National Football League

Giants fill biggest need with linebacker

Published Apr. 24, 2010 11:37 p.m. ET

foxsports

Three days into the NFL draft, the New York Giants addressed their biggest problem - defense - and disclosed a new one.

After using their first three picks to fill holes on their much-maligned defense, the Giants gave new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell a much-needed middle linebacker in the fourth round on Saturday, taking Nebraska's Phillip Dillard.

The surprise came in the seventh and final round when New York took East Carolina punter Matt Dodge.

Minutes later, coach Tom Coughlin disclosed that 44-year-old Jeff Feagles is seriously considering retirement after 22 seasons in which he has never missed a game, playing in an NFL record 352 consecutive games.

``He is having some physical issues, so he has decided to deal with it,'' Coughlin said, noting Feagles approached the team about retirement.

Feagles, who also is the holder on extra points and field goals, has told the team that he will decide his future in the next week.

Based on what Feagles has told him, Coughlin does not expect him to play.

If Feagles retires, Dodge would compete with former Australian rules football player Jy Bond for the punting job.

Giants general manager Jerry Reese said the Giants chose Dodge as an insurance policy.

Earlier in the draft, New York had gambled, passing on Dillard in the third round to take LSU safety Chad Jones.

``We rolled the dice, and we came out with the guy we wanted at middle linebacker, Reese said.

South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and East Carolina defensive tackle Linval Joseph were taken in the first two rounds, respectively.

``I am ecstatic,'' Dillard said in a conference call. ``When my name went across the screen, I knew what their needs were and after going down there on my visit I was like: 'Wow, everything just fell into place.' It is amazing.''

The middle linebacker position has been a concern since the Giants released Antonio Pierce after the season.

Dillard probably has a chance to start, but there are no guarantees with veterans Jonathan Goff, Gerris Wilkinson and Chase Blackburn all returning.

Dillard had an outstanding senior year with the Cornhuskers, recording 83 tackles three sacks and one interception in just nine starts.

Although he has played both the middle and outside linebacker spots, he loves the middle.

``I just love contact,'' Dillard said. ``I love being physical and aggressive.''

The more Dillard talked, the more he sounded like Pierce, the leader of the Giants defense during his five-year stint that included a Super Bowl victory.

``My mental aspect is that I love to be in control of the checks and make the checks,'' Dillard said. ``If you look at our defense, I made all of the checks from blitzes to checking high coverages, to checking man coverages and telling our corners or safeties or dimes what they are going to do and what check to make. That is just something that I love to do.''

Some experts had questions about Dillard because he played behind defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the second pick overall in the draft.

Dillard has heard those comments and doesn't deny that Suh is a great player. But he said that Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and defensive coordinator Carl Pelini told him that opposing teams had to game plan as much for him as Suh.

Dillard overcame obstacles in his college career, including a major knee injury as a sophomore and the recent death of his mother.

``I told her that I was going to do something that would honor the family and stay out of trouble and do the right thing,'' Dillard said. ``So all I had to do was work and not complain and not moan, knock the attitude, show great character, be happy, and not be a cancer in the locker room.''

The Giants had two other picks on Saturday, taking Arkansas guard Mitch Petrus in the fifth round and William & Mary linebacker Adrian Tracy in the sixth.

``He is hardnosed, aggressive,'' Reese said of Petrus. ``He can pull and do all the things we ask our guards to do. This guy has a vicious nature about him, and we like his skill set for what we do with our guards.''

Tracy played defensive end in college, but he is projected as an outside linebacker. He had 78 tackles last season, including 22 tackles for losses. He also had 12 sacks.

Pierre-Paul and Joseph probably will make the biggest contributions next season, helping a line that struggled with injuries and stopping the run in a season in which New York gave up 427 points.