The New York Giants selected Prince Amukamara with the 19th pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Congratulations!
Giants fans are probably wondering about the guy they just picked. After watching him play for the past few years, Nebraska fans can give you some insight. And if that isn't enough, head over to the SB Nation NY Giants site Big Blue View for more.
So what about the Prince you just selected? Is he really royalty? It must be a possibility, given all the Google searches coming into CN asking that very question.
1. He'll be ready to play.
One thing you need to know immediately. Don't pay attention to people who dismiss Amukamara because of a lack of statistics. Team didn't throw the ball in his direction. Opponents completed 18 passes out of 52 attempts that were thrown his way this season. That's out of a total of 390 attempts in 2010. He didn't have an interception in 2010, but it's pretty hard to get picks when the ball isn't coming your way.
Amukamara was a player Nebraska fans didn't have to worry about. He was dependable, ready to play in every game, and you can bet that he'll be ready to play the moment he shows up to training camp.
The only adjustment that Amukamara will need to make is in learning how to not be so physical with NFL receivers. That's not such a bad thing now, is it?
2. Lack of experience.
Amukamara never played cornerback until he came to Nebraska, yet in only two years of starting, he learned the position well enough to earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors (in a conference known for great quarterbacks), and first-team All-American Honors from the AFCA, AP, Rivals.com, CBSSports.com, SI.com, and Walter Camp.
If he can do all that in only a couple years, what's he going do but get better on your NFL team?
3. Coverage.
The NFL is all about coverage. Prince Amukamara is all about coverage. On top of that, the New York Giants address one of there top needs with this pick.
4. Character.
One thing you might notice if you're looking around for information about Amukamara - the guy is always smiling. He's an incredible player, but an even better human being. Never was there a discouraging word said about him during his days at Nebraska.
While your media guys may not like it because it won't give them juicy stories about him making it rain at strip clubs, you just drafted an incredible asset to your community.
5. Add It All Up And The New York Giants Got A Deal.
By the time he was selected at #19, most of the mock drafts looked similar to everyone's Final Four brackets this season. Most of those same NFL Mock Drafts had Amukamara going in the top ten of the draft. Even with the wackiness that's gone on tonight, the fact that Amukamara dropped to the 19th pick has to be a surprise. Even Giants General Manager Jerry Reese was surprised, stating Amukamara was "too much value to pass up" and he'll "play right away" because the team needed a cornerback.
Besides, how hard is it to find a good cover corner that can play at the NFL level?