Tag: Gibril Wilson

2004 named Giants’ best draft class of past 20 years

CBS Sports recently named 2004 the New York Giants’ best draft class of the past 20 years, but we at Giants Wire disagree.

Many critics have been high on the New York Giants’ drafts since Dave Gettleman took over the team as general manager in late 2017. They have been systematically restocking their roster with young talent and have added a few stars in the process.

But how does it stack up against the team’s recent draft performances? What was the Giants best draft class of the past 20 years?

Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports believes the 2004 class, the one which the Giants selected Philip Rivers fourth overall and then shipped him and three draft picks to San Diego in exchange for Eli Manning, was that class.

The Giants spent the No. 1 overall pick on longtime star quarterback Philip Rivers, only to trade him to the Chargers in exchange for Eli Manning, who went on to set just about every Giants passing record while also leading Big Blue to two Super Bowl wins over Bill Belichick’s Patriots.

New York spent their second-round pick on guard Chris Snee, who enjoyed a 10-year career with the Giants that included four Pro Bowl selections and an All-Pro nod in 2008. Defensive back Gibril Wilson played a significant role on the Giants’ 2007 championship team, recording 92 tackles and four interceptions during the regular season. Running back Derrick Ward rushed for a career-high 1,025 yards in 2008 while averaging a league-best 5.6 yards per carry, a banner season for a former seventh-round pick.

The trade for Manning alone makes this draft special. Manning went on to play 16 seasons for the Giants, leading them to two Super Bowl championships, broke and/or set just about every franchise passing record while not missing a game to injury. His 236 games player are the most by player in Big Blue’s 95-year history.

In Round 2, they grabbed Chris Snee, another Ring of Honoree and a staple on the offensive line for a decade. They also snared Reggie Torbor, Gibril Wilson and Derrick Ward in this draft.

My pick would have been the next season, 2005, when they only had four picks. They drafted Corey Webster in Round 2, Justin Tuck in Round 3 and Brandon Jacobs in Round 4. Wow.

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Was Gibril Wilson the Giants’ unsung hero in Super Bowl XLII?

New York Giants safety Gibril Wilson had one of the best quiet performances in team history in Super Bowl XLII.

When we look back on the New York Giants’ upset of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, several things stand out: Eli Manning hitting David Tyree with a miracle pass after escaping a sack, the dominance of the Giants’ defensive line, the final touchdown catch by Plaxico Burress and a Jay Alford sack.

There are memories of the confetti falling, Burress crying, Michael Strahan jumping up and down and Tom Coughlin hoisting that Lombardi Trophy.

The stars and their performances are immortalized, but there were a few that flew under-the-radar.

Free safety James Butler had a solid game, linebacker Reggie Torbor had one of his best all-around performances and tight end Michael Matthews also played well.

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And then there’s safety Gibril Wilson, who is a bit of an afterthought when it comes to Super Bowl XLII heroics. But thanks in large part to the advent of advanced analytics, he’s now getting his due.

There were a lot of stand-out performers in that Super Bowl, but Wilson had one of his best career games and almost no one knows it.

Wilson shouldered the load of a team-leading 73 snaps and finished the game with an 81.8 overall grade courtesy of Pro Football Focus, which was good for fifth-best on the defensive side of the ball. And his 84.7 pass coverage grade? It not only topped the Giants, but was the highest grade of any player on the field.

Considering the Giants were up against Tom Brady, Randy Moss and one of the greatest passing offenses of all-time, Wilson’s performance is remarkable. And without him putting it all together at the exact right time, we may not be celebrating that legendary upset today.

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