The draft has always been Ernie Accorsi’s favorite event on the NFL calendar. The Giants general manager participated in his 35th and likely final selection meeting this weekend, and he enjoyed the process as much as ever: evaluating the players, meetings with the scouts, the discussions in the draft room as the Giants prepared to make a selection.

“I wish there were 12 rounds like there used to be, but there are not,” Accorsi said.

“We feel good about this group of young men.”
- Coach Tom Coughlin
Although no draft can be fully evaluated for several years, early indications are that Accorsi will look back on this one with pride and satisfaction. The Giants chose seven players over two days – five on defense and two on offense – and the G.M. and the rest of the team’s football decision-makers believe the defending NFC East champions are a better and deeper team because of the draftees.

“I think we got bigger and faster,” Accorsi said.

“We feel good about this group of young men,” head coach Tom Coughlin said. “You always wish you had more picks. As usual, when you make one selection, as elated as you might be, you start looking right toward the next selection. The way the group came together is probably what you would have expected going into this draft.”

The Giants selected four players as the draft concluded today:

*With their first pick in the round, the 124th overall, they took Barry Cofield, a 6-4, 304-pound defensive tackle from Northwestern. Cofield played in 49 games for the Wildcats, including 36 starts in his final three seasons. He finished his career with 197 tackles (88 solo), 15.5 tackles for losses, 6.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

*The Giants owned another fourth-round choice, the 129th pick, which was obtained yesterday in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They used it to select offensive tackle Guy Whimper, a 6-5, 305-pounder from East Carolina.

Whimper played five positions for three coaches in college. He was originally signed to the ECU program to be a 220-pound defensive lineman, but was moved to outside linebacker as a freshman. He then shifted to defensive end as a sophomore before moving to tight end midway through his junior year to help provide depth after season-ending injuries knocked out the two players on the season-opening depth chart.

Whimper then switched to offensive tackle during preseason camp prior to his senior campaign. He moved into the starting lineup on the left side, then shifted to right tackle early in the year.

Whimper played in 46 games with 25 starts. On defense he had 52 tackles ands two sacks. On offense he finished with seven receptions for 122 yards.

*With their fifth-round selection, the 158th overall choice, the Giants grabbed Charlie Peprah, a 5-11, 202-pound defensive back from Alabama. Peprah played right and then left cornerback in his first two seasons before switching to strong safety for his final two years. In 50 games with the Tide, Peprah started 45 times. He made 210 tackles (163 solo) with an assisted sack, 9.5 stops for losses of 20 yards, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and 24 pass deflections. He also had nine interceptions for 224 yards in returns with two touchdowns.

*The Giants did not have sixth-round pick after sending it to Tampa Bay two years ago in the trade for offensive lineman Jason Whittle. In the seventh round, they chose Maryland defensive back Gerrick McPhearson with the 232nd overall selection. McPhearson played in 36 games with 15 starts and had 92 total tackles, an interception and a sack. His father, also named Gerrick, was a defensive back at Boston College from 1984-87.

Today’s draftees joined the three players the Giants chose yesterday: Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka on the first round, Miami wide receiver Sinorice Moss on the second round and Georgia Tech linebacker Gerris Wilkinson in the third round.

With his new personnel, defensive coordinator Tim Lewis has many deployment options.

“It will be an interesting development that will take place right away in the rookie mini-camp (May 13 and 15), followed by the work that we’ll have in May and June,” Coughlin said. “Hopefully, we’ll have a handle on the versatility and how we might be able to use some of these young guys, in order just to get it started in training camp. You’re obviously going to be doing some things in training camp to try to get some people in the right spots at the right time, whether it be a second-and-long or a third-down situation or short-yardage or goal-line. But we like it that way. That’s what these guys are here for. They’re run, they’re versatile, they play multiple positions. They’re intelligent, which I think will accelerate their learning as well.”

Like all teams, the Giants are extremely excited about their first selection. Kiwanuka had a school-record 37.5 sacks at Boston College. He is an athletic and fast defensive end. The Giants have two Pro Bowl starters at the position in Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, but the Giants believed he was too good to pass up.

“When this guy gets stronger, he’s going to be a really, really good player,” director of player personnel Jerry Reese said. “I can’t express to you how good this player has a chance to be.”

Moss, whose brother Santana is a Pro Bowl receiver with the Washington Redskins, is a speedy receiver who can stretch defenses.

“I went back and looked at my Senior Bowl tapes and notes in order to put myself back into the Sinorice Moss thought process,” Coughlin said. “Gosh, he was so much quicker and so much faster and so much more electric in the practices. I think he will give us a nice jolt regardless of whether you talk about him on the outside or in the slot or whatever. He does have some return capabilities as well.”

The Giants have a pair of tall receivers in Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, plus tight end Jeremy Shockey. Moss gives them another dimension and another target for Eli Manning.

It can be difficult for a 5-8 receiver to get noticed. But Reese said Moss had several attributes that caught the attention of the scouts.

