For this first time in his tenure with the Giants, running backs coach Jerald Ingram has a first round draft pick to groom. But that's not to say he hasn't done it before.
Ingram, previous to joining Big Blue, held the same position in Jacksonville, where he oversaw the growth of Fred Taylor, the ninth overall pick in the 1998 draft. While Taylor went on to eclipse more than 1,000 yards on the ground as a rookie, Ingram still preached the importance of being an all-around back.
The same applies to the Giants' first rounder David Wilson and the rest of Ingram's projects.
"What you did in high school is gone, what you did in college is gone," Ingram said after Wednesday's OTA practice. "What you do at this level is another level of learning. It's also a level of toughness. A running back has to be able to protect his offensive line, protect his quarterback. He's got to make plays out there as an athlete with the ball and without the ball."
How Wilson progresses on those fronts will be key to how much time he sees on the field, says Ingram. And in the meantime, expectations will be high with a two-time Super Bowl MVP to protect.
"The level of our quarterback is pretty dang high," Ingram said of Eli Manning. "A quarterback shouldn't have to take a step down for anybody. Anybody else who steps on that field should step up to his level and everybody else's level of play. So that's a goal that [Wilson] has and that's a goal we have for him, too – to improve our run game, to improve out pass game and kind of go from there."
**NFL Network Top 100 Players of 2012
**Last night, NFL Network released 41-50 of the Top 100 (as voted on by the players). No Giants were in this installment, meaning fans will have to wait another Wednesday to see where players like Eli Manning and Jason Pierre-Paul will land.
Here's a look at the list so far:
- RB Chris Johnson, Titans
- C Ryan Kalil, Panthers
- RB Willis McGahee, Broncos
- OT Donald Penn, Buccaneers
- LB D'Qwell Jackson, Browns
- QB Tim Tebow, Jets
- RB Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks
- CB Cortland Finnegan, Rams
- FB John Kuhn, Packers
- QB Tony Romo, Cowboys
90. WR Hakeem Nicks, Giants
89. DE Dwight Freeney, Colts
88. RB Michael Turner, Falcons
87. LB London Fletcher, Redskins
86. RB Darren Sproles, Saints
85. LB NaVorro Bowman, 49ers
84. DE Chris Long, Rams
83. RB Fred Jackson, Bills
82. OT Joe Thomas, Browns
81. DT Vince Wilfork, Patriots
- WR Jordy Nelson, Packers
- Nnamdi Asomugha, Eagles
- LB Derrick Johnson, Chiefs
- WR A.J. Green, Bengals
- OL Carl Nicks, Buccaneers
- TE Jason Witten, Cowboys
- QB Joe Flacco, Ravens
- CB Johnathan Joseph Texans
- LB Lance Briggs, Bears
- WR DeSean Jackson, Eagles
- QB Michael Vick, Eagles
- CB Carolos Rogers, 49ers
- DE Elvis Dumervil, Broncos
- OT Joe Staley, 49ers
- S Earl Thomas, Seahawks
- WR Roddy White, Falcons
- G Logan Mankins, Patriots
- LB LaMarr Woodley, Steelers
62. DE Justin Tuck, Giants - QB Philip Rivers, Chargers
- RB Darren McFadden, Raiders
- OT Jake Long, Dolphins
- LB Jonathan Vilma, Saints
- DE Trent Cole, Eagles
- WR Greg Jennings, Packers
- CB Patrick Peterson, Cardinals
- LB Brian Cushing, Texans
- TE Tony Gonzalez, Falcons
- LB Von Miller, Broncos
- LB Brian Urlacher, Bears
- QB Peyton Manning, Broncos
- C Maurkice Pouncey, Steelers
- WR Devin Hester, Bears
- WR Mike Wallace, Steelers
- CB Champ Bailey, Broncos
- FB Vonta Leach, Ravens
- DE Jason Babin, Eagles
- TE Vernon Davis, 49ers
- OT Jason Peters, Eagles
- QB Matthew Stafford, Lions
**QUICK HITS
**>> PHOTO GALLERY: Click through photos of Wednesday’s OTA practice from the Timex Performance Center.
The 2013 Pro Bowl will be played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii for the 33rd time, the NFL and NFL Players Association announced Wednesday. The game will be televised live on Sunday, January 27 on NBC at 7 PM ET and again serve as the signature event to kick off the week leading up to the Super Bowl. CBS will televise Super Bowl XLVII a week later on Sunday, February 3 from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
New York Giants first-round draft pick David Wilson was on hand with several of his fellow Giants rookies at Citi Field on Wednesday night to take batting practice and throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Phillies took on the Mets. [MLB.com]
