mocking mock drafts

Thomas Neumann of ESPN's Page 2 has his take on historical fiction. Instead of printing just another mock draft, he took the NFL draft order and using the accepted "needs" of the each team to draft from a pool of every college player in history. That means guys like Illinois' Red Grange and Carlisle's Jim Thorpe were on the big board when the Detroit Lions found themselves on the clock. Their pick? Stanford prospect John Elway. However, Neumann reports he might play for the Yankees if he is not traded by a downtrodden Detroit Lions franchise. The New York Giants drafted Don Hutson to replace released receiver Plaxico Burress, but they passed on Keyshawn Johnson out of USC. Other notable picks were St. Louis picking tackle prospect Orlando Pace to replace the departed, Orlando Pace. Also the top hybrid prospect out of UNC, Lawrence Taylor went to Green Bay.

Wait, do you mean there was an actual draft today?

Here are the Giants selections so far:
Round 1: Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC
Round 2: Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia
Round 2: William Beatty, OT, Connecticut

ESPN's John Clayton says Hakeem Nicks has big shoes to fill this season:

No player in the draft will have more pressure on him than Hakeem Nicks of the New York Giants. He's going to be asked to be the instant replacement for Plaxico Burress, who was counted on for five catches and about 80 yards a game, particularly in the first month of the season. Give Giants GM Jerry Reese credit for being patient and getting a receiver as talented as Nicks at the 29th pick. But the Giants' season could depend on how quickly Nicks develops a receiving relationship with Eli Manning. The Giants elected not to trade a No. 1 pick to get Braylon Edwards from Cleveland.

Update 4/26/09:

New York Giants Draft:
Round 3: Ramses Barden, WR, Cal Poly
Round 3: Travis Beckum, TE, Wisconsin
Round 4: Andre Brown, RB, NC State
Round 5: Rhett Bomar, QB, Sam Houston St.
Round 6: DeAndre Wright, CB, New Mexico
Round 7: Stoney Woodson, CB, South Carolina

Michael Eisen from Giants.com highlights two players:
[Ramses] Barden is a wide receiver with several eye-popping attributes. At 6 feet, 6 inches, he was the most physically imposing receiver in the draft. He has an exceptionally long stride, jumping ability, strength, toughness and many impressive statistics...Perhaps the most important question Barden must answer is whether he can make a successful transition from the Great West Conference to the NFL. He did have six catches for 83 yards and a score against Wisconsin last season.

[Rhett] Bomar, 6-2, 224, started 11 games as a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma in 2005, when he threw for 2,018 yards and 10 touchdowns. But in May 2006, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of being a minor in possession of alcohol. Later that year, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops dismissed...Bomar from the team after an investigation revealed the young quarterback broke NCAA rules through his employment at a car dealership.Bomar enrolled at Sam Houston State, but the NCAA ruled him ineligible in 2006. He played the next two seasons for the Bearkats and completed 417 of 727 passes (57.4 percent) for 5,564 yards and 37 touchdowns. In 2008, he threw for 3,355 yards and 27 scores. Bomar passed for more than 300 yards eight times in 10 games, including a career-high 506 yards vs. Southeastern Louisiana