2013 NFL mock draft: Giants select Manti Te'o

With the 49th pick in Pride Of Detroit's 2013 NFL mock draft, the New York Giants select Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o. NorthLeft12 is serving as the Giants' general manager, and his reasoning for the pick is below.

Really, guys? I mean really? I had to check over the list of previous picks about five times to make sure I was not missing something, but sure enough his name was not there.

Okay, with the 49th pick in the 2013 draft, the New York Giants select Manti Te'o, linebacker from Notre Dame. Un-freaking-believable.

What the Giants get here is a very, very good linebacker that could be a solid starter for many years. He has been highly productive his whole career and is smart, good sized and athletic enough to play both in the middle and outside. He is excellent in pass coverage, a good blitzer and a solid tackler. He is a very good fit for the Giants, as they are currently in the process of upgrading their defense and have had a mediocre LB corps for a while. Manti will benefit from a stable Giants locker room and can settle down and concentrate on getting better and hopefully a little bigger and stronger.

While I would not say he is a first-round talent (he is a LB for crying out loud), a lot of others have. He is a very good value for the middle of the second round.

I did not seriously consider anyone else at this spot. Kevin Minter? Not a chance. This is what happens when people concentrate on the fluff and noise and ignore what is sitting plainly in front of them. The Giants thank you.

--

Check out the 2013 Pride Of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker for a look at all of the picks.