I have been following the Giants draft heavily since 1991

The Giants philosophy has been to build through the draft. LB talent has been an issue for many years, I have been conistently frustrated by the inability of NYG to develop quality talent in house.

As there isn't too much football news, I decided to look through the LB drafting history (from 1991 to present) to see if there are any trends.

Here is what I found:

George Young -1997

1991/2 - LB Kanavis McGhee, Colorado

1991/5 - LB Anthony Moss, Florida State

1991/7 - LB Corey Miller, South Carolina

1992/7 - LB Corey Widmar, Montana State

1993/3 - LB Marcus Buckley, Texas A&M

1993/5 - LB Tommy Thigpen, North Carolina

1993/8 - LB Jessie Armstead, Miami (FL)

1995/4 - LB Ben Talley, Tennessee

1996/6 - LB Doug Colman, Nebraska

1996/6 - LB Scott Galyon, Tennessee

1997/3 - LB Ryan Phillips, Idaho

1997/4 - LB Pete Monty, Wisconsin

Seven years

• 2nd round - 1
  
• 3rd round - 2
  
• 4th round - 2
  
• 5th round - 2
  
• 6th round - 2
  
• 7th round - 2
  
• 8th round - 1
  

Ernie Accorsi 1998 - 2006

2000/4 - LB Brandon Short, Penn State

2000/6 - LB Dhani Jones, Michigan

2002/5 - LB Nick Greisen, Wisconsin

2002/6 - LB Wesley Mallard, Oregon

2002/7 - LB Quincy Monk, North Carolina

2004/4 - LB Reggie Torbor, Auburn

2006/3 - LB Gerris Wilkerson, Georgia Tech

Nine years

• 3rd round - 1
  
• 4th round - 2
  
• 5th round - 1
  
• 6th round - 2
  
• 7th round - 1
  

Jerry Reese 2007-

2007/4 - LB Zach DeOssie, Brown

2008/4 - LB Brian Kehl, BYU

2008/5 - LB Jon Goff, Vanderbilt

2009/2 - LB Clint Sintim, Virgiania

2010/4 - LB Phillip Dillard, Nebraska

2010/6 - LB Adrian Tracy, William & MAry

2011/6 - LB Greg Jones, Michigan State

2011/6 - LB Jacquian Williams, South Florida

Five years

• 2nd round - 1
  
• 4th round - 3
  
• 5th round - 1
  
• 6th round - 3
  

It quickly becomes apparent that there is a definate trend, and that NYG has a history of not putting emphasis on LB in the draft.

Compare that to our history of drafting RBs, TEs and safeties over the same period...

You just made me think of another misconception of the Giants via the other thread.
Every now and again I hear that the giants are known for their toughness, tradition, and linebacker history. This is simply not true since the Parcells days and the Crunch Bunch.
The last 20 yrs has been terrible, minus 1 or two LB's.

Up to to the era of around 1991, the Giants were well known for their quality LB group, both Banks and Taylor were early 1st round picks.

We brought in quality talent and developed these guys in house.

However, since then LB hasn't been a draft priority. This is why we have had to turn to free agents like Barrow, Pierce, Emmons, Arrington and Mitchell.

This is an observation, not a criticism.

Like it or not, early round LB talent in the draft is not the modus opperandi of NYG.