After trading up to the 123rd pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select Bryan Kehl - LB - BYU
Jerry Reese makes his first trade up as general manager and completes his retooling of the Giants back seven with a linebacker that can play a few different spots and roles. Think Nick Greisen here as Kehl is the kind of player that you want on your depth chart because of his versatility and consistent level of solid play. While the trade up may have not been necessary here, Reese clearly saw something in this kid that was very high on their board and did not want to risk losing him. He won't give any competiton to Gerris Wilkinson for that starting job on the weak side but he can provide solid depth there and a potential long term solution in the middle.
The glaring strength that always popped out at me when watching Kehl was his ability to diagnose plays at the start and his knack for always being around the ball. He gets to the ball carrier quickly and once he's there, he almost always makes the tackle. He is one of the better technique tacklers in this draft class at the LB position but he won't wow you with how physical he plays. Athletically he is limited and I quation how well he will play laterally in the NFL with the upgrade of speed that will come, but you hate to doubt these kind of players that are smart and instinctive. He is not a good blitzer and is average against the pass, but again that is where his atittude and knowledge of the game can come into play in his progression.
Dave's Take
Did we really need to trade up? That's an answer I do not have because perhaps the Giants had some inside information about a team looking for him before they were going to be on the clock. They obviously were zeroing in on Kehl despite the fact that Erin Henderson was still on the board which puzzles me. I can see what they like in Kehl though, he is a guy that comes to play every day and was able to avoid the injury bug at BYU his entire career. High character, high intelligence level, and versatility will keep him on this roster for more than a few years I think. While he was not high on my board, someone I look up to when it comes to scouting personally told me that Kehl is a kid to watch at the next level. Looks like him and Reese are on the same frame of mind with this selection.
If I were conducting this draft
1 - Curtis Lofton - LB - Oklahoma
2 - Reggie Smith - S - Oklahoma
3 - Roy Schuening - G - Oregon State
4 - (No trade) - Erin Henderson - LB - Maryland