New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese took a ton of heat following the 2014 NFL Draft for not selecting a tight end.
He ended up betting on converted college quarterback Larry Donnell and was rewarded with 63 catches for 623 yards and six touchdowns.
He knew what he had.
But as he approaches this year's draft, the focus has shifted to safety. His current roster is threadbare at the position. He's talked about converting a few cornerbacks -- Chykie Brown and Bennett Jackson -- but stayed put during free agency.
The team also lost out on the bidding war for Devin McCourty.
So will he hope for a Donnell-type diamond in the rough?
"It happens all the time," Reese said when asked if he'd be comfortable with a DB conversion. "One of the best players we tried to get in free agency was the corner from New England. He was a corner and played safety. You see those conversions. That is not new to see something like that happen. That is a possibility as well."
He didn't expand much on the Giants' plan if they lost out on McCourty.
"We thought he was the best player in free agency (at his position) and after that we thought there was a drop off and that is what happened."
Reese is an interesting general manager in that he clearly values certain positions over others. During each of his two Super Bowl campaigns he did not have stellar play at the safety position. The linebacker spots were also patched together.
Like tight end as well, Reese seems to view the premium positions -- pass rusher, quarterback, wide receiver -- above all else.
Can he translate that into a third title as the league becomes more and more pass oriented?
The latest Around The NFL Podcast conducts a redraft of the 2014 NFL Draft before chatting about this year's event with Daniel Jeremiah. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