“First of all, he has to be fast,” Reese said. “He has to be a guy that can take short pass or a reverse and make a big play out of it. That is what we have been lacking in our offense and we have kind of coveted that kind of guy, so he fills the bill for us. You would love for him to be taller, but he is not. He is a fast, explosive receiver that we feel can make some big plays for us. We have the big skyscraper guys. We just need a big hit underneath guy. I think he can do that for us.”

The versatile Wilkinson will get his first shot at weakside linebacker and on special teams.

“I think the coaches are probably more excited about that pick than any pick we have made,” Accorsi said. “He is just a good, solid, sound football player at a need position.”

“He was attractive to us because, first, he’s very, very smart,” Reese said. “He has size and speed and he can play all three (linebacker) positions. Actually, he can play four positions – he played defensive end for them. We felt like he was a very valuable pick for us, because he’s very versatile and he can play on special teams. We’re delighted to have him.”

The Giants had a hole at defensive tackle because of the free agency departure of last year’s starter, Kendrick Clancy. Cofield will get a chance to play that run-stuffing nose position, where the Giants also employ Damane Duckett and Jonas Seawright. William Joseph and Fred Robbins play the other tackle spot.

“Cofield is a run-stopper,” Accorsi said. “There were a couple of them there, but this is the one that we thought could play the nose the best. He is big. Obviously, that was a need position for us.”

“We believe this kid can come in and give us what we’re looking for in a physical nose tackle, a first and second-down guy,” Coughlin said. “(He is) a run defender who can anchor in there on the center and maintain leverage. He doesn’t get knocked back off the ball. He’ll let the linebackers and the other (players on) the front seven work with him holding his own.”

Whimper is an intriguing prospect. His frequent position shifts prevented him from establishing himself at any one spot. Whimper actually started just one game at left tackle, but the Giants believe he can play that challenging and vital position in the NFL.

“He is inexperienced,” Accorsi said. “He is a little raw but he is a great athlete. The reason we picked him was strictly because we think he can be a left tackle because of his athletic ability.”

“You project his character, then you project his athletic ability,” Reese said. “The guy played defensive end, so he is a really good athlete. He has played left tackle and right tackle. This is a guy that came into his senior year and had no snaps as an offensive lineman. He just out-athletes everybody right now. He really doesn’t know what is going on. He is big, he has long arms, he is fast and this guy can play on special teams. We just feel like after he learns the position and gets stronger, he is going to be a steal at left tackle for us in a year or so.”

Notes

During Sunday's victory against division-rival Philadelphia, the Giants made sure their opponents traveled down the turnpike with frowns on their faces.

Even if Donovan McNabb had suited up for the big game, New York probably would have beaten the defending NFC champions by 10 points.

Eli Manning was the reason, as he had another solid afternoon for the G-Men with 218 yards passing and three touchdowns.

Manning threw two of his three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a 61-yarder to Plaxico Burress that perhaps sealed Philadelphia's postseason plans.

The second-year quarterback rebounded from last week's four-interception game against Minnesota, throwing no picks versus Philly.

Sunday's win kept the Giants (7-3) tied atop the NFC East with Dallas, and halted a four-game losing streak to the Eagles, who had won seven of the last eight in the series.

"That was the motto all week from Coach Coughlin - if you want to be the champion, you have to beat the champion," said Giants running back Tiki Barber. "Regardless of what their record is, they're the four-time defending NFC East champion and we had to go through them."

The team also posted the 600th win in team history, just five days after the death of co-owner Bob Tisch.

New York shocked the Eagles in the second quarter of its 27-17 win, when special teamer David Tyree blocked a punt by Reggie Hodges. It was the first blocked punt for the Giants since Osi Umenyiora blocked two against Carolina on December 28, 2003.

Tyree had missed the previous three games with an elbow injury.

"It was a great day back," Tyree said. "Obviously, it was great to get the win, but even better since I had the opportunity to block the punt. That was my first one in the NFL."

NEWS AND NOTES

New York's defense has transformed the Giants into one of the best in the NFL. On Sunday, the squad allowed a touchdown for the first time in 24 minutes and 21 seconds. That's a span of more than 15 full quarters of play.

Wide receiver Amani Toomer and running back Tiki Barber made some history on Sunday, as the duo became the first Giants to catch 500 passes. Toomer accomplished the feat first with a 15-yard grab in the first quarter, while Barber hauled in No. 500 in the second.

"To say I was the first (to 500) is going to be something I'm definitely never going to forget," Toomer said.

Future Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan competed in his 185th game to move past Lawrence Taylor and Joe Morrison for third place on the team’s all-time list.

Punter Jeff Feagles tied the NFL record for consecutive games played when he appeared in his 282nd straight game Sunday. He tied the record set by former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall, who played from 1960-79.

TWO GIANTS DROP FROM LINE

Mammoth offensive linemen Luke Petitgout and Shaun O'Hara exited Sunday's game with injuries.

