs in the playroom and I heard him say a little something and then all of a sudden I saw it flashing on the TV and the whole place went wild. We didn’t know who, we were hugging, there was so much excitement around here.
Q: How serious did you take the Patriots and Giants interest?
A: I knew that you had some coaches there that knew Zak very well and knew what kind of kid he is in terms of his work ethic and all that. You look at the two organizations and the two coaches in particular and the work ethic of a player and a young man is very important to both of those organizations. I think when you looked at it and realized the possibilities and thought about where things might fit and how it might drop a lot of people were talking about that 110th pick. The Randy Moss deal came up and you can’t fault the Patriots for making that kind of move. When that happened then the next thought was the Giants. I think Tom Coughlin knowing Zak as well as any head coach other than Belichick was probably part of the equation.
Q: How influential were you in making him learn to long snap?
A: Absolutely none. I never even taught him to long snap. He taught himself. I saw him in high school one year and I looked out on the field and he was long snapping. He has tweaked it very slightly, hardly any at all, and I told him when he wants to get good at it just let me know and I’ll teach him how to really do it. That was just one of those things in high school and in college where the coach said they needed someone to do it and Zak is always at the front of the line when something needs to be done. It was him. It was him deciding he wanted to snap. The only thing his mother and I ever emphasized with him was his need for an education and the benefits of hard work. He took it not only on the football field but in the classroom. You can tell he has a world class education between Phillips-Andover and Brown University. It does not get much better than that. His taking up long snapping was just another indication of him trying to help a team win. That is all he has ever thought about when he plays sports.
Q: Any Giants stories you’ve shared with him?
A: Of course we all tend to edit our young lives to our children, otherwise a lot of us would horrify them to a point where they would wonder what they were doing with such crazy parents. I told him what made some of those Giants teams special and why they were capable of winning a Super Bowl when there were probably two, three, maybe four teams out there that were more talented. The kind of individuals that we had on those teams, guys that would work so hard and that would do everything and anything at all to win a football game. The type of guys that just loved to play and loved to compete. I couldn’t speak for the 1986 team, they were an outstanding team, but that 1990 team was a bunch of guys that just wouldn’t hide and found ways to get the job done. If a slow, fat, short, white linebacker like myself could contribute to that team then you know something is special about it. It is a situation where a group of guys came together and did some special things through sheer effort and desire and all that stuff. In terms of the off-the-field stuff I can still point out a few places where he does not need to go that I pre-scouted for him 20 years ago or 17 or 18 years ago. The names might change but the places don’t really change all that much. He will have a leg up in terms of knowing where not to go.
Q: What similarities/differences does Zak have to you as a player?
A: First off, he is more athletic. When you look at him he is tall, he is lean, he is athletic, he is good looking, and he is smart. As I am saying this, I’m thinking I need a DNA test to justify all that child support payment I’ve had the last years. He is just a different kind of athlete in terms of his athletic ability. By the time I was 14 years old I was already 6′2 ½ " and 240lbs, so by the time I got to the pros I was very accustomed to my body and had no issues about it. He came out of high school at 6′2" 205lbs and now he is 6′4½ " 250lbs. I look at him and he’s like a young colt that is just getting his legs