Big strong defensive tackle from NC. I like his upside. He's quick for a DT just needs to put it all together.

Austin is ok, but is reasonably raw. Personally I would have preferred Stephen Paea, but Austin has some upside.

I do think Austin is a more risky pick, but probably has better upside.

Here is a good article on Austin

Beefed Up D-Line
By Michael Eisen, Giants.com
Posted: April 29, 2011
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - The Giants today drafted Marvin Austin, a defensive tackle with impressive talent who missed the entire 2010 season for violating team rules. He was investigated by the NCAA for improper contact with agents, suspended by Coach Butch Davis in September and dismissed from the team in October.
Mr. Mara

That's heavy baggage, even for someone who could become a stud in the middle of the defensive line. But Austin insists it is not indicative of his character.

"I'm a good guy who made a bad decision and I'm ready to move on," he said. "I am ready to become a Giant."

General Manager Jerry Reese and Coach Tom Coughlin are confident they can get Austin to toe a straight line and get him to realize his vast potential on the field.

"We did a lot of work on him," Reese said of Austin, who was chosen with the 20th pick of the second round, the 52nd overall selection. "He was very highly rated on our board. The value was tremendous at that point. Again, we did a lot of homework on him. We couldn't pass him up.

"This guy is going to come in here with a chip on his shoulder with something to prove. I hope he will take it out on the opponent. But obviously, when he gets here we will keep a close eye on him like some other players we have had in the past."

Coughlin has an extremely low tolerance for players who do not follow his program and he is hopeful Austin will be problem-free.

"We took a very talented defensive lineman that has had some issues – without a doubt," Coughlin said. "We did a lot of studying on this guy. There were probably seven or eight of our people at the workout at North Carolina. There were some private interviews. We had a private interview with him at the combine. I spent quite a few minutes on the phone with him prior to telling him that we would be drafting him in the second round and that there were some very, very high expectations for him if he was to come here and be a New York Giant. I think he understood that, so we will get off on the right foot."

Coughlin was asked if he considers Austin a risk.

"I think anybody's a risk," Coach said. "Until they come in and prove exactly what they can do, there's risk involved for anybody. But we're in a high-risk business."

Austin insists Coughlin need not worry.

"I don't think I am a big risk," Austin said. "As I said, the things that happened are in the past. Now I am ready to be a professional and I think coming up to this point I showed that I can be in shape given that I was out of football for five months I can be (a) professional. Because I had to become a professional way before a lot of other guys because they were still in college. So I think I am ready and I don't think I'm a big risk at all."

Austin is the second outstanding player to join the defense in this draft. With the 19th pick in the first round, the Giants selected Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara.

No one questions Austin's talent. Marc Ross, the Giants' Director of College Scouting said of Austin, "If he's clean, he's a top 15 pick, I believe."

Austin established himself as an elite NFL prospect in his first three years with the Tar Heels (2007-09). He played in 38 games with 25 starts, including 22 games in his final two seasons. His career totals included 106 tackles (59 solo), 13.5 tackles for losses, 9.0 sacks, 14 pressures, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. In 2009, he was named second-team All-ACC.
But his only action in the 2010 season was in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 22. He scored a touchdown by recovering a fumble by quarterback Jerrod Johnson and taking it three yards into the end zone.
"It was tough to sit back and watch and not be able to play, not to be able to go out and compete with my teammates," Austin said. "I learned that every decision that you make is an important decision and you have to think everything out. And also not being able to play football – it makes you grateful for the game. It makes you appreciate the game."

Reese and the scouting staff were put in the unusual though not unprecedented position of evaluating a player that missed the entire previous season.

"All you can do is look at his season before," Reese said. "He played in the all-star game; was really into individual stuff. He was dominant in those drills. You see that he hadn't played all year long because I think he fatigued a little bit in the game because he wasn't in football shape. It is hard to get into football shape if you are not playing football. But you go back and look at his tape as a junior and you see a really good football player. Again, we had him very highly rated. This guy is going to be a tremendous player for us."