With Petitgout out with a knee injury and O'Hara down with an ankle problem, the Giants received much-needed support from backups Bob Whitfield and Jason Whittle.

"They did a good job," head coach Tom Coughlin said. "Bob Whitfield and Jason Whittle are veteran football players. They were ready. They could go into the game and they could perform at a high level.

Whittle and Whitfield may see some more action next Sunday versus the Seattle Seahawks.

UP NEXT: ANOTHER BIRD OF PREY

After clipping the Eagles' wings on Sunday, the Giants will try to do the same against the Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field.

New York has won two straight and four of the last five meetings against the Seahawks. In the last matchup on September 22, 2002, the Giants squeaked by with a 9-6 triumph.

Seattle's last win in the series was a 30-28 victory on November 5, 1995.

Vinny Testaverde looked as comfortable in the pocket for the New York Jets on Sunday as he was watching them from his couch two weeks ago. The Meadowlands crowd welcomed Testaverde back with rousing cheers and a standing ovation, and in the end, he deserved it: The 41-year-old quarterback led the Jets to a 14-12 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Curtis Martin ran for two touchdowns and Testaverde looked sharp despite a nine-month layoff. Vinny Testaverde didn't exactly set the world on fire last Sunday.

What he did, do, however, was light the fuse to success for the New York Jets.

Testaverde shook off a whole preseason worth of rust well enough in just one week to hand the ball off to Curtis Martin at the right times. The result was that Martin ran for a pair of touchdowns in a 14-12 upset over the previously un- beaten Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Testaverde completed 13 of 19 passes for 163 yards and one interception, but he didn't steer the Jets (2-3) into the ground. In fact, he darn near helped resurrect a team off to a 1-3 start with starter Chad Pennington out for the rest of the season following a second operation to his right throwing shoulder.

While everyone in Jetland may have been looking toward next season, Testaverde helped pull out a miracle that got the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets focused on the here and now.

''I think I can still do it, that's why I keep coming back,'' Testaverde said after his first performance as a Jet in three years. ''If the line allows me to only get hit three times a game, I'm going to play a long time.''

Pennington seconded the comeback of Testaverde.

''This would be icing on the cake for him to come back and lead our team to a championship,'' he said. ''You can't write a better book than that. It's a great story. I'm rooting for him.''

Pennington even made himself available to the media on Monday, where he stated for the first time that the injury responsible for his latest surgery — a surface tear to his rotator cuff — was not as serious as the complete tear he had last season. While that was good news, Pennington admitted he probably won't start throwing a football with any force until March 2006.

''Now that I have the answers, my career hasn't flashed before [my eyes],'' he said Monday. ''It's not a career-ending thing. I'm excited about the rest of my career. I'm excited to have 10 months and a full offseason to get healthy and get back to the player I know I can be.''

Bye weeks have been the ultimate win-lose proposition for the New York Giants during the last 16 years. They are 14-3 in games played before the bye week, including a 44-24 rout of St. Louis on Oct. 2. But in games following the week off, the Giants are 3-13. With its first NFC East game this Sunday at Dallas, New York (3-1) hopes to improve on the negative trend. "I think that it is a different football team this year, and teams are always different," second-year coach Tom Coughlin said Tuesday. Last season, the Giants took a 4-1 record into the bye and then began to unravel, losing nine of their next 11 games. "I only have one experience historically with that happening after the bye week," Coughlin said. "We are hopeful that we are a more mature football team." Veteran wide receiver Amani Toomer said the Giants' unsettled schedule may actually work in the team's favor. They have played games on Sundays that started at 1 p.m., 4:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., plus a Monday night home game against New Orleans that was originally scheduled as a Sunday road game. "We've had one 1 p.m. game, and all the games have been at different times, so we really haven't gotten into a schedule yet," he said. "That's why I think the bye is good because maybe we're not as settled in as some other teams might be who have had all 1 p.m. games." The Saints game had a ripple effect, forcing alterations in the Giants' practice schedule leading up to the game and in the following week before a trip to San Diego that produced a 45-23 loss. During the bye week, Coughlin scheduled two days of practice and gave the players Friday through Sunday off. This week, he added an extra day of practice on Tuesday, the players' regular day off. "I don't know how it's been," Coughlin said, referring to the Giants' previous post-bye blues. "I can read, so I know what the numbers are. But we are trying to do the very best we can with it from the standpoint of planning how to practice, what to do during the bye week, what to do as you come back, and we are following a formula that has been pretty good for our team and has been pretty good for me over the years." If there is any residual rust on the Giants, the Cowboys' performance in last week's 33-10 rout of Philadelphia should serve to shake it off. Sunday's game is also the Giants' first divisional game of the season. Toomer confirmed that the players approach those games with a little more spring in their step. "Every time you go home and watch TV, you see how the Eagles did, you see how the Cowboys did, you see how the Redskins did," Toomer said. "Other teams in the NFC, maybe. But mostly those division games are it. Your goal every year is to win the division so you get the automatic playoff berth. You don't want to get that wild-card berth and have to play on the road."