Giants Draft DeOssie and other day two picks

Giants draft Steve DeOssie's son
Father of fourth-round pick won Super Bowl XXV ring with Giants

BY ARTHUR STAPLE
arthur.staple@newsday.com

Steve DeOssie was one of the more colorful Giants in recent team history. Now his son will get a chance to carry on the tradition of a guy they used to call "Beach Ball."

The Giants selected Zak DeOssie in the fourth round, the first of five picks yesterday to round out their 2007 draft. The younger DeOssie, a linebacker from Brown, comes from an unlikely school to produce an NFL player, but not when you consider his bloodline.


"Go figure, right?" Steve DeOssie said yesterday. "I really felt the kid was going to get a job somewhere. It just turned out to be one of the best places possible."

Steve DeOssie was the long-snapper and a linebacker on the Giants' Super Bowl XXV championship team and spent 12 seasons with the Cowboys, Giants, Jets and Patriots. He was one of Bill Parcells' favorites - the nickname came from the many shades of red his face turned after a workout - and his son, a 6-4½, 250-pound athlete, has the desire and drive of his father.

"I broke down when [my name was called]. My old man was right next to me," said Zak, who was a ball boy for the Patriots when his father played for them. "I know the Ivy League stereotype is there - non-scholarship, small school. But you have to ignore it."

The Giants see DeOssie as a strong-side linebacker and, more importantly, as an immediate contributor on special teams. Perhaps he'll even be a long-snapper, something he took up his senior year at Brown without any prodding from his father.

"I told him when he wants to get good at it, just let me know and I'll teach him how to really do it," Steve said. "We never emphasized getting to the NFL. We emphasized real life. Him taking up long-snapping was just another indication of him trying to help a team win."

General manager Jerry Reese called his first draft as the top man "solid." The Giants were one of the few teams that didn't make a trade during draft weekend and went for areas of need, selecting four offensive and four defensive players. The only question mark as far as character goes is their last pick, seventh-rounder Ahmad Bradshaw, a running back from Marshall who has been arrested twice.

"He's got some warts," Reese said, "but he'll be on a short leash."

Giants second-day picks

Zak DeOssie, LB - Brown, 6-4½, 250

Son of Steve DeOssie, a linebacker and special-teamer on the Giants' Super Bowl XXV team ... Should compete immediately with Ryan Kuehl for the long-snapper job, which DeOssie's father held ... One of the biggest LBs available in the draft, projects to the strong side ... Surprising speed (4.58 in the 40-yard dash) for his size should add to his value on special teams ... Has the smarts but his football instincts are an issue ... So is his level of competition, coming from the Ivy League.

Kevin Boss, TE - Western Oregon, 6-6½, 252

Considered an excellent pass-catcher but below-average blocker ... Level of competition is obviously an issue, playing in Division II, but "he dominated," according to GM Jerry Reese ... Giants see him as a third TE, behind Jeremy Shockey and Darcy Johnson; could easily become the No. 2 TE with better blocking skills ... Was the center on his school's basketball team as a sophomore and junior.

Adam Koets, T - Oregon State, 6-5, 298

Made 37 consecutive starts at left tackle ... Good skills and smarts, but some scouts question his mental toughness ... Allowed only four sacks in the last two seasons ... Needs work on his run-blocking skills ... Tom Coughlin on whether Koets would move from left tackle: "Right now, that's the position we want him at."

Michael Johnson, S - Arizona, 6-3, 211

Played at a high level and has the size to play either safety; was a strong safety his two seasons at Arizona ... Missed time with a hamstring injury his senior season.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB - Marshall, 5-9, 198

Good numbers (1,523 rushing yards, 19 TDs last season) but two arrests, one before last season for burglary and for underage alcohol possession in high school. Signed with Virginia but was released after his first arrest.

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I Guess Jerry Reese read my 'Ivy League report" article of 3-30??? ok maybe not,..but he must have seen him play like i did. The Kid is tremendous. everybit the player his dad was and maybe better someday.... I know some people gave the Giants draft a b- or even a c,..but for a 4th rounder this pick is a solid B+. DeOssie is closer to stepping in then anyone realizes. He DOMINATED the Ivy on Defense.....He almost beat Columbia single handed.
As for the other picks, Boss, Koets, and Johnson will have a chance to make the roster as the Giants try to get a bit younger in the depth department. Bradshaw will require watching, but could fill a "Tiki" like role someday

Bill(Draftnik)