Reese invoked the name of Keith Hamilton when speaking about Austin. Hamilton was a ruthless defensive tackle who played for the Giants from 1992-2003.

"He is explosive, he is an explosive three-technique (tackle), a gap-charger," Reese said. "This guy can get off the ball with tremendous speed. He has got a nasty motor, (a) mean demeanor about him. He is going to bring that nasty attitude. Somebody described him as Keith Hamilton – not the body type but that nasty demeanor that Keith Hamilton used to play with when we had him here. So I like to have some big nasty guys in your front. I kind of like that."

The Giants believe Austin will arrive here as a highly motivated player after spending the 2010 season as a spectator.

"I think he was very remorseful," Reese said. "I think he was disappointed that he didn't get to play. He really wanted to play. He made a bad decision. He really wanted to play. We were disappointed that he let his teammates down and his school down that he wasn't there to help them play and win more games. So we sat down with him and we interviewed him; we talked with him. The coaches talked with him."

"(He is) a talented football player (who) certainly has an opportunity now to show the world what he can do and to, hopefully, package all of the energy and disappointment and motivation based on the fact that he did not play this past year," Coughlin said. "Hopefully he'll wrap all that up and come here and be the football player that we think he can be. Let me say this to you, his grade - strictly looking at his football ability - is very high."

Austin concurred that he has plenty of incentive to prove his doubters wrong.

"It is extremely motivating," he said. "I feel like I am one of the best athletes that was in the draft and I feel like I'm just ready to go and perform and get a chance to play the game that I love so much."

The Giants have benefitted from taking a chance on players with off-the-field issues in their past in recent years. Both running back Ahmad Bradshaw (seventh round in 2007) and wide receiver Mario Manningham (third round in 2008) had a pre-draft portfolio with question marks. But they have been productive, trouble-free players with the Giants.

"Certain people, you take a chance on if they aren't habitual problems," Ross said. "For instance, we took a chance on Mario. We thought his were isolated incidents where he made bad mistakes. We thought he was a good kid. We did a lot of work on him. He loved football and he was a good kid who made bad decisions. Whereas other people, you don't look at it the same way. With Marvin, we think this kid loves football. He loves to compete. He's genuinely remorseful about what happened. I think he wants to prove to everybody – himself, his teammates, his new team – that he learned from that and that he's going to go on from there.

"You have to know your coaches, you have to know the support system you have. And I think we have a strong foundation with dealing with that. But again, we don't want to go too far off and just bring in this guy we have just seen who is a bad, bad person. So we will never do that. The guys that we have taken, we don't think they are bad people."

This is the second consecutive year the Giants have used their second-round choice on a defensive tackle. Last year, they took Linval Joseph, who played in six games as a rookie.

"You just have to get as many good football players as you can, because injuries can happen," Reese said. "We try to get as many good football players as we can. And this guy is a very good football player. No knock on Linval Joseph – we think he is going to be a tremendous player."

Austin's selection also raises questions about the Giants future of Barry Cofield, a durable and productive tackle who missed only one game in his first five seasons. Cofield is a potential unrestricted free agent, depending on what the eligibility requirement will be when the league year begins.

"Barry is a free agent," Reese said. "All of that will take care of itself. So I'm not going to make any comments on Barry Cofield's future."

Read more: http://www.giants.com/news/headlines/story.asp?story_id=44840#ixzz1Kz2HDLoM
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I've heard his work ethic is questionable and he missed last season for some reason. Now I do trust Reese and Co. as for making moral decisions on guys, Bradshaw is one of my favorite players and that was his knock, but whats this guys deal? I don't know much about him but I watched his combine workout and he looks quick and very athletic, I do like what I see there. If Coughlin can get this guy's shit in gear, and if anyone could it would be him, I see the upside.

There are legitimate issues, but I think the Giants are probably the best situation for him. To be honest it isn't that unlike both Ahmad Bradshaw and Mario Manningham - both have thrived in our system.

