David Diehl just about did it all during his 11-year career with the Giants.
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In the regular season, Diehl started 65 games at left tackle, 42 at left guard, 26 at right tackle and 27 at right guard. In the postseason, Diehl made 10 starts at left tackle and one at left guard.
He also started the first 120 games (plus seven postseason contests) of his career, the longest such streak in franchise history since the introduction of the 16-game schedule in 1978.
So the Illinois product knows not only what it takes to be versatile but also how to do it from Day 1. And Diehl, now an analyst, sees those traits in Iowa prospect Brandon Scherff, whom he projected to the Giants at No. 9 during a mock draft on Giants.com.
Check out photos of OT Brandon Scherff from the University of Iowa
"Out of this group, I think the most NFL-ready is Brandon Scherff," Diehl said. "I would put him at No. 9. He's strong enough in the run game to move, at the point of attack, a defensive lineman and anchor down against the power rush.
He has the movement and hand placement in pass protection to redirect, to punch and anchor down against those bull-rushers and those big interior defensive linemen.
But the best thing that he brings outside of that versatility, he brings competition. Because there will be a competition between Brandon Scherff and Justin Pugh at either the left guard position or at the right tackle position."
Equally as important, Diehl recognizes the same tenacity in Scherff that defined Diehl and his offensive line, which helped to lay the foundation for Super Bowls XLII and XLVI.
"I see that he's a tough, physical, nasty player," Diehl said. "He finishes guys. You always see him blocking to the whistle and sometimes after the whistle, which is good as an offensive lineman.
"But like I said, I think overall he is the pedigree of what you want in an offensive lineman. He is exactly the type of offensive lineman and the foundation that not only my group had but the foundation that the New York Giants have had and what Pat Flaherty, the offensive line coach, looks for in an offensive line."
