Giants say draft means fresh start for Super Bowl champs

New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith (12) watches as New England Patriots corner back Ellis Hobbs (27) moves to intercept a pass in the second quarter of Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Arizona, February 3, 2008. Smith was a second round draft pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. (REUTERS/Pierre Ducharme)

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Reuters) - New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese said he expects to improve his Super Bowl-winning team despite having last pick in each round of the NFL draft.

"We prepare like we're going to pick first," Reese told reporters at the Giants stadium on Thursday. "You don't make any mistakes that way."

Marquee names expect to go to teams with the top choices, with Miami Dolphins slated to pick first, followed by St Louis, Atlanta, Oakland, Kansas City and New York Jets.

Among the early picks are expected to be offensive tackle Jake Long from Michigan, defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey of LSU, Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, defensive end Chris Long from Virginia and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.

The Giants have the 31st pick in the first round since the New England Patriots forfeited theirs as part of a punishment for videotaping other team's signals.

The Patriots, however, have the seventh overall pick through a trade with the San Francisco 49ers.

Reese, whose side beat the Patriots to win the Super Bowl in his first season in charge, was confident he and his staff will find seven players that can improve the team.

"You can find good players anywhere in the draft," said former scout, who won praise for last year's selections who played key roles in the Giants' march to the NFL title in February.

Rookie contributors included first-round cornerback Aaron Ross, second-round wide receiver Steve Smith, third-round defensive tackle Jay Alford, fifth-round tight end Kevin Boss and seventh-round running back Ahmad Bradshaw.

"Guys we drafted last year did a nice job. But can they do it three years in a row? You can't Cantonize these guys that played last year," Reese said, referring to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

"Let's see them do it again."

Reese was cagey about what positions he was keen to fortify.

"We look for value and need. We are always trying to get a combination of both," he said. "Value can be the tiebreaker sometimes, need can be a tiebreaker."

Linebacker and safety are two positions weakened in the off-season with the loss of free agent linebacker Reggie Torbor and safety Gibril Wilson.

Reese said his phone has been ringing with feelers on possible trades of players and draft picks.

"We've gotten calls, lots of calls," the GM said. "There's a lot of chatter going on now with the draft."

Reese said the team was riding high but he was aware how fast the tide can turn.

"This league is what have you done for me lately. You just have to lose a couple of games and we'll all be dumb. I'll be dumb, the coach will be dumb, the quarterback will be a bust.

"Last year's over with and we have to start over and build this team to another championship."

(Editing by Alan Baldwin)