Austin has tools to be an exceptional disruptive DT; he and Joseph give us a very strong interior DT rotation.

I have faith in the Giants system and I am reasonably confident Austin will work out ok.

Austins issues were that he and others on the NC football team accepted money and gifts from agents of theirs. I think it was like $10,000 in Austin's case.

56 Crazed Dogs wrote:Austins issues were that he and others on the NC football team accepted money and gifts from agents of theirs. I think it was like $10,000 in Austin's case.

There was also questions on his work ethic. Mind you the same was said of Nic Fairley and he went #13; Austin can be every bit as good imho.

Also a year out of football can have a way to bring things into perspective.

I preferred Paea, but the more I think on it, the more ok I am with Austin

from espn.com

NY Giants Marvin Austin DT North Carolina

What he brings: Austin's off-field issues and concerns about his maturity pushed him down the board, but as a football player he has rare initial quickness for his size. He can get into the backfield and has the lateral mobility to make plays when he gets there, though he could show better gap discipline at times as a run defender. Austin has all the physical tools to become a good interior pass-rusher as well.

How he fits: This looks a little bit like a luxury pick because the Giants have quality players at DT but Austin's upside is very intriguing. Barry Cofield could leave in free agency, but Chris Canty Rocky Bernard have signed new deals, so there is not a huge need. However, the Giants love a deep rotation on their DL and they look for matchups along the line that favor them, and Austin is an excellent one-gap penetrator. Any off-the-field issues will be addressed by a group of teammates that have very high character.

I'm excited to see what the future holds with Linval Joseph and Marvin Austin. Two young, powerful, and quick DT prospects.

I wonder if Austin will ride the bench all season like what happened to Joseph most of last season?

Cofield is likely not re-signed because of too much money which might just save Rocky Bernards job.

Marvin Austin was a guy I liked a lot since he was the top defensive recruit outta High School. Top schools like Florida St., Notre Dame, USC, Miami, Texas all tried to recruit him. I didn't think the giants would draft him based on his "character concerns".

So far my favorite pick. His work ethic isn't a problem. He's a better fit than Paea because he's an under tackle, playing the 3-technique. Paea is a nose. We are set at nose with Canty and Joseph. If Cofield sticks this year Austin will be a nice understudy.

Canty, Joseph
Cofield, Austin

I like that a lot.

Pizan wrote:
Canty, Joseph
Cofield, Austin

I like that a lot.

I agree, very nice rotation

I am assuming we resign Cofield. We will bring along Austin behind him at the 3T. Austin does have an inconsistent motor and some character issues, it's not like he committed murder though and him and his teammates just listened to the wrong people. Some analysts said he is a selfish player, didn't seem like it too me. He meshed pretty well with the rest of the great Dline at UNC when they all played together. He is best at shooting the gap and getting to the RB or QB, that is exactly what we ask him to do. We have enough guys and a HC and DC that will keep his head out of his bum.

Bigblue25 wrote:I am assuming we resign Cofield. We will bring along Austin behind him at the 3T. Austin does have an inconsistent motor and some character issues, it's not like he committed murder though and him and his teammates just listened to the wrong people. Some analysts said he is a selfish player, didn't seem like it too me. He meshed pretty well with the rest of the great Dline at UNC when they all played together. He is best at shooting the gap and getting to the RB or QB, that is exactly what we ask him to do. We have enough guys and a HC and DC that will keep his head out of his bum.

That is a big if and will depend on what happens with the CBA. Cofield will be back if the Giants can get him at a reasonable price.

If we end up running under the 2010 rules, Cofield is an RFA and likely back.

In most other likely scenarios Cofield is an unrestricted free agent and likely to get a hefty contract, which I don't think NYG would pay. It could be that DT needy teams have filled their needs in the draft, so the DT value on the open market will be lower than expected (in which case Cofield could be back).

At the moment, I think there is around a 50%-60% chance Cofield is back at this point.