Giants stick with 'Canes in Phillips, Shockey

On a day the Giants drafted a Miami player in the first round, they held on to one they already had.

Minutes after the Giants selected Hurricanes safety Kenny Phillips with the 31st overall pick yesterday, the team fielded offers from several teams for tight end Jeremy Shockey. Though a trade was speculated to be likely early in the day, the Giants' asking price simply didn't come down enough to finalize a deal.

The Saints, who offered their second-round pick and either a sixth-rounder this year or a fifth-round selection in next year's draft, declined the Giants' proposal of a first-round pick next year, according to someone who was informed of the discussions late last night.

The person, who requested anonymity because of the private nature of trade talks, then said another team entered the fray: The Buccaneers, who offered a package similar to New Orleans' proposal. (The Seahawks also showed interest in Shockey.) But Tampa Bay was unwilling to give up its first-round pick in 2009, meaning Shockey, who is recovering from a broken fibula, will remain a Giant.

For now.

"There's been a lot of talk; very little activity," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said minutes after the Saints selected Indiana cornerback Tracy Porter at No. 40 -- the second-round pick they offered the Giants. "There is so much that goes on with regard to the draft, in terms of picks and players. You learn over the years the discussions come and go. Whether there's any seriousness to them, that's probably for someone else to say."

It remains to be seen where this situation goes from here. Shockey has threatened to hold out this upcoming season, though a few members of the organization have simply chalked that threat up to Shockey's ever-volatile emotions.

"Jeremy Shockey, while playing in our program, has worked very hard," Coughlin said. "He's done a good job in mentoring a lot of these young guys who had to come through and play for us this year. He has outstanding ability and there's no change in that status as of now."

There's also no change in Miami's status as a perennial producer of first-round picks, especially safeties. Phillips became the fourth Hurricane safety drafted in the first round in the past seven years, joining Ed Reed, Brandon Meriweather and the late Sean Taylor. Phillips also (barely) kept the school's streak of consecutive years with a first-round pick going at 14.

His selection is a pick that addresses the most glaring need on the Super Bowl champs' roster. It was also a pick that surprised few, as Phillips was slated to be selected by the Giants by many prognosticators.

Perhaps the person that was most stunned was Phillips.

"I saw a lot of mock drafts and stuff said I was going to go to the Giants," Phillips said. "But I really don't (pay attention) to all that and I really haven't talked to them a lot. So I was definitely surprised."

For the second straight year, the Giants' first-round pick wasn't one of the players they brought in for a predraft visit. In fact, Phillips said he hadn't talked to the team's decision-makers since the scouting combine in late February.

But the Giants were comfortable with their read on Phillips -- a former cornerback who can cover, hit, run and has shown good awareness on the field. In three seasons with Miami, the 21-year-old Phillips had seven interceptions, 13 pass break-ups and 203 tackles.

"We like his size, we like his speed," general manager Jerry Reese said. "He's multidimensional. We like those kinds of players. The guy's played corner before, so we feel he can go down and (cover) the third receiver if he has to. He's smart and he's a good person. We like all that stuff about him."

The Giants' lack of depth at safety provides Phillips with an excellent shot at a starting job.

Gibril Wilson, the Giants' fifth-round pick in 2004, signed with the Raiders as a free agent last month. In his place, the team signed 32-year-old Sammy Knight, a heady veteran whose speed has never been his strength. James Butler and Michael Johnson are the other two safeties vying for a starting job.

"We got nice value and we got a need position as well," Reese said. "That's what we like to do in the draft."

(nj.